Mediocre, Boring, and Poorly Written

Rating: 1/10 (15 April 2006)

This film - intended to be a character study of a pimp who has a dream of becoming a rapper, and the prostitutes who live with him in Memphis, TN - could have been powerfully rendered with sensitivity and realism. Instead it was filled with clichés, weak dialog, and the overall aura of an ABC After School Special. The cinematography is also sub-par: there's not even a visual aspect to cling to in this middle-brow mess.
As a person who grew up in the South and who has actually been to Tennesee on many occasions, I absolutely do not agree with the opinion that this movie accurately depicts Memphis.
This movie glorifies stupidity and mediocrity, not only in it's subject matter but in the manner in which the film was executed. While some of the music is excellent, the rap "hit" (Whoop That Trick) at the core of the plot is generic, the beats overly simple, and the lyrics could have been written by anyone lacking talent.
In conclusion, "Hustle and Flow" screams "made for television."