Back Shelf Beauties
by Willie Waffle
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Hustle and
Flow
Terrence Howard stars as D-Jay - a low class pimp and drug dealer in Memphis.
He's having a hard time making ends meet, and wants to do something else
with his life, when he sees an opportunity. After buying a casio keyboard
to write some music, he runs into an old high school classmate, Key (Anthony
Anderson). Key wants to be a big time record producer, and D-Jay wants to
be a big time rap star, so they join forces to produce a demo tape. Another
high school buddy, Skinny Black (Ludacris), has become a mega-star, and he's
returning to town for a July 4th party, which could be D-Jay and Key's big
break.
Does D-Jay have what it takes to be a superstar? Can he get close enough
to Skinny Black to give him the tape?
Writer/director Craig Brewer has done a masterful job with an amazing structure
as all of the action, all of the effort, all of the emotions, all of the
drama come down to one moment, the night of the party and whether or not
D-Jay can get his demo tape in Skinny Black's hand. Working up to that moment,
Brewer takes us through the lives of these down-and-out people who aren't
very likable, but, along with a very talented cast, somehow elicits our sympathy
for the underdog. Most of all, it's Howard who puts in a career-making
performance.
How do you find sympathy for a man who takes advantage of women to make money?
How do you root for a drug dealer to become a huge success? Howard finds
a way by showing us D-Jay in all of his ugliness at the beginning, then pealing
away the layers to slowly show his transformation, hopes, dreams, new attitude
and regret over his previous life. You'll never think D-Jay is worthy of
sainthood, but Howard fills him with some goodness and hope, which wins over
the audience as the movie moves towards its stunning, shocking climax. Even
Brewer and Howard don't necessarily want you to wholeheartedly embrace D-Jay,
and that's what makes this character and story so interesting. Howard always
has you guessing about D-Jay's truthfulness, the extent of his transformation
and his ability to walk the walk. It's a complex and nuanced performance
you don't see every day, and one that might be discussed further when awards
season starts this fall.
Hustle and Flow is a gritty movie
worth taking a chance on this weekend. It's one of those rare movies that
gets you feeling several conflicting emotions at the same time and challenges
you decide how you feel about this flawed hero.
4 Waffles (Out Of 4)
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