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By
DEBORAH NICOL
Get up, make the rounds,
make the sale, repeat -- all to feed and take care
of the family. No better than a crummy desk job,
it is tough to be a pimp in sweltering Memphis
supporting a house of prostitutes. Director Craig
Brewster taps into his southern roots to write a
love story to the struggles of Memphis musicians
and to anyone who has survived soul squashing
predicaments in order to pursue a dream.
DJay (the captivating Terrence Howard of "Crash")
lives the mind-numbing life of a struggling pimp,
driving his women to their tricks and picking them
up from strip joints. Easy cash is not plentiful,
and babies are an inevitable consequence of the
job. When DJay becomes aware that a brother from
the neighborhood who used to turn tables with him
long ago has now hit it big in the rap biz, he
starts to question his path in life. Knowing that
his father died young starts a countdown in his
head to accomplish his dreams.
Life works in his favor as opportunities arise
that could lead to better days. A local bartender
(the smooth Isaac Hayes) provides him with a
chance to reunite with the old and now successful
acquaintance, and soon afterwards he bumps into
another school buddy (the serious but charismatic
Anthony Anderson of "Barbershop") who happens to
be making a legitimate career recording and
mixing. Using his hustling skills to get the ball
rolling, DJay lines up the shot of his life.
There is no Huggy Bear portrayed here; DJay has it
hard and has become weary of his lifestyle. He
lays down the law when he must, but Howard
portrays him with the vulnerability and sweetness
of someone who has been pushing the rock up the
mountain only to have it roll back on him over and
over, and now finally glimpses hope. The film
opens with him explaining the rules of life to his
primary whore, in the form of the fragile but
diligent Taryn Manning ("8 Mile"). His southern
mumbling rivals that of "The Usual Suspect's"
Benicio Del Toro, but the words of his personal
credo come from his heart. When he turns his words
into action through rapping, his garbled chatter
is replaced by coherence as passion is expressed
in its purest form.
This film was truly a meeting of the minds and
hearts for all involved. John Singleton ("Boyz n
the Hood") felt this enough to financially support
the effort. Most of the cast plays against type,
having previously portrayed comedic bits or
stereotypes. The respect for each character is
evident in genuine portrayals, and there is
nothing phony in a story that could have been
played to the hilt. Brewer has peppered the cast
with southern musicians who have left their mark
in the world, and the score is performed by
classic artists who paved the way in the seventies
and are still rocking. Brewer's love for the city
and all of its accomplishments are evident, as is
his desire to put them in a place of grand
respect. More than anything, this is a film with
heart.
Extras on this disk include a commentary track by
Brewer, the premiere in Memphis, promos for the
film and previews for other movies. Also included
are three great, extensive featurettes on the
making of the film and its inspirations, focusing
specifically on the music that permeates it. |
