A Review by Phil Calabro
2005, Paramount Classics/MTV Films/Crunk Films, Dir. Craig Brewer – Starring Terrence Howard, Anthony Anderson, Taryn Manning, Taraji P. Henson, Paula Jai Parker, Elise Neal, DJ Qualls, Ludacris, Issac Hayes
To some people, the pimps and hookers that ride the streets in the game of false passion and greed are all part of a soulless, cruel enterprise of the underground – they have no emotions, no feelings, and have remained in the business because it is still profitable. What's most redeeming about a movie like 'Hustle and Flow' is how the director and writer Craig Brewer can put a whole-hearted, yet regrettable human face upon this description –and gives it a whole 180-degree spin. Our main character is begging to be redeemed by society, by his friends, and by himself. After years of being a pimp, it has sunk into his skin to be abrasive just to get his way – but he realizes that underneath this façade there is someone wanting to express himself through a medium other than hustling. The film's soundtrack is bound to leave everybody singing out the doorway – it even caught me singing 'It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp' – and the casting is simply pitch perfect. For anybody looking for an inspiring and lighthearted feature this summer, 'Hustle and Flow' has got a lot going for it.
DJay (Howard) is a pimp from Memphis, living in a little shack with all of his hooker friends sharing his space. Living with him is Shug (Henson), his former protégé who became pregnant recently; Nola (Manning), his cornrowed Southern girl left with nothing in life except for being DJay's right-hand woman; and Lexus (Parker), DJay's mouthy stripper girlfriend who has been obstructing his and his hookers' lives for too long. Our protagonist is suffering a mid-life crisis, as he realizes that his life has gone to shambles. He finds no real spice in life, because it's been reduced to advertising the same whores to the few people in town – he wants something more out of life, and tries to use music to express himself. When he runs into his old classmate Key (Anderson), who is a professional recorder, he begs him to give his raps a chance. If DJay can produce a demo tape of his songs, he could get hometown legend Skinny Black (Ludacris) a copy of the tape for a listen. Together with his friends, he must piece together as many of his rhymes to create the perfect album – that could change his lifes and everyone around him.
Terrence Howard, who was remarkable in this year's 'Crash', has wowwed me over again in the role of DJay. Not only does he nail the physical and voice characteristics of your average Southern pimp, but he gives the audience a reason to care. His words are ironically prophetic in some way, but he is no saint whatsoever. His inner demons are frightening at times, especially when he's dealing with his hookers – as an example, he throws Lexus and their child out of the house after an angry brawl, and refuses to support them any longer. Anthony Anderson leaves his casual comedic mode for a change: he plays a full-bodied character with real problems and emotional value. It's rewarding to see Anderson in a role such as this, especially since I've always been a fan of his work – despite his agent's knack for getting him some terrible roles. Taraji Henson was terrific in the role of Shug, the constantly-belittled and underappreciated mother figure in DJay's brothel. Not only does she have a magnificent voice for some of the songs, but she is believable as a love interest as well. DJ Qualls provides some brief comic relief, but sometimes it makes me wonder if the audiences were laughing at the jokes themselves, or because he was white.
As I said before, this rap music is catchy. You'll have lyrical poetry in songs such as 'Keep Hustlin', 'Whoop That Trick', and 'It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp' – all with their own special rhythm and memorable creation scenes. There have been occasions in film where the music that is supposed to be the center of attention is put to the sidelines, in place of some annoying main character. *CoughCoughGlitterCough*. John Singleton, director of the incredible 'Boyz N Tha Hood', financed this picture entirely on his own money, and it's no surprise why. There's a little bit of magic and hope within this story, a seemingly depressing set of lives. The writing is more casual than climactic, the music is more creative then it is entertaining, and the acting is more realistic than it is Oscar bait. It feels real, which is a difficult task for most directors to nail these days. With the minor exception of the disappointing and abrupt finale, the movie does a sufficient job in taking hold of the audience's emotions.
'Hustle and Flow' is a rhythmic, luscious, fresh set of beats with an excellent set of characters. It's a movie like this that can take any human being, whether despised or worshipped, strip it to its bones of faults and strengths, and reveal to everyone what it really is– only human. This is one movie, and soundtrack, that you should try and catch.
