Hustle & Flow

Hustle & Flow is a 2005 American drama film written and directed by Craig Brewer and produced by John Singleton and Stephanie Allain. It stars Terrence Howard as a Memphis hustler and pimp who faces his aspiration to become a rapper. It also stars Anthony Anderson, Taryn Manning, Taraji P. Henson, Paula Jai Parker, Elise Neal, DJ Qualls and Ludacris.

Hustle & Flow
Theatrical release poster
Directed byCraig Brewer
Produced by
Written byCraig Brewer
Starring
Music byScott Bomar
CinematographyAmy Vincent
Edited byBilly Fox
Production
company
Distributed byParamount Pictures
Release date
  • July 22, 2005 (2005-07-22)
Running time
116 minutes[1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$2.8 million
Box office$23.5 million

Hustle & Flow was released in the United States on July 22, 2005 by Paramount Pictures. It received positive reviews from critics, with praise directed at the performances (particularly those of Howard and Henson), Brewer's script and direction, and the soundtrack. It was also a commercial success, grossing $23.5 million against a production budget of $2.8 million.

The film received numerous accolades and nominations, and was nominated twice at the 78th Academy Awards for Best Actor (Howard) and Academy Award for Best Original Song for Three 6 Mafia's song "It's Hard out Here for a Pimp", winning the latter and becoming the second hip hop song to win an Academy Award, after Eminem's "Lose Yourself."

Plot

DJay (Terrence Howard) is a pimp and drug dealer who is dissatisfied with his life. After owning 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 true 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 Black to a bloody pulp. 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 the prostitute Nola (Taryn Manning) to keep his writing pad with his rap lyrics on it. 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

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

On Rotten Tomatoes the film holds an approval rating of 83% based on 160 reviews, with an average rating of 7.3/10. The site's critical consensus reads: "Hustle & Flow is gritty and redemptive, with a profound sense of place and exciting music."[2] Metacritic gives the film a weighted average score of 68 out of 100 based on 37 critics, indicating "generally favorable 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
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
Main article: Hustle & Flow (soundtrack)

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

See also

References
  1. "HUSTLE & FLOW (15)". British Board of Film Classification. July 8, 2005. Retrieved July 8, 2015.
  2. "Hustle & Flow (2019)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved November 21, 2019.
  3. "Hustle & Flow Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved March 31, 2011.
  4. "Hustle & Flow Movie Review - Hustle & Flow Movie Trailer - The Boston Globe". Boston.com. July 22, 2005. Retrieved March 31, 2011.
  5. Owen Gleiberman (July 20, 2005). "Hustle & Flow | Movies". EW.com. Retrieved March 31, 2011.
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