Hi, Mom!

"Hi, Mom!" is a 1970 American experimental satirical film directed by Brian De Palma and serves as a follow-up to his earlier work "Sam’s Song." The story follows Jon Rubin (played by Robert De Niro), a Vietnam War veteran who returns to New York City and tries to reintegrate into society while pursuing a career in underground filmmaking. He rents an apartment in the Lower East Side and becomes obsessed with voyeuristically filming his neighbors through their windows, aspiring to create a successful pornographic film. His journey takes a darker turn when he joins a radical theater troupe that stages a controversial performance called "Be Black, Baby," designed to force white audiences to experience racism and oppression firsthand. The production escalates into a violent and confrontational spectacle, blurring the line between performance and reality. The film explores complex themes including PTSD, voyeurism, race relations, radical politics, and the fragmentation of personal identity in urban America. Merging black comedy, political satire, and experimental cinema, "Hi, Mom!" stands out for its boldness and critical perspective, featuring an early and intense performance by Robert De Niro that marked a significant step in his acting career.