Hustle and Flow

Starring 

Terrence Howard, Anthony Anderson, Ludacris, Taryn Manning, DJ Qualls

Rated R

            A huge hit at the Sundance Film Festival earlier in 2005, “Hustle & Flow” is simply a masterwork. Writer/director Craig Brewer gives the audience a film that is not simply another rags-to-riches story; in fact, the film defies almost all clichés and formulas of underdog movies these days.

            DJay (Terrence Howard) is a pimp living in Memphis who is struggling to survive. He lives with three women, the lead one being Nola (Taryn Manning), a young girl who is just as desperate as DJay. When he runs into to his old friend Key (Anthony Anderson), DJay explains to him that he’s always had a dream of being a rap star. Key, a sound mixer, decides to help DJay produce a few tracks, hoping that Skinny Black (Ludacris), a major rap star that DJay once knew, will listen to what they’ve got.

            I won’t take the risk of spoiling the movie for anyone, but I do have to say that the ending is powerful and really, in my opinion, has something to say about dreams and the rap business in general. Howard, one of the best current actors, now has the distinction of starring in two of the year’s best films, “Crash,” and “Hustle and Flow.”

   
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