Whoop That Trick GET EM Whoop That Trick GET EM......

Rating: 9/10 (6 February 2005)

This little gem was one of the few surprises of the 2005 Sundance Film Festival, and was certainly the best film in American Dramatic Competition (along with "Brick" and "Thumbsucker").
Yes, the plot is riddled with clichés - but the film manages to transcend these shortcomings due to the slick camera-work of cinematographer Amy Vincent (who won the cinematography award at Sundance), the powerful and poignant performances by Terrence Dashon Howard in the title role (Djay), Taraji P. Henson (Shug), and, of all people, Anthony Anderson (Key).
The film follows a down-and-out Memphis pimp/hustler named Djay (Howard), who, along with his "primary investor" ho Nola (Taryn Manning), run tricks out of his beat-up Caddie in a back alley.
Djay is then swept up in the crunk-rap game, with the emerging success of hometown Memphis product Skinny Black (Ludacris). Djay was once a DJ/freestyle MC during his formative years, and, in his opinion, was on a par with Skinny. So Djay, frustrated by life as a pimp/hustler/dirt-weed dealer, decides to break into the rap game. He's aided by an old friend Key (Anderson), who's still kept his rap-dream alive by recording gospel music at the local church, and his sidekick Shelby (DJ Qualls), who's got some ill crunk beats.
Djay's pregnant "first lady" Shug (Henson) provides the hook to their second single ("You know it's hard out here for a pimp / when you trying to get the money for the rent / all the Cadillac and gas money spent / will have a whole lot of b*tches jumpin ship"), as well as some much-needed tenderness that helps ground Djay's rough, pimp-slappin character.
This film won the Audience Award at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival and rightfully so - it's very engaging and a lot of fun. Even when the sparks fly in the 3rd Act, and filmmaker Craig Brewer throws a left-hook featuring delicate material, the film is redeemed by its close.
I enjoyed this film much more than Curtis Hanson's "8 Mile", and must thus crown "Hustle and Flow" as the greatest rap film ever made.
(The title of this post is a reference to Djay's first, catchy single)