Review of Hustle & Flow (2005) by Marcos P — 20 Feb 2010

Before I go off on one of my rants or tell an amusing anecdote (which I will) I need to make one thing clear: This is a magical and beautiful film. Hustle & Flow is about as perfect as a movie can be.

Okay, here comes the anecdote: I actually wasn't supposed to get this movie for a while from Netflix. I had it at the top of my queue, but that's only because the movies at the top of my queue are in random order.

I intended to get Extract (a movie I saw a few days ago, but it was really nowhere near as good as Hustle & flow) next from Netflix, but when I put Extract at the top of my queue, they chose to ignore me.

Instead I got Hustle & Flow and I was a bit disappointed that they shipped this movie out instead. I thought Hustle & Flow was just going to be okay and nothing special. I thought it was just a movie to showcase Terrence Howard in a leading role.

Boy was I wrong. It seems like I always underestimated this movie. Even when it first came out in 2005 I remember seeing commercials for it and not really being interested. The film was heavily promoted on MTV (kind of fishy considering MTV Films produced this movie).

It seemed like every other commercial on MTV, MTV 2, MTV Hits, all of the programs on MTV On Demand from Comcast, and every other related MTV network was for Hustle & Flow. There was even a great music video/song by T.

I. called "I'm a King" that promoted this movie. The movie also received really good reviews from critics when it was released, yet I was still not interested. My interest in this film probably increased when it was nominated for two Academy Awards (Best Actor in a leading role and Best Original Song for "It's Hard Out Here For a Pimp" (that song's Oscar win was responsible for one of the greatest Oscar moments of all time.

After Three 6 Mafia (get it, 666 Mafia. I know it blew my mind when I realized that.) won their Oscar, Jon Stewart dropped the immortal line, "Three 6 Mafia: One. Martin Scorsese: Zero.")). Four years later (I say 4 years because the 2005 Oscar ceremony was held in 2006.

I know it's stupid how they always hold the Oscars the year after the movies come out. The reason they do it is so the voters can see all of the films, especially the ones that come out on or after Christmas.

) I finally got to witness Hustle & Flow. Right from the opening scene I could tell I was in for something special. Writer-Director Craig Brewer (who has a great chance of being one of the best directors in the near future.

He also wrote and directed Black Snake Moan) is amazing at writing dialogue and using the camera. Terrence Howard's little monologue that opened the film was brilliant and that opening sequence looked stylish thanks to the direction of Craig Brewer.

I also loved the opening title sequence of this film because it used slow motion, freeze frames, multiple songs, and big bright graphics (the graphic for "Hustle & Flow" even had the copyright information a la the classic blaxploitation films and Jackie Brown.

). I'm going to be honest here: This movie is hard to get into at first. The accents are hard to understand at first and not much happens in the first twenty minutes. However, once you adjust into the movie and get comfortable, you'll love it.

Terrence Howard sizzles up the screen and delivered a star-making performance. After this movie he became a celebrity overnight (Twista, anyone?). The messages and symbolism in this movie are surprisingly inspirational and uplifting coming from a movie about drug dealers and prostitutes.

I don't think it's a coincidence that the American flag is so prominent in this film. This movie is all about the American dream. This movie is about never giving up on your dreams no matter how old you are or who you are.

As it is said in the film, "Everyone deserves a chance." However, it is also said, "Just because you have the lettuce, bacon, and tomato doesn't mean I'll give you the toast." This movie also shows how people make sacrifices and do ugly things they might not want to to do in order to succeed.

Terrence Howard does some pretty nasty things in this film (one of them is actually funny, but it turns out to be one of the saddest moments in the film. Another terrible thing he does makes him look like a monster.

). However, the audience is always rooting for Howard's Djay even as the violent and shockingly heart-pumping climax spins the movie out of control (in a good way). Every performance and character in this film is perfect.

As I have mentioned several times, Terrence Howard delivered the performance of his career as Djay. Anthony Anderson is great as Djay's old friend who sacrifices his suburban wife and job to help out an old buddy.

Taryn Manning (yup, the girl who sang the only non-rap song (also the only song I skipped over) on the brilliant 8 Mile soundtrack.) and Taraji P. Henson are very sympathetic as two of Djay's (did I mention he was a p-i-m-p?) prostitutes.

Manning is a sad figure: she's a girl who thinks she has no talent, yet she knows she wants to do something big. Henson is an absolute angel. She's pregnant with Djay's child and she also helps him out in a way he didn't think she could.

Old friend D.J. Qualls plays a "white boy" buddy of Anthony Anderson's character who turns out to be great at creating beats. I haven't seen Qualls in a better performance (if memory serves me right, he was pretty good in The New Guy, but this is a much better performance.

). Ludacris is great here as well. He plays a big time rapper who used to live in the same Memphis neighborhood as Djay. Ludacris's character however has forgotten about his roots with his new fame.

His character shows Djay that fame might not be as good as it seems. The music used in this film is really cool too. There are lots of great original rap songs to jam to. The process of these characters inching towards the creation of a song is exciting to watch.

This film really showed how difficult it is for aspiring musicians to find fame and the film shows obstacles they must overcome. This inspirational and gritty film should have been shown more love at the Oscars (at least nominations for Best Picture, Director, Screenplay, Supporting Actor (Anderson) and Supporting Actress (Henson and or Manning).