Hustle & Flow

Everybody gotta have a dream.

Memphis pimp DJay (Terrence Howard) starts thinking about his future and gets in touch with a sound engineer (Anthony Anderson) to help him record a rap tune that might be played on radio. That sounds like a pathetic set-up, and it is in a way, but director Craig Brewer and the cast take their characters seriously and the result is a moving and realistic film that doesn’t insult its audience. Excellent performances from Howard as the pimp with a mid-life crisis, and Taraji P. Henson and Taryn Manning as two of the girls in his stable. They’re portrayed with warmth and honesty. The song DJay comes up with is good… but not great (that might have been too hard to believe).

2005-U.S. 115 min. Color. Produced by John Singleton, Stephanie Allain. Written and directed by Craig Brewer. Song: “It’s Hard Out Here for a Pimp” (performed by Three 6 Mafia). Cast: Terrence Howard (DJay), Taryn Manning (Nola), Anthony Anderson (Key), Taraji P. Henson, Paula Jai Parker, Elise Neal… Isaac Hayes, Ludacris.

Oscar: Best Original Song.

Published by Stefan Hedmark 2007-11-14 04:39

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