Hustle & Flow

Hustle & Flow
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Craig Brewer
Produced by
Written by Craig Brewer
Starring
Music by Scott Bomar
Cinematography Amy Vincent
Edited by Billy Fox
Production
company
Distributed by Paramount Classics
Release date
  • July 22, 2005 (2005-07-22)
Running time
 116 minutes[1]
Country United States
Language English
Budget $2.8 million
Box office $23.6 million

Hustle & Flow is a 2005 American drama film written and directed by Craig Brewer and produced by John Singleton and Stephanie Allain. It was released on July 22, 2005. Terrence Howard stars as a Memphis hustler and pimp who faces his aspiration to become a rapper. The film is dedicated to Sun Records founder Sam Phillips.

The film won the Academy Award for Best Original Song for Three 6 Mafia's song "It's Hard out Here for a Pimp". Howard was nominated for Best Actor.

Plot

DJay (Terrence Howard) is a pimp and drug dealer who is dissatisfied with his life. After acquiring a keyboard and reacquainting himself with an old friend from school, Key (Anthony Anderson), who has become a sound technician, DJay decides to try his hand at making hip hop songs.

Key and his sound-mixer friend Shelby (DJ Qualls) help DJay put together several "flow" songs in which he expresses the frustrations of a small-time hustler struggling to survive. DJay quickly proves to have a real talent for lyrics, and his first fixed-length song, done at the urging of his friends, appears to have a decent chance of becoming a hit and getting local radio play.

The group experiences many setbacks throughout the creative process. DJay must hustle those around him in order to procure proper equipment and recording time, and Key's relationship with his wife becomes strained. DJay throws out one of his prostitutes, Lexus, along with her one-year-old son Roger, for ridiculing his art. DJay's pregnant prostitute, Shug (Taraji P. Henson), joins in the creative process, singing hooks, and the group eventually records several fixed-length tracks, including "Whoop That Trick" and their primary single "It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp". After their first recording, DJay falls in love with Shug.

DJay's friend, Arnel (Isaac Hayes), informs him that Skinny Black (Chris "Ludacris" Bridges), a successful Memphis rapper, will be returning to the neighborhood for a Fourth of July party. DJay gains admittance to the party under the pretext of providing marijuana, with the intention of giving Skinny Black his demo tape. Black is dismissive at first, but after a long night of reminiscing DJay successfully persuades him into taking the tape.

Before leaving the party, however, DJay discovers that the drunken Black has destroyed his tape, leaving it in the toilet. When DJay confronts Skinny Black, Black laughs at the idea of touring with DJay and insults him. In a fit of rage, DJay beats and pistol whips Black with his own gun. Realizing what he has done, DJay attempts to resuscitate the unconscious Black, until a member of Black's crew enters the bathroom and quickly pulls out his gun. DJay shoots the man in his arm, then uses him as a human shield to make his escape.

DJay arrives home to find the police and Black's associates waiting for him. DJay turns himself in and tells Nola (Taryn Manning) to keep his writing pad, with his rap lyrics. He tells her she is "in charge" of getting his songs on local radio stations, and exchanges a glance with a tearful Shug. DJay is charged for assault and possession of a firearm and is sentenced to 11 months in prison.

While serving his time, DJay gets a visit from Key. When Key asks DJay if he really knew Skinny Black, DJay reveals that he made it up in order to keep the group's dream alive. DJay learns from Key that Nola has hustled the local radio DJs into playing his songs, which have become local hits. Key says he and Nola want to discuss his future plans. The film ends as we see a friendly duo of prison guards who have their own rap group asking DJay to listen to their demo, much as DJay had approached Skinny Black. Humbled and flattered, DJay accepts their tape and responds with: "You know what they say, everybody gotta have a dream".

Cast

  • Terrence Howard as DJay, a small-time hustler who is dissatisfied with his not-so-glamorous life and learns to express himself. He is also Shug's love interest.
  • Anthony Anderson as Key, a modestly successful audio technician with a passion for music.
  • Taryn Manning as Nola, a book smart levelheaded prostitute of DJay's.
  • Taraji P. Henson as Shug, a friendly prostitute of DJay's who is pregnant with an unknown client's child. She is also DJay's love interest.
  • DJ Qualls as Shelby, a friend of Key's and an amateur musician.
  • Ludacris as Skinny Black, a successful Memphis rapper who has forgotten his roots.
  • Paula Jai Parker as Lexus, an arrogant and rude prostitute and part-time stripper with a young child.
  • Elise Neal as Yevette, Key's straitlaced wife.
  • Isaac Hayes as Arnel, a bar owner who is sympathetic to DJay's aspirations.
  • Juicy J as Tigga, a local rapper.
  • Haystak as Mickey, the strip club DJ.
  • DJ Paul as the neighbour of DJay.
  • I-20 (rapper) as Skinny Black's bodyguard.
  • Josey Scott as Elroy, a corner-store employee and DJay's marijuana dealer.

Production

Terrence Howard initially turned down the role of DJay. He reportedly was attempting to avoid being typecast as a "pimp" archetype. However, after recognizing the complexity and depth of the character, he reversed his earlier decision and took on the role.

As concepts of both hustle and flow are unique to African American culture, it turned out to be nearly impossible to find proper translations for international release of the film. For example, the Russian translation of the title means "The bustle and the motion". The Italian title is appended with "Il colore della musica" which means "The color of music".

The film experienced many years of near-misses and outright rejection from major studios and potential financiers before finally being backed by its longtime supporter John Singleton. In the DVD extras Singleton says that he decided at last to put up the money himself because he was exasperated at his friends' not getting what their film deserved.

Critical reception

The film received positive reviews overall. Rotten Tomatoes gives the film an 82% "fresh" rating.[2] Metacritic gives the film a rating of 68/100 based on 37 reviews.[3] The Boston Globe said, "Some will find it chicly inspired, recalling blaxploitation's heyday with its grimy urban realism. Some will find it corny, absurd, and a limited view of options for disenfranchised African-Americans."[4]

According to Entertainment Weekly, "The home-studio recording sequences in Hustle & Flow are funky, rowdy, and indelible. Brewer gives us the pleasure of watching characters create music from the ground up."[5]

Awards and nominations

Academy Awards
Austin Film Critics
Black Movie Awards
  • Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture: Terrence Howard (Winner)
  • Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role: Taraji P. Henson (Winner)
  • Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role: Anthony Anderson (Winner)
  • Outstanding Motion Picture: (Nominated)
Black Reel Awards
  • Best Actor: Terrence Howard (Winner)
  • Best Supporting Actress: Taraji P. Henson (Winner)
  • Best Original Soundtrack: (Winner)
  • Best Film: (Nominated)
  • Best Supporting Actor: Anthony Anderson (Nominated)
  • Best Ensemble: Nominated
Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards
  • Best Actor: Terrence Howard (Nominated)
  • Best Song: Terrence Howard for "Hustle & Flow" (Winner)
Chicago Film Critics
  • Best Actor: Terrence Howard (Nominated)
Florida Film Critics
Golden Globes
  • Best Actor in a Drama Motion Picture: Terrence Howard (Nominated)
Gotham Awards
  • Breakthrough Award: Terrence Howard (Nominated)
Image Awards
  • Outstanding Motion Picture (Nominated)
  • Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture: Terrence Howard (Nominated)
  • Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture:
    • Taraji P. Henson (Nominated)
    • Elise Neal (Nominated)
  • Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture: Anthony Anderson (Nominated)
MTV Movie Awards
  • Best Breakthrough Performance: Taraji P. Henson (Nominated)
  • Best Kiss: Terrence Howard and Taraji P. Henson (Nominated)
  • Best Performance: Terrence Howard (Nominated)
Screen Actors Guild Awards
  • Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
Sundance Film Festival
  • Audience Award, Dramatic: Craig Brewer (Winner)
  • Excellence in Cinematography Award, Dramatic: Amelia Vincent (Winner)
Teen Choice Awards
  • Choice Drama Movie Actor: Terrence Howard (Nominated)

Soundtrack

The soundtrack was released on July 12, 2005 by Grand Hustle and Atlantic Records. The album centers on Southern hip hop.

References

  1. ↑ "HUSTLE & FLOW (15)". British Board of Film Classification. July 8, 2005. Retrieved July 8, 2015.
  2. ↑ "Hustle & Flow Movie Reviews, Pictures". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 2011-03-31.
  3. ↑ "Hustle & Flow Reviews, Ratings, Credits, and More at Metacritic". Metacritic.com. 2005-07-22. Retrieved 2011-03-31.
  4. ↑ "Hustle & Flow Movie Review - Hustle & Flow Movie Trailer - The Boston Globe". Boston.com. 2005-07-22. Retrieved 2011-03-31.
  5. ↑ Owen Gleiberman (2005-07-20). "Hustle & Flow | Movies". EW.com. Retrieved 2011-03-31.
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