Hustle & Flow

June 7, 2005

Rated: R Runtime: 114 min Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Set in the ‘Dirty South’ of Memphis, this movie focuses on a pimp that wants to change the nowhere path he is on and become a rapper. He believes this is the only way to avoid dying young and broke like his father, and for once feel like more than a dirt poor Memphis pimp.

Hustle & Flow Sound cheesy and hollow? Yep, did to me too but with the cast of characters and the performances of Howard and Anderson, it was actually pretty cool. I am not a fan of hip-hop or rap so I was not particularly excited about seeing this movie so as you can tell by my review so far, if I can like it anyone can. Sure it’s directed at urban viewers and hip hop fans, and often times makes fun of the differences between black people and white people (can’t get enough of that crap), but as a movie it is good without those sterotypical marketing ploys, and works no matter who you are or where you come from. I am going to get to the plot before I over analyze it and admit I liked the music too, and even start talking about the existentialism of it all. Rock Rules – Rap Drools, there I feel better now.

Main character D-Jay (Howard) is a skeezy pimp that runs girls out his crappy blue Chevy Caprice and deals pot on the side. A real winner and should be looked up to by everyone around him, big or small… NOT! He has 3 ho’s in his ‘care’ – hotty Nola (Manning), pregnant Shuge and stripper Lexus… of course that’s really her name, what else would it be, Hyundai? D-Jay is cool with what he is until one day he runs into an old high school chum, Key (Anderson) and due to some mid-life crisis brought on by a gospel song??? D-Jay filled with delusions of grandeur wants to be the next big thing and join fellow Memphis Playa Skinny Black (Ludacris) in the rap game. Gotta love little baby keyboards and a dream… One of the best moments in the film.

Key and D-Jay decide to recapture lost youth and cut a demo but not without the help of ‘white boy’ Shelby (Qualls). Shelby sets the beats, D-Jay the lyrics and Key mixes it together, the only thing missing was a montage and Rocky working out in Siberia. Now normally this is the point in any other movie I would be looking for the door but the music and mood the film-maker puts together in Hustle is pretty groovin’ and got me into this film even more. The rest of the movie is all about getting the demo to Skinny Black and getting D-Jay and his crew out of the gutter… Overall very good, worth seeing, so go when it makes it to mainstream release. You won’t be disappointed.

This movie is not usual MFG fare but due to solid writing, excellent acting and a chuckle basket of laughs – it didn’t matter. We enjoyed ourselves and so did the audience around us. Laughs came when expected and total silence was observed when the dramatic core of the story was taking place. Although it could have done with more of Taryn Manning nekkid, the movie was good and we will see it again when it makes it’s way to the DVD shelves, hopefully with extra scenes of Taryn more nekkid.

Popularity: 7% [?]

Posted by J.C. Edwards | Filed Under 4 Stars, Anthony Anderson, DJ Qualls, Drama, Ludacris, R, Taryn Manning, Terrence Dashon Howard, Theatrical