Product Description

No Description Available.
Genre: Feature Film-Drama
Rating: R
Release Date: 26-JUN-2007
Media Type: Blu-Ray

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #13872 in DVD
• Brand: PARAMOUNT HOME VIDEO
• Released on: 2008-06-03
• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
• Formats: AC-3, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, Subtitled, Widescreen
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English, French, Spanish
• Dubbed in: French, Spanish
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .25 pounds
• Running time: 115 minutes

Amazon.com
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 Howard's 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. What's most impressive about Hustle & Flow is that it doesn't oversell its hero. DJay's aspirations are more economic than poetic--he's 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 people's lives, which surprises DJay as much as anyone. The movie's other strength is a keen eye for social behavior, in particular the ways in which DJay manipulates everyone around him. Howard, who's almost always stood out in every movie he's made, plays these scenes with what can only be called smooth desperation. The entire cast gives substantial performances, but it's Howard who drives the movie irresistibly forward. --Bret Fetzer

Customer Reviews

Best movie I've seen in a while
I'm not much of a rap fan but I picked this one up on a lark after hearing some of the good things that have been said lately about Terrence Howard. I can honestly say it is one of the best movies I've seen in a while and I think Howard is on his way to becoming a top-tier Hollywood actor.

The story centers on a pimp and drug dealer named Djay, played by Howard. Djay is sleepwalking his way through life until fate taps him on the shoulder. He is given an old Casio keyboard for a dime bag of pot and he runs into an old buddy of his who is now a recording studio technician. The two things light a spark in Djay and he decides to take a shot at being a rapper. Using egg boxes to soundproof a room in his rundown house and using his whores for backup singers, Djay creates magic.

The movie manages to make a pimp into a sympathetic character, which is an accomplishment on its own right. But the movie isn't really about pimps any more than it's about whores or drug dealers. In fact, it's not even about black or white. The only two white characters in the movie are one of Djay's whores and a geeky keyboards guy and they are both shown in a fairly positive light. The movie is about realizing one's dreams and how the drive to do can bring meaning to even the most dismal situation. It's an old story but one I never get tired of.

Inspiring
Pimpin' ain't easy and this pimp is as realistic a pimp ever portrayed on film. Free of Blaxsploitation/glorified stereotypical pimps, Terrence Howard shines as DJay a man with a big dream and even bigger determination.

Craig Brewer brings the South to front with a raw and inspiring film about dreams. Brewer did an excellent job with the soundtrack which featured memorable sounds of the present and future south sound. Terrence Howard is amazing and even raps his own tunes! Supporting cast members also brought a fresh and personal feel to the movie. Taraji P. Henson as Shug was a warm and beautiful character that holds Djay's heart. Also Anthony Anderson plays a good straight character as Key.

All in all a surprise and very well written and acted movie!

Compelling and appalling, and funny!
I usually avoid like the plague anything related to hip-hop/gansta rap, but I always say "If a movie's good, it's good" and this one was. It made me laugh out loud and also tear up a bit. For adults only because the language is ultra-filthy with a few explicitly sexual images (though no nudity), and much glorification of pot-smoking.