Hustle and Flow

From the opening scene of Hustle and Flow, Terrance Howard as DJay mesmerizes. He doesn't really look or speak like anyone you know, and he may be a pimp, but he's a pimp with a dream and that makes all the difference.

He thought there was more time (sound familiar?), but he feels father time clipping at his heels and knows he can't be pushing tricks forever and he sees one chance.

Skinny Black (Ludacris), the boy from the neighborhood who made it big as a rapper is coming home and DJay is asked to provide him with the good pot on July 4th - Independence Day - how appropriate as this movie is about lost dreams and opportunities. He figures if he can slip him a demo tape his life will change. The exchange goes wrong of course, very wrong.

Like many of us, he puts more importance on someone from the outside helping him out but in the end it's the strange family he's collected on the way of whores and long lost high school buddies and touching loves that change his life.

Craig Brewer's first produced movie as the writer-director is surprisingly accomplished. His characters all have a very human quality to them. I never felt I was watching caricatures. Nola (Taryn Manning) is a standout as a newly minted whore who finds out business is a lot like prostitution. Rating - Satisfied! - well worth the time and money.

Released 2005 Paramount Classics Run Time 114 minutes Rated R

Your New Section