Movie OK, problem with nomination...

Rating: 6/10 (27 February 2006)

OK  I know this movie wasn't made for old white guys like me. I rented it because Terrence Howard was nominated for best actor, and I was curious. So the fact that I don't think rap is an art form, don't think it's music, don't think it's worthy of the money it generates is irrelevant. I find the whole rapper, guns, ho's, violence, ghetto deal  with the strutting, macho posturing that accompanies it to be very irritating. And while I understand the money they have (and I don't) is a big factor to this dislike, hopefully I'm not too obvious about it
But as to the film, Terrence does a fine job of playing a ghetto black  he was very believable as some no-hoper hustler. And my equally old wife and I watched the whole movie and found it entertaining, funny at times, and were very appreciative that it wasn't as profane and violent as it could have been. So the movie is not the issue, although I couldn't refrain from commenting on rap above.
But I do not understand the acting 'stretch' I keep hearing regarding the lead actor; and why this justifies his nomination in this somewhat above average film. He's an actor, and judging from his role in 'Crash', he can play other roles as well. But that's just it  I don't think for a black actor, that playing upper class, and then playing ghetto is all that tough of a stretch. Oprah does it whenever she wants to make a point, Denzel does it at a drop of a hat; Richard Pryor was another example; heck, I bet you could even throw in Bill Cosby. Black entertainers do this easily (and hopefully this doesn't qualify as insensitive stereotyping). Hell, almost all the rappers who go on to acting roles CAN act between these extremes. Now, some might say 'why should you penalize this talent (or even minimize it) by not recognizing it at award time? You wouldn't talk about ignoring or penalizing Bobby Bonds just because he makes it look easy would you?'. And I don't have an answer for that one  it's a good point.
Possibly this performance being nominated is not all that bad a deal anyway. It's just that maybe it took a nomination away from a Morgan Freeman, or heck even a Jeff Daniels. Besides, I'm still carrying a grudge that Guy Pearce wasn't nominated for 'Memento'.