Directed by:
Craig BrewerScreenplay:
Craig BrewerCinematography:
Amy VincentComposer:
Scott BomarCast:
Terrence Howard, Anthony Anderson, Taryn Manning, Taraji P. Henson, Ludacris, Paula Jai Parker, Isaac Hayes, DJ Qualls, Elise Neal, Juicy J, Jeff PopeVOD (5)
Plots(1)
DJay is a Memphis hustler who spends most days in a parked Chevy philosophizing about life while Nola (Taryn Manning), turn tricks in the backseat. He's not very good at pimping, but he can hustle almost anything or anyone and makes enough to keep himself and three girls satisfied and housed in his shotgun home. DJay however is in the midst of a midlife crisis; he quietly harbors dreams of becoming a respected rapper. When he learns from a local club owner, Arnel (Isaac Hayes), that rap mogul Skinny Black (Ludacris), is rolling through town, DJay decides to record his flow with the hopes of slipping his demo to Skinny. With little help from his friends and "family" DJay sets in motion the hustle of his life, and galvanizes the lives of those around him as they learn that "Everybody's gotta have a dream." (official distributor synopsis)
(more)Reviews (2)
I originally didn’t even want to watch this film, but after a while of black catchphrases I recognized that I could give it a chance. In the end, I watched it to the end but not because I was excited about the film, but rather because out of shock at how somebody could live like this. Hip-hop is not my cup of tea, but in this movie the music quite makes sense.
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Placing the film in the crime genre is quite confusing because even though the protagonist ends up in prison and gunshots are heard in one scene, it's just another one of many films that depict the challenging journey toward achieving the American Dream. It's simply about how one outsider grits his teeth and, supported by the love of his fellow man, finds his way up. Gangster rap is a very specific genre that has brought many strange characters from the fringes of society to the peak of popularity, who have brought with them quite uncultivated manners and remain fundamentally uneducated, arrogant posers. Musically, it's not very interesting either because the power of rap and hip-hop has always been in the lyrics and in the personal experiences of street people, which are difficult to transmit. The main protagonist is a kind shepherd who stumbled into the profession by chance, and also thanks to bad luck, but at his core, he's still a good guy who can take care of his sheep with extraordinary understanding, and his favorite girl lovingly reciprocates to such an extent that one could burst into laughter. Overall impression: 50%.
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