Hustle & Flow [UMD for PSP]
Why Buy A Hustle & Flow [UMD for PSP]?The idea of a soulful pimp as the hero of a movie will strike some viewers as objectionable and perhaps even repellent, but Terrence Dashon Howards complex and fierce performance will challenge such easy moral decisions. DJay (Howard,
Crash,
The Best Man) hustles a small stable of whores, including corn-rowed Nola (Taryn Manning,
A Lot Like Love). When he learns that former local rapper turned superstar named Skinny Black (real life rapper Ludacris) is coming back to town for the 4th of July, DJay teams up with a frustrated sound engineer (Anthony Anderson,
Kangaroo Jack) and a geeky musician (DJ Qualls,
Road Trip) to put together a demo tape that he hopes will be his ticket to fame and fortune. Whats most impressive about
Hustle & Flow is that it doesnt oversell its hero. DJays aspirations are more economic than poetic–hes not out to create art, he just wants a better life. This lack of pretension allows the movie to capture a genuine sense of how creativity can improve peoples lives, which surprises DJay as much as anyone. The movies other strength is a keen eye for social behavior, in particular the ways in which DJay manipulates everyone around him. Howard, whos almost always stood out in every movie hes made, plays these scenes with what can only be called smooth desperation. The entire cast gives substantial performances, but its Howard who drives the movie irresistibly forward.
–Bret Fetzer
Customer Reviews & Opinions
Maybe the best new movie this year
I haven’t seen Jarhead yet, or Brokeback Mountain, but as of now, this is the best new movie of the year. Anthony Anderson establishes himself in his best major role and Terence Howard owns the screen, from the first shot through the ending. This movie is so good I just got the soundtrack, within half an hour of finishing the movie. Director Craig Brewer triupmhs with gorgeous shots of Memphis exploring the true life of DJay, an unsuccessful pimp who is left with two hoes. The raps are hard, the beats rock, the acting is amazing and the story may be a common one in “the game”, but nothing about the way the story unfolds on screen appears insincere or trite. The dialogue probably makes the movie, with the semi-philosophical musings of a man approaching 35 with nothing to show for his life. The ending is a real surprise; don’t let anybody tell you how it ends. Southern rap rules the charts and this movie comes at a pivotal time in hiphop. It’s funny that the two greatest performances of the past two years have had great male leads in music movies: Jamie Foxx in Ray and Terence Howard in Hustle & Flow. Howard deserves an Oscar and if the movie is too real for some people, they just didn’t feel it.
Fantastic!
Gritty and raw!! It was refreshing to see an honest portrayal of poverty without the usual melodrama. All of the performances were great, and I found myself singing along with the soundtrack even though I could never imagine that profession. I see why John Singleton produced this movie. It was much better than many of the major studio releases. I would not recommend this for anyone under 17 (hence the R rating), but acting as if this behavior doesn’t exist, won’t make it go away. Anyone who says it glorifies prostitution/pimping missed the point entirely.
One reviewer asked why they were always sweating. I’m not shocked that reviewer gave it a negative rating - apparently they didn’t understand much of anything. And considering the quality of most bootlegs, I’m surprised that reviewer felt qualified to write a review. See a ‘real’ copy for yourself!!
Best of the Best
Hustle & Flow (UMD mini for PSP) was a great film for the PSP. This goes right along with having Conan and Scarface.
Ready, set,…’Flow’
Every dog has his day. So is true with most actors. Hustle & Flow is Terrence Howard’s day.
He plays DJay, a pimp going through a mid-life crisis. He’s 35, and has nothing to show for his life. He lives in a house with no air conditioning along with a pregnant Shug (Taraji P. Henson), skinny white Nola (Taryn Manning), and ungrateful Lexus (Paula Jai Parker). He runs into an old school pal Clyde (a surprisingly good Anthony Anderson), and convinces him to help him record some tracks for a demo he’s hoping to hand over to Skinny Black (Chris “Ludacris” Bridges), a former school mate who is now a platinum rapper. By handing Skinny over the tape, DJay hopes he can make it big and finally leave behind his life of failure.
Howard give an Oscar-nomination worthy performance in a role that requires a certain machismo yet a soul of pain and depth. He commands the screen with a power rarely seen.
First time writer/director Craig Brewer gives us a story of inspiration, hope, persistence, courage, and passion. It may not be totally original, but it has a heart many films nowadays are missing, and unfolds in unexpected ways.
I was absorbed by every second of this film. This is one of 2005’s finest films.
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