Three parts Hoop Dreams, one part 8 Mile and one part Pretty Woman adds up to one seriously entertaining crunk fairy tale. Set in the fetid streets of Memphis in July, Hustle & Flow takes about 30 minutes to find its groove, but from then on the film is truly irresistible. Terrence Howard is really, really good, but the supporting cast is just as strong (including Isaac Hayes and Ludicris). I’ll leave it to Reynolds to offer a thesis on the film’s politics of race not to mention its representation of black male subjectivity, but I liked this film a lot.
jeff, could you say a little more? what did you like about it other than the performances?
Well, its infectious . . . you find that you want these people to succeed, to find fame and fortune. Its an unusual take on the Cinderella story. The characters so want to escape the lives they find themselves living and the writing and the passionate performances make it all work. There is real joy at work in many of the scenes and there is also great fear (I was truly worried about what would happen during many moments). The film doesn’t back away from the social and emotional poverty these characters face. I guess its a gritty yet sentimental movie and the balance of grit and sentiment worked for me. Terrence Howard’s character isn’t necessarily a nice guy and that’s where things get problematic at times. The film riffs on the old hookers and pimps with a heart of gold (it riffs on a lot of cinematic cliches) but every now and then something darker emerges that makes the Cinderella narrative a bit more difficult to digest and I liked that tension. But I don’t want to get all sociological. I just found the film to be hugely entertaining
“It’s Hard Out Here for a Pimp” nominated for an Academy Award! Sweet. Here’s hoping Beyonce rips through that one at the Kodak.