Hey, gang.
Caught an afternoon showing of "Hustle and Flow", and as you can see by the new sig, its got my seal of approval. Figure I'll give a little review for the skeptics, especially you white folk!
From turning tricks to setting mics on fire, "Hustle and Flow" chronicles the rise of D-Jay. A pimp with a true aspiration to leave behind his seedy lifestyle and fulfill his dream of becoming a rap superstar. Knocking down the barriers that hold him back, with the help of Key, and the support of his friends, D-Jay sets his eyes on the prize, determined to put his rich life story on the street at any cost.
The biggest compliment I could give this film is that it managed to totally immerse me in a seemingly REAL, credible lifestyle of a street hustler. Suggesting there is some humanity in these characters. It's not glamorous, but it's not bullet dodging all day, as rap videos would suggest either. D-Jay is portrayed as someone totally dissatisfied with his unchosen professional, looking to make more out of his life than slinging dope and prostitutes.
Secondly, this being a totally effective drama, I felt for virtually every single character in this film, except for Skinny Black, of course. He, being the personification of a corrupt music industry head who forgot his roots. Everyone's struggle seemed important, as their sadness seemed genuine, and their longing for something more, true. D-Jay, who became somewhat of a street prophet, knew there were better things for everyone, and spread encouragement and motivation to get it.
There were so many solid, dramatic performances to speak of in Terrence Howard and Taraji P. Henson. Taryn Manning brought up the rear with her performance as a hooker who had reached her wits end, having benefited from the preachings of Howard's character, ultimately "taking charge" of both her life, and D-Jay's career. Anthony Anderson's "Key" character, a driving motivational force in the team's production, was yet another refreshing and positive role for an African American male in cinema.
The market has been saturated for too long with "rags to riches" stories with happy endings. "Hustle and Flow" sidesteps this trend as well, pulling out the flaws in characters, mainly the humanity in D-Jay, who's too green in the business to understand it's exactly that. After pushing a mix-tape onto a seemingly "understanding" Skinny Black, Howard's character finds the tape in a toilet, unravelled, and takes out his frustration on a drunken Skinny, ultimately leading to gunplay and jail time. I appreciate that ending because it's just how it is sometimes. It's real.
This film was picked up at Sundance for boo-koo bucks, and for good reason. It's one of the better indies I've seen all year, and a positive story for virtually anyone who's fallen on hard times, had to make ends meet in the most deplorable of ways, know their better than what they do, and want a way out. I'm not glorifying the pimp game, and neither is this movie. It's just one man's struggle for survival, redemption, and in the very end, achieving his dream of getting HIS story heard.
