Review of Gridlock'd (1997) by Paavo L — 13 Mar 2011

Spoon (Tupac Shakur) and Stretch (Tim Roth) are heroin addicts who play in a jazz band with their straight-laced vegan girlfriend and lead singer, Cookie (Thandie Newton). After Cookie overdoses on heroin, Spoon decides it's time to kick the habit and go to rehab. The story revolves around Spoon and Stretch being given the runaround by the many government buildings they go to, about the medicaid they need, to be admitted into the rehabilitation program. Along the way they encounter crazy drug dealers, ubiquitious cops and their own drug addiction.

I believe Gridlock'd was Tupac Shakur's best performance, being released a few months after his murder. Tupac had more chemistry with Tim Roth than he did with anyone else he starred alongside with on his run in cinema. It was actually funny to see Roth trying to sound black, but it worked out so great here. I wish Thandie Newton could of had more screen time, though. She always seems to be a jewel whenever she appears on the set. Even though Gridlock'd is rather pessimistic in it's delivery, the film felt like an uplifting cartoon and you can tell Roth and Shakur were having a lot of fun in their respected roles. Gridlock'd is a grim look into the lives of addicts and the brooding world in which they live in.