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Hustle & Flow
Directed by: Craig Brewer
Starring: Terrence Howard
Genre:
Drama
Run Time: 116
min.
Release Date:
July 2005
On The Web:
Official
Site
Teaser:
Movie Trailer
Reviewed by
Byron Merritt |
Before I start in on this
review, I think I need to make a few things clear: 1) I don't watch MTV,
and 2) I don't like rap music. Hopefully that will help put things in
perspective for those who choose to read this because this isn't a tale
about a rapper nor about music; it's the story of never giving up on
one's dreams, a universal theme that takes on an entirely new scope in
writer/director Craig Brewer's excellent film HUSTLE & FLOW.
I didn't much care for BOYZ IN THE HOOD and I felt that 8-MILE was
over-hyped, so I was hesitant to watch something with a similar sounding
theme. But my worries were unfounded. Although what you've probably
heard is true ("It's the story of a pimp and his whores"), chances are
you're only getting a snapshot glimpse of this amazing character film by
listening to such a basic definition.
Terrence Howard plays D'Jay the pimp, a good pimp, struggling to make
ends meet by employing three women in his "crib". But a chance encounter
with a music mixer whom he used to go to school with lifts his spirits
and makes him feel as if he's having a mid-life crisis. D'Jay's attempts
to cut his own music consume him, even to the point of using one of his
employees' skills to obtain a $250 microphone (sparking off a rather
heated exchange, I might add).
The fact that the story takes place in Memphis added a genuine sense of
realism to the film, too (from the down-and-out neighborhoods and
on-location shoots near bridges and underpasses).
The actors — without exception — reached deep down into themselves and
pulled up some of the finest performances of 2005. Every single actor in
the movie lived those roles. All of the Oscar nominated films in 2005
(although this one wasn't nominated for Best Picture) held a valid
message, and I absolutely loved how different yet similar they were.
GOOD NIGHT AND GOOD LUCK,
CAPOTE, BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN,
CRASH and MUNICH
all had amazing historical or cultural aspects littered throughout them,
and HUSTLE & FLOW is no exception; why it wasn't nominated in the Best
Picture category ahead of MUNICH is a mystery to me, though.
Never giving up on your dreams ("By any means necessary") is both the
message of the film and of the film-makers. Watching the extra features
on the DVD, I learned that the producers shopped around Hollywood for
financial backing but couldn't find any. Year after year and studio
after studio, they got turned down. So, in the spirit of "let's go and
do it ourselves", they put their own money forward (a measly $8 million
sunk into it from pre- to post-production).
If you haven't seen this movie just because of what you've heard, you're
cheating yourself out of an excellent night of entertainment. Just
remember, you don't have to be young to enjoy the themes talked about
here. This is dreaming at its ugliest and its best. And I still don't
like rap music, but I may be buying the music track to this film.
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Image from Hustle & Flow
DVD cost: $15.99
Purchase:
BestPrices.com
Film Review Stew
Favorite? Yes.
Stew Poo-Poo? No.
Newsworthy:
Terrence Howard
interviewed 123 pimps and 78 prostitutes over a period of two and a half
years. This process included living with four separate pimps for various
periods, including a month-long stint in a Memphis bordello.
Movie Quote: "Hey,
I like that, man. 'It's hard out here for a pimp.'"
Other Actors/Actresses
from Hustle & Flow
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