Great movie!

Rating: 10/10 (22 April 2005)

I saw this movie in LA at a special screening. This movie is very, very good. I'm going to go again when it is released. A great movie makes you feel a connection with the characters even when they are very different from you. I felt this connection with the characters in this film. Even though this film is about a pimp and his hos and his dream it feels relative to the audience because we all have our own dreams, we all have been in a rut that we have desperately wanted out of and this film communicates these feelings in a truly original manner.
The actors all performed superbly and the Memphis mannerisms and music were right on target. There are a lot of expletives used towards women but I was not offended by it because of the fact that this film successfully immerses the audience member into the subculture that it is attempting to unveil. This film was emotional and funny in all the right places. Terrence Howard performed exceptionally and so did Anthony Andersen. I believe he is a very talented actor and I hope that he can successfully make the transition from comedy into more dramatic roles faster than actors like Jamie Foxx. He did a great job in this movie. The two main white characters in this film also were not cheap props put there just to be laughed at in a film of mostly black characters. They both had substance and made smart remarks. I respect that. Overall this movie was well written and well acted. I hope the subject matter doesn't deter moviegoers from seeing it because they would be missing out on a great film.
P.S. I wouldn't take my kids to this film. This is definitely a movie for adults although there are no real sex scenes.