Because we're mankind..........

Rating: 10/10 (17 August 2005)

.......We're all entitled to our opinions and points of view, mostly based upon our idiosyncrasies, prejudices, beliefs, and our experiences.
Hustle and Flow was an excellent feel good movie about change, love, faith, perseverance, facing and tackling one's fears to make dreams reality.
Albeit told, excellently mind you, from one of the grimiest of life's many stories (and there are grimier out there) and for those of us that have come from (or still live in) the inner city, none of this is cliché' but simply art imitating life on a level that we can identify with more than others.
This is our culture.
However, as far as I'm concerned my opening comments make it clear that you don't have to be a pimp, ho', black, rocked a mic on stage, studio, or dreamt of doing it, live in the ghetto or like hip hop/rap/crunk music to identify with this movie.
All you'll have needed was to have been in love, been hated on, done things you hated and you'd like to be forgiven for, attended church, dreamed of becoming a lawyer/doctor (Mrs.Taylor) or any other profession and had to overcome "REAL" hardships and make sacrifices to get there, forgotten where you came from, decided to throw caution to the wind and say "Something's got to change in my life" and start changing it, or simply had to get your hustle on to put food on the table or make that change in your life possible to identify with this movie.
The entire ensemble put in exceptional work, making each and every character real. You have to give Terrance Howard his props on this one, but as I look at each actor's performance and try to grade them, they all come up with high marks. I especially dug "Key" Anthony Anderson's character as he's usually cast as buffoonish comic relief. It was refreshing to see him in a serious role and his character was extremely down to earth, identifiable and likable.
Taraji P. Henson (Shug) subtly stole every scene she was in, most times with just her facial expressions which conveyed so much about her and Terrance's (D-Jay's) characters.
This wasn't just a story about a pimp/drug dealer trying to make it big in rap....it's the human story.
I haven't experienced a more satisfying and triumphant movie ending since Shawshank Redemption.
Hustle and Flow's ending ranks right up there.
I have to give a shout out to the comment posted by nitejrny282.