Though DJay, a streetwise Memphis pimp, has always had a way with words, that gift has long been misused; this philosopher-hustler lives a dead-end life at the fringes of society. Still, DJay wonders what happened to all the big dreams he had for his life. A chance encounter with an old friend, Key, a sound engineer who has always wanted to make it in the music business, spurs DJay: if he's ever going to make his mark, it has to happen now. He begins to write down his freestyle raps - his flow - and the two team up with Shelby, a church musician with a beat machine, to lay down bass-thumping crunk tracks. DJay's metamorphosis affects his entire house, as the women in his life - Shug and Nola - find ways to contribute to the creative process. With the impending visit to Memphis of hometown platinum-selling rapper Skinny Black, DJay has to make one last hustle if he's ever going to flow.
cast
Terrence Dashon Howard as Djay
quote
DJay: Who's this niggah?
Key: That's Shelby, he plays piano in my church. I thought he could help us develop your sound.
DJay: You know he's white, right?
Key: Naw, he just light-skinned.
Holy cripes. This absolutely astounding cinematic masterpiece from writer/director Craig Brewer ('The Poor and Hungry' (2000)) is as close to the marrow of raw intensity as has likely ever been seen on the big screen in many years - if ever. The script rips into you straight from the opening scene and continues relentlessly to roll you around in its smorgasbord of unfettered jagged emotions until the closing credits. Quite frankly, it's better than awesome. It's off the scale. Every aspect of this hundred and sixteen-minute treasure is sheer perfection. Finally, music lovers and moviegoers are given the extremely rare opportunity to realistically feel as though you're actually witnessing the birth of a truly invigorating piece of music as depicted in a film about, well, making music at ground level. Scott Bomar's soundtrack is phenomenal - even more so, if you enjoy the particularly blunt and cuss saturated, hard edged genre of Rap featured here. It's scary, thrilling, ugly and hypnotic all in the same breath, and Brewer deftly captures every note with deliberate brilliance. Plus, you get an incredibly captivating story about this Memphis low life going by the monicker D Jay desperately attempting to turn around his dead end life as a volatile pimp through a fragile reclamation of his former musical abilities that exponentially consumes him like an addiction. Howard seamlessly immerses himself into the role, naturally interpreting and articulating this otherwise completely unlikable character in such a way that a paying audience can't help but root for his success. One of the best parts about that is in how it's shown that he simply can't do it on his own, and has no alternative but to change his entire parasitic mindset and begin relying on others - including those who he'd previously lorded over and mistreated. As with his music, watching DJay's transformation truly is astounding. Powerful. 'Hustle & Flow' also features a wonderful cast of top notch co-stars, which includes Taryn Manning ('White Oleander' (2002), 'A Lot Like Love' (2005)) as prostitute turned "primary investor" Nola, Anthony Anderson ('Romeo Must Die' (2000), 'Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination London' (2004)) portraying old pal and perfectionist producer on a shoestring Clyde a.k.a. Key, DJ Qualls ('Road Trip' (2000), 'The Core' (2003)) as wunderkind percussionist Shelby, and Taraji P. Henson ('Baby Boy' (2001)) playing DJay's very pregnant housebound hooker and unassuming back up vocalist Shug. Each one these roles could have easily had an entire movie made about them individually. All of them feel real and completely believable throughout. The writing, and their acting, are both that superb. Nothing is watered down. Yes, the MPAA has slapped an R rating on this superior must-see gem, primarily for its sexual and drug related content, and the pervasive bad language that does become specifically annoying fairly quickly, but there really isn't any other contemporary way of telling everything that needs to be told here in as honest a way as Brewer has presented. This Sundance winner is one of those very few pictures that you'll probably come out afterwards wanting to convince everyone you know that they need to see. And, you'd be right. Definitely do yourself an incredibly fulfilling favour and check out this perfect example of high calibre movie making intended for mature ticket holders looking for clear signs of genius from Hollywood.
