Review of Chi-Raq (2015) by Tiffany S — 05 Dec 2015

Despite having its heart in the right place, this stunningly unfocused, poorly executed amalgamation of ideas, narrative threads, and writing and filming styles doesn't hang together as a cohesive whole.

Instead, viewers are left to endure an overlong, repetitive diatribe that criticizes seemingly everyone and everything without offering much in the way of realistic solutions. The film never decides whether it wants to be incisive satire or serious drama, taking a scatter-shot approach that's akin to throwing a bowl of spaghetti against a wall to see what sticks.

Unfortunately, these shortcomings obscure whatever strengths the picture has to offer, such as its excellent performances by Jennifer Hudson, Steve Harris and John Cusack. In short, "Chi-raq" represents a lost opportunity to draw serious attention to a real American tragedy.