:
Terrence DaShon Howard,
Anthony Anderson,
Taryn Manning,
more...
:
Craig Brewer
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: 
: Paramount
: Drama, Independent, Music
: 115 min.
: English
: English
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One man's struggle to rise above his circumstances prompts him to try a career in music in this acclaimed drama from writer and director Craig Brewer. Djay (Terrence Howard) is a low-level pimp and drug dealer who scraped together a living in the ghettos of Memphis, TN. Djay isn't happy with his life, and the realization that he's reached the same age when his father unexpectedly died has made him start thinking about changing his ways. Djay has always had a gift for spinning stories, and after picking up a cheap keyboard, he begins picking out beats to go along with his rhymes. After bumping into an old high-school buddy who works in gospel music, Key (Anthony Anderson), Djay decided to take the plunge and remake himself as a rapper. With the technical know-how of Key and the musical input of a local beat maker named Shelby (DJ Qualls), Djay begins turning his way with words and his first-hand knowledge of the street life into music, as his two live-in girlfriends, Lexus (Paula Jai Parker) and Shug (Taraji P. Henson), add their musical input and emotional support and Nola (Taryn Manning) continues to turn tricks to pay the bills. When local boy-turned-nationwide hip-hop star Skinny Black (Ludacris) comes to town to pay a visit to Arnel (Isaac Hayes), a club owner friendly with Djay, he sees an opportunity to put his demo in the hands of someone who can bring his music to the masses, though it turns out to be far more difficult than he expected. Hustle & Flow had its world premiere at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival, where it received a number of rave reviews and took home the Audience Award. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
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| Great film! Give it a chance.
by NBoeger
March 23, 2006 - 7:33 PM PST
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3 out of 3 members found this review helpful
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Seriously, this movie was excellent. I am by no means a rap fan. As a matter of fact, I detest rap. However, I loved this movie. Its not about a pimp with the heart of gold or about how rap is a nice art form. Its about a man who wants to be more than he is. Its about doing what ever it takes to make it. Its about the hustle. Most people have had to hustle, at some point in their life, and if you know what that means, then you will enjoy this movie.
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| Pulpy Goodness
by skidroche
March 13, 2006 - 11:11 AM PST
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3 out of 4 members found this review helpful
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| I loved this flick. It's not the most complex thing in the world; on the contrary, it's actually a fairly formulaic Badboy-Makes-Good, Whore-With-a-Heart-of-Gold story, which is why it's so utterly bewildering that so many studios refused it. I guess Hollywood still hasn't gotten the message that moviegoers think pimps are cool. Anyway: It's pulpy, heartfelt, smarmy goodness, with excellent performances by some great actors and actresses. It's strangely statisfying and at times even deeply moving. More importantly, it actually feels like the run-down, urban South. I put it in the same category as Iceberg Slim's fiction and Donald Goines. Rock on. |
| Hustle & Flee
by talltale
January 10, 2006 - 1:42 PM PST
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4 out of 9 members found this review helpful
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That HUSTLE & FLOW could be taken seriously as a good movie attests to the sorry state of movie buying (and movie criticism) in these United States. Paramount Classics paid top dollar for distribution rights to what turned out to be a near-flop; the film may do better on DVD, but from the turnaround so far at my local video stores, it's doubtful. Not that there aren't some wonderfully entertaining scenes in the film, and fine performances, and some OK music (for rap, that is). But the whole endeavor is wildly off-key: how a pimp prince and his whores with hearts of gold turn their trade into pop culture; how they create and record their own hit song in the (near) comfort of their own home; how they find true love. It's all here. And all over the place.
If the merger of hustling with "Gee, Kids, Let's Put on a Show!" sounds promising, then by all means, watch. But check your brain after pressing the Play button. It's always good to see Terence Howard (who gives a more complex performance than the content warrants), and Anthony Anderson is so fine in a dramatic role that one wonders why he's made so many dumb comedies. The women are excellent, too: Taryn Manning is undercover-smart as Nola, Taraji P. Henson will break your heart as Shug, and Elsie Neal and Paula Jai Parker fill out the lesser roles very well. Well, it's certainly no dumber than a lot of Hollywood mainstream stuff, but this from Sundance? Please. |
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GreenCine Member Rating
(Average 7.23)
92 Votes
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