On HD-DVD: Hustle & Flow

Directed By Craig Brewer

Starring Terrance Howard

This movie made a big splash at last year's Sundance Film Festival for breaking the record for highest dollar amount a film had ever sold for at the festival: 9 million dollars.  This year another film actually sold for 10!  Now Hustle and Flow is out on DVD and we can find out what the big deal is.

The Movie

You may get the impression that Hustle and Flow is another film about rap music, and you'd be wrong.  Rap music is only the vessel chosen by the films main character to realize his dreams.  DJay is a down and out pimp living poorly in Memphis.  He isn't the stereotypical pimp from classic blaxploitation films that's driving a nice Cadillac and covered in jewelry and fur coats.  DJay is closer to the real deal.  He drives a rusting car with no air conditioning and lives in a falling apart shack with three hookers, one whose off the streets pregnant, another who works in a strip joint, and a third who he sells from his car.

DJay yearns for something different in his life, as do the women who work for him.  That is essentially the heart of this story and what makes it identifiable to nearly everyone.  DJay feels he may have discovered the answer to what he's been looking for when he runs into an old friend from high school who works as a sound recorder for hire.  So, he sets about convincing his friend that he has the chops to write and perform wrap music.  This is no 8 Mile, it's a much more real and subtle story than that.  The future of DJay and the two girls he cares about all rests on his shoulders and he pours that pressure into his writing.

DJay (Terrence Howard), his friend Key (Anthony Anderson), and one of keys buddies who plays keyboards and drum machines Shelby (DJ Qualls) set about recording a demo with no money, utilizing a room in DJay's house by covering it with drink holders from fast food restaurants and bribing the neighbors with pot to keep the noise down.  DJay even discovers that one of his girls can sing when he needs a hook for one of his songs.

The film is a perfect bend of real hopelessness while being hopeful.  DJay knows he ahs it in him to do something meaningful with his life, but he also understands that his environment will probably hold him back.  He just needs one chance and he'll do what ever he has to for that chance.  The story is a mirror of many parts of the writer/director's own life as a struggling filmmaker in Memphis.  He was of course never a pimp, but he was desperate for that one shot to prove that he had the chops to make something great.  So, he builds much of the emotion of his own story into this urban film and it works near flawlessly.

Much of the success of the film is due to the phenomenal cast.  There's not one bad actor in the bunch.  They're all anchored by the Oscar nominated performance of Terrence Howard, who is effortlessly able to make a pimp sympathetic.  Howard becomes the character, changing his mannerisms, his voice, and his attitude.  He truly disappears into the role.  Director Craig Brewer was able to get John Singleton to produce and you can feel Singleton's influence on the film from beginning to end, and for once (at least since Boyz in the Hood) that influence benefits the film.  Apparently Singleton and Brewer both share a love of 70's music and film, and it shows with Hustle and Flow.  The movie feels out of time.  While being contemporary the film features a score assembled by some of the greatest R&B musicians from the 70's, including members of Isaac Hayes' backup band from the era.  The color palette and several of the shots feel as though they were lifted from the era as well.  Thematically the timeless feel melds with the idea of chasing a dream being timeless as well.

The story is emotionally powerful, the characters are well developed and are played not feel stereotypical, and the execution of the film is slick without being brainless.  Due to the world in which the character lives many may feel the film is overly misogynistic, and it has to be, the guy is a pimp after all.  At the same time he wants better for himself and the girls who have stood by him.  You don't have to like rap music or urban movies to appreciate this film.  If you've ever had a dream in your life but felt held back from following it, you'll connect with this amazing film.

9.5/10

The Video

The original DVD release of Hustle & Flow left something to be desired in the video department.  It was grainy and detail was low so I was excited to see this new version.  Well, the higher resolution serves to pull even more attention to the intense level of grain on the image.  The film was shot in 16 mm so grain is to be expected, but not this much.  The grain helps soften much of the film e detail of the image.  Black levels and color representation are well done though. 

6/10

The Audio

The Dolby Digital-Plus 5.1 mix sets a priority on the music.  Music has a fantastic dynamic range with solid bass and clean highs.  Dialogue on the other hand can change from clean and strong to murky and hollow in a few places.  The change isn't terrible and those who don't focus on sound might not think to much about it, but the change from scene to scene is noticeable so I had to mention it.  Overall the presentation is good just not as consistent as we've come to expect from newer films coming to hi def DVD.

7/10

Packaging and Features

The single disc release comes in standard amaray case with the poster art reused for the cover.  Again Paramount uses one of those annoying amaray cases with the locking tabs on the side.  These tabs serve no purpose other than to irritate the owner of the DVD.

For such a low budget release their are quite a number of bonus features here.  First up Craig Brewer offers a feature length director's commentary.  Brewer is a laid back guy but his enthusiasm shines on the commentary.  The most interesting stuff comes when he shares his connection to Memphis and how many of his own stories are built into the film.

Behind the Hustle runs nearly a half an hour and details how the making of the film with interviews with the cast and crew.  Several behind the scenes stories are shared here along with the usual back slapping common to the types of featurettes.  Within the feature we get some behind the scenes footage as well which includes the cast read through and the cast hanging around the set.

By Any Means Necessary runs around 14 minutes and details everything the cast and crew went through just to get the film made.  They all discuss the long wait to get the film going and the struggles to find financing, with Singleton himself finally throwing in some of his own money.  At the end of this featurette is some behind the scenes footage taken at the Sundance Film Festival.

Creatin' Crunk runs around 13 minutes and focuses on the process of creating the music for the film.  The process of bringing together the musicians from the 70's is discussed as well as the story of a local Memphis rapper writing one of the songs in one night.

Memphis Hometown Premiere clocks in at just under 5 minutes and is just what it sounds like, a montage of video of the cast and crew walking the red carpet into a Memphis theater for the premiere screenings.  There are several brief interviews taken on location with the cast.

All the featurettes are crammed with great information.  There is a bit to much back slapping going on but otherwise there's great stuff in every featurette.  Brewer's commentary is also quite informative.  All of this stuff is held over from the original DVD release and subsequently none of it is in high definition.  For the HD-DVD release Paramount has included the film's original trailers in full high definition but nothing else is new.

8/10

I never expected it, but this is a must see film for anyone who does any kind of art and wishes to do more with it.  You'll identify with DJay right away.  Also, anyone looking for a film with true emotional value, not the movie of the week sort of thing, then you'll enjoy Hustle and Flow as well.  Writer/director Craig Brewer is one to watch, he writes stories with universal themes while incorporating what he knows best, the south and music.  I do wish Paramount had done more restoration work on this film to make it look more high definition but the story cuts through the grain and makes this HD-DVD a must own.

Overall (Not an Average) 8/10

The Movie 9.5/10

The Video 6/10

The Audio 7/10

The Packaging and Bonus Features 8/10

Overall (Not an Average) 8/10

-Stephen Lackey