Independent Student Newspaper Since 1969

The Badger Herald

Independent Student Newspaper Since 1969

The Badger Herald

Independent Student Newspaper Since 1969

The Badger Herald

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Pimp inspires audiences nationwide

The name “John Singleton” carries about as much weight as the gaunt Lindsay Lohan these days. Sure, he made “Boyz N’ The Hood” and “Higher Learning,” but, seriously, what have you done for me lately?

Well, he wrote and directed “Shaft,” and everyone remembers the countless Emmy nods that fine film received. Then there is the disaster that was “Baby Boy,” rounded out by the awesomely bad “Too Fast, Too Furious.” The name John Singleton shouldn’t conjure images of greatness anymore because two good movies made in 1991 and 1995, respectively, really aren’t as impressive as they sound. However, like the Red Sox proved last year, all bad streaks come to an end and, in John Singleton’s case, his name has been attached to a movie that won’t end up in the $2 bargain bin at Walgreens. Though he did not write or direct “Hustle & Flow,” he was an executive producer, and, well, that’s got to count for something.

“Hustle & Flow” follows struggling pimp and amateur rap artist DJay through the trials and tribulations of making it big. DJay (Terrance Howard) meets an old-school friend and small-time music producer Key (Alan Anderson) and convinces him to help with laying down a demo tape. DJay and Key hook up with the fish-out-of-water Shelby (DJ Qualls) and produce some of the “dope-est” rhymes Memphis has ever heard. DJay then goes to a party, where it is rumored that Skinny Black (Chris “Ludacris” Bridges), a local rapper who has made it big, will make an appearance. DJay’s entire music career and aspirations of leaving his impoverished lifestyle depend on whether he can proverbially “pimp” his music to Skinny Black.

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Imagine the movie “Eight Mile,” take out Eminem and add in talented actor Terrance Howard (“Crash”). Essentially, you have “Hustle & Flow.” The movie’s idea has been done to death: an impoverished man rises up to beat the odds because of his moxie and passion, but “Hustle & Flow” never seems overplayed or jaded. Sure, the cinematography is great and the acting superb, but there is something in the script and character development that one doesn’t find in most films.

Simply put, no character in “Hustle & Flow” is flat, meaning no one is completely good or evil. Writer/director Craig Brewer portrays DJay as a human being with complex emotions. It would have been far too easy to write the character simply as the pimp with a heart of gold. Instead, Brewer has DJay do things the stereotypical “good guy” wouldn’t do. For God’s sake, he’s a pimp — you’re not supposed to like him all the time. On the flip side, there is something undeniable about the passion in his eyes and sultry Southern accent that inevitably win over the audience.

“Hustle & Flow” also sheds light on delicate racial issues. All positive aspects of the movie aside, how often does the media portray black men as pimps and hustlers? Do we really need another movie about a black man from the projects who must overcome odds in a white world? From this point of view, it seems “Hustle & Flow” only perpetuates racial stereotypes.

On the other hand, maybe Brewer is simply telling it like it is. In the rap world, it seems one needs “street cred” to be taken seriously. Go down the list of successful rappers: 50 Cent, Snoop Dogg and The Game. Along with a slew of others, all came from poor neighborhoods and sold drugs. Maybe Brewer is only emulating real-life rappers. In the end, however, when weighing both issues, they seem to cancel each other out. The audience is left with no overload on either side.

Any movie that is a hit at the Sundance Movie Festival is a good indicator of a quality product. “Hustle & Flow” lives up to this expectation. With solid acting, strong cinematography and an uplifting story, “Hustle & Flow” is this year’s diamond-in-the-rough of bad summer movies. Best of all, Terrance Howard can spit some-kind-of rhymes. “Whoop That Trick” and “You Know It’s Hard Out Here For A Pimp” are both songs that will stick in your head well after the credits run. “Hustle & Flow” is playing at The University Square 4 movie theater.

Grade: A

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