Hustle & Flow (2005)

the audience applauded

Overrated and overhyped

Memorable, crazy movie

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

What are we to make of the scene where D-Jay throws that ho out the house? Is this pimp to be condemned for violating both contemporary norms concerning masculine behavior AND age-old notions of gentility? Or do those rules no longer apply in this world, where her raw feminine aggression threatens the life of this strange family? Or can we see it as a metaphor for what the artist must sacrifice for the creative process?10* primarily, however, for most Bosworthian use of the word mode since _Beowulf_. I've always assumed that to be intentional.

Hustle & Flow is a good tale although it's slight Hollywood-ized version of a rags-to-rich story. But that doesn't stop this movie from giving effective performances and a gritty hustle and pimp story. This story is one that the small-town people can relate with and it's well-written one at that. Now, this is not my kind of music but I can still appreciate the way people have come to succeed in this music industry especially when things seem the darkest.Craig Brewer's first feature is about a full-time pimp named Djay. Djay wants to get out of that business and prove to the world he has skills to be a rapper. When his childhood friend, who is a millionaire rapper plans on coming to town, Djay enlists the help of his friends to make sure he can succeed.In 2005, this film as well as Crash put Terrence Howard on the map. He is brilliant as Djay. We can see his earnest passion to become a rapper and he brings much to this role. This character is what brought Terrence Howard to stardom. The supporting cast is decent as well even though some of the female characters are quite annoying.Overall, this is a borderline great film that tells the traditional rag-to-rich tale. This is not my kind of music, but I can appreciate all the hard work these people do. I don't know where this film would be without Terrence. I enjoyed this gritty tale for the most part. I rate this film 8/10.

Hustle & Flow has the perfect balance of. Drama, Music, and performances. I firmly believe without the passionate performances, this movie wouldn't have been as strong as it was. Terrence Howard's character is a tad bit abrasive at times, but his heart of gold, and his never-give up mentality made the character perfect in my opinion. What really made the movie for me was it's realism.. The characters felt real, the situations seemed real, and the ending wasn't all that far-fetched either, and really made me smile. The ending is one of the best things about the movie because it wasn't all that unbelievable. You will hate Skinny for what he does, and it will certainly mess with your emotions. I firmly believe this movie isn't for everyone, due to its violent language and the fact that not everybody is into Rap. But it is worth it in my opinion.Performances. Terrence Howard is Oscar worthy here. It truly was a star-making performance, and I loved everything about his character. Despite some of his abusive and abrasive actions, he remained likable. He was the heart and soul of this film. Anthony Anderson can actually ACT!. I was shocked at his maturity and how good he was here. Taryn Manning is fantastic as the vulnerable, and often overlooked woman. I felt for her on many occasions, and thought she did a great job. DJ Qualls is excellent as well surprisingly. He injected a nice amount of humor into his part. Taraji P. Henson is solid as the love interest. She was likable and never overdid it. Ludicrous played scum perfectly. I couldn't stand him as Skinny.Bottom line. It's powerful, engrossing and a joy to watch. Don't be turned off by it, because of its subject material. Critics were 100% right about this one. A must see.9/10

Not since "Daylight" and "John Q" have I been as offended by black stereotypes in the movies.The message is something about reaching for a dream. Even if you are a pimp who abuses, sells drugs and can't form a coherent sentence, you can have dreams. The portrayal of DJay by Terrence Howard is no better than your average SNL sketch- I can't believe the high regard the critics have for this film and the acting in it.We are meant to somehow empathize with the lead character even though he beats up a defenseless man, shoots another innocent man, and even when being led away by the police, he says nothing about taking care of the supposed woman who was closest to him- he only cares about the pad with his crappy lyrics on it. Ridiculous.The music(if you consider rap music) was annoying, repetitive, and completely unrealistic (gosh, that was the quickest voice lesson in history, given by a guy who doesn't even sing!). The writing and recording of the songs were the slowest parts(among many)of the film- thankfully the remote was nearby.Here's a good idea for a movie: an African American who is a politician overcomes deep prejudice in his own country to become President of the United States.