Review of Never Die Alone (2004) by Leif — 15 Sep 2013
Dark, jazzy, with a saturated visual style and engaging narrative that examines a drug pusher and his need to return home to the New York and make amends to a small time drug lord he pilfered a stash of heroin from a decade earlier.
Much of films failure commercially is due to the poor advertising and marketing which tried to sell it as a "Gangsta thriller" when in fact it's an introspective and literate urban noir that shows the domino effect one mans life can have on those around him.
David Arquette's aspiring novelist in the ghetto is a smart fit when you examine that he is meant to be out of place in this milieu. DMX makes a brutal and charismatic screen presence who makes his character David more interesting then you would think and the supporting roles are well cast and deeper than what you would expect.
Credit to Michael Ealy as a somber and reflective runner for the local drug lord and director Ernest Dickerson creates a layered and intelligent film from Donald Goines 1970's novel. The last 20 minutes, when the film's arc really comes full circle is impressive and rewarding.
This review of Never Die Alone (2004) was written by Leif on 15 Sep 2013.
Never Die Alone has generally received mixed reviews.
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