Hustle & Flow (2005)

User Rating:

7.5/10   

Director:

Craig Brewer

Writer (WGA):

Craig Brewer (written by)

Release Date:

22 July 2005 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Music

Tagline:

Everybody gotta have a dream.

Plot:

With help from his friends, a Memphis pimp in a mid-life crisis attempts to become a successful hip-hop emcee.

Plot Keywords:

Hip Hop | Pimp | Stripper | Prostitute | Murder

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 17 wins & 34 nominations

Cast

Terrence Howard	...	Djay
Anthony Anderson	...	Key
Taryn Manning	...	Nola
Taraji P. Henson	...	Shug
DJ Qualls	...	Shelby (as D.J. Qualls)
Ludacris	...	Skinny Black
Paula Jai Parker	...	Lexus
Elise Neal	...	Yevette
Isaac Hayes	...	Arnel
Jordan Houston	...	Tigga (as Juicy J)
William Engram	...	Slobs (as William 'Poon' Engram)
Bobby Sandimanie	...	Yellow Jacket (as Bobby 'I-20' Sandimanie)
Haystak	...	Mickey
Claude Phillips	...	Harold
Josey Scott	...	Elroy
John Still	...	Shop Owner
Jay Munn	...	Prison Guard
Michael Hooks	...	Block Manager (as Michael Hooks Jr.)
Jerome Toles	...	Police Officer
Paul Beauregard	...	R.L. (as DJ Paul)
Al Kapone	...	Kateezy
Jennifer Bynum Green	...	Choir Lead Singer
Kelvin Birrus	...	Choir Singer #1
Tiran D. Boyland	...	Choir Singer #2
H. Renee Cogar	...	Choir Singer #3
Brandon Seiferth	...	Choir Singer #4
Deborah Manning Thomas	...	Choir Singer #5
Terrence Brown	...	Piano Player
T.C. Sharpe	...	Arnel's Drunk
Lindsey Roberts	...	Harper
Free Sol	...	Bathroom Kid
Clarence Mabon	...	Police Officer #2
Mark Goodfellow	...	Pawn Shop Owner
Latasha Texas	...	Stripper #1
Tracy Davis	...	Stripper #2
Erica Miller	...	God Bless America Girl
Helen Bowman	...	Defendant
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jeff Pope	...	Trick #1
Josh Driver	...	Bar Tender (uncredited)
Shariee Jones	...	Skate Extra (uncredited)
Dennis Phillippi	...	Himself (voice) (uncredited)

Directed by
Craig Brewer

Writing credits (WGA)
Craig Brewer		(written by)

Produced by
Stephanie Allain	....	producer
Preston L. Holmes	....	associate producer (as Preston Holmes)
John Singleton	....	producer
Dwight Williams	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Scott Bomar

Cinematography by
Amy Vincent

Film Editing by
Billy Fox

Casting by
Chris Gray
Kim Hardin		(as Kimberly R. Hardin)

Production Design by
Keith Brian Burns

Art Direction by
Alexa Marino

Set Decoration by
Joni Wheeler

Costume Design by
Paul Simmons

Makeup Department
Bert Reo Anderson	....	assistant hair stylist
Camille Chambers	....	makeup artist
Ted Long	....	key hair stylist (as Theodore Long)
Kellie Robinson	....	key makeup artist
Linda Thompson	....	assistant hair stylist
Denise Tunnell	....	key makeup artist (as Denise Tunnel)

Production Management
Terra Abroms	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Chris Hayden	....	second assistant director
Van Hayden	....	first assistant director
Zac Jackson	....	second second assistant director
Wayne Witherspoon	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Darian Corley	....	property master
Frank Gray III	....	assistant property master
Spencer Pharr	....	set dresser

Sound Department
Bobbi Banks	....	supervising adr editor
Gregg Barbanell	....	foley artist
Nancy Barker	....	first assistant sound editor
Andy Black	....	sound mixer
Nathan Black	....	boom operator
Michael Camello	....	sound effects editor (as Michael Z. Camello)
Michael C. Casper	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Michael Casper)
Ezra Dweck	....	additional sound re-recording mixer
Stephanie Flack	....	dialogue editor
Paul Hackner	....	dialogue editor
Greg Hedgepath	....	supervising sound editor
Brian W. Jennings	....	sound designer
Brian W. Jennings	....	sound effects editor
Susan Kurtz	....	dialogue editor
Daniel J. Leahy	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Daniel Leahy)
Chris Navarro	....	adr recordist
James Azizi Penny	....	sound effects editor
Jason Piatt	....	foley mixer
Jacob Riehle	....	assistant sound editor (as Jacob Franklin Riehle)
Will Riley	....	additional sound re-recording mixer
Brad Sherman	....	additional re-recording mixer
Frank Smathers	....	supervising sound editor
Fred Stafford	....	adr editor
Eric Thompson	....	adr mixer
Donald L. Warner Jr.	....	foley editor (as Donald L. Warner)
Zahari Schtonov	....	sound recording engineer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Jim Eikner	....	special effects assistant (as Jim Eichner)
Stephen Hall	....	special effects assistant
Ben Ishmael	....	special effects assistant
Jesse Moorefield	....	special effects assistant
Jason Thomas	....	special effects foreman
Steve Wolf	....	special effects supervisor

Visual Effects by
David Booth	....	scanning & recording
John Daro	....	digital intermediate editor
Rick Lopez	....	digital film technician: Fotokem Film & Video
David Rosenthal	....	digital film I/O supervisor: Fotokem Film & Video

Stunts
Max Maxwell	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Tony Arnaud	....	best boy grip
Peter Budd	....	grip
Alisa M. Colley	....	second assistant camera
David A. Cook	....	gaffer: Los Angeles
Dan Cornwall	....	gaffer
Rusty Edmonson	....	lighting technician
Tracy Facelli	....	film loader
Chris Friebus	....	second assistant camera
Richard C. Kerekes	....	dolly grip (as Rick Kerekes)
Tommy Maddox-Upshaw	....	electrician: Los Angeles (as Tommy Upshaw)
Jonathan Stoll	....	grip
Tom Weston	....	camera operator
Matt Zschoche	....	best boy electric: Los Angeles

Casting Department
Michelle Adams	....	casting associate
Cameron Deaver	....	casting associate
Benjamin Gerry	....	casting associate
Barbara Harris	....	voice casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Meriwether Nichols	....	key costumer
Christy Hebert Crouch	....	seamstress (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Kenny Becker	....	color timer
Thanadoul Khunngam	....	post-production intern
John Nicolard	....	digital intermediate producer
David Rosenblatt	....	assistant editor
Bill Schultz	....	digital intermediate executive
Walter Volpatto	....	digital intermediate artist
Walter Volpatto	....	digital intermediate colorist
Charise E. Angone	....	post-production coordinator (uncredited)

Music Department
Scott Bomar	....	music arranger
Marc Franklin	....	music arranger
Christiaan Gordon	....	music clearances
Marvin R. Morris	....	music editor
Shie Rozow	....	music editor
Julie Sessing	....	music clearance
Paul Stewart	....	music supervisor
Mary Unobsky	....	music consultant

Transportation Department
Nalla Black	....	driver: cast

Other crew
Cassandra Barbour	....	rights and clearances
Cassandra Butcher	....	publicity consultant
Cassandra Butcher	....	unit publicist
Betty Chin	....	production coordinator
Tyrone D. Dixon	....	assistant: Ms. Allain
Bennett Fidlow	....	production legal
Aquil Fudge	....	accountant
Ellen Gannon	....	production supervisor
Donna T. Giles	....	location manager
Hailey Giles	....	assistant location manager
Erin Hagee	....	assistant: Mr. Brewer
Sueann Han	....	production secretary
Steven Hines	....	production assistant
Michelle L. Johnson	....	assistant to producers
Sims Lawson	....	production assistant
DeAara L. Lewis	....	intern
Christopher A. Malone	....	set production assistant
Khanya Mkhize	....	adr loop group
Ilene Pickus	....	script supervisor
Erik Proveaux	....	caterer
Michael Rapaport	....	business manager
Maya Robinson	....	intern
Shaun S. Sanghani	....	set production assistant
Laura Sevier	....	rights and clearances
Mark Van Horne	....	laboratory liaison
Dalton Cole Young	....	location assistant

Thanks
Jennifer Kuwabara	....	special thanks
Sam Phillips	....	dedicatee

Production Companies

• Crunk Pictures
• Homegrown Pictures
• MTV Films
• New Deal Productions

Distributors

• Paramount Classics (2005) (USA) (theatrical)
• MTV Films (2005) (USA) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (2006) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (2006) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2006) (Finland) (VHS)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2006) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Paramount (2006) (Sweden) (DVD)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2006) (Argentina) (all media)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2005) (Germany) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2005) (France) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2005) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2006) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2006) (Singapore) (theatrical)

Special Effects

• Wolf Stuntworks

Other Companies

• Ardent Studios  score recorded at
• Atlantic Records  soundtrack released by
• Badabing Badaboom Productions  foley
• Danetracks  sound design & editorial
• Danetracks  sound post-production
• Electraphonic Recording  score recorded at
• Entertainment Clearances  rights and clearances
• Eyes of Mohr Ltd.  grip equipment
• FotoKem Film and Video  digital intermediate
• FotoKem Laboratory  color (as Fotokem)
• Jeremy Walker + Associates  publicity
• Music Resources  music clearances
• Panavision  camera and lenses
• Panavision  camera equipment (as Panavision Dallas)
• Paskal Lighting  lighting equipment (as Paskal Miami)
• Sonora Recorders  score mixed at
• Widget Post Production  temp print master
• Wilshire Stages, The  adr recorded at

MPAA:

Rated R for sex and drug content, pervasive language and some violence.

Runtime:

116 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Ireland:16 | Germany:12 | Netherlands:12 | Singapore:M18 | Finland:K-15 (VHS rating) (2006) | Australia:M | Iceland:16 | Brazil:18 | Argentina:16 | Sweden:7 | Canada:14A | USA:R (certificate #41196) | Malaysia:(Banned) | South Korea:15 | Japan:PG-12 | UK:15 | Canada:13+ (Quebec)

Filming Locations:

Memphis, Tennessee, USA

Company:

Crunk Pictures

Trivia:

There are numerous references to Memphis-based musicians in the film: The character of Shelby was named after Shelby Bryant, a singer-songwriter from Memphis. In one scene, Shelby is wearing a T-shirt with the logo of Sam Phillips's Memphis Recording Service studio. In another scene, Shelby wears a T-shirt of Lucero, a local country-rock band. Many of the studio musicians who played for Stax Records, the legendary Memphis-based record label, play on the original score. Isaac Hayes, who plays Arnel, recorded for Stax Records. The cover of the 1974 Stax album "Victim of the Joke?" by Memphian David Porter is stapled to DJay's work table. Otis Redding, who also recorded for Stax Records, is mentioned in one scene. Al Green's song "Jesus is Waiting" is heard during one scene. Memphis native Josey Scott of the band Saliva, appears as a store owner. Members of the popular rap group Three 6 Mafia appear in the film. Paul Beauregard plays DJay's neighbor and Jordan Houston plays Skinny Black's brother. Haystak, Free Sol and Al Kapone are local rappers who appear in the film.

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: As Key (Anthony Anderson) visits DJay (Terrence Howard) in jail, DJay's mouth movements reflected on the glass partition do not match the words that he is saying.

Quotes:

Key: There are two types of people: those that talk the talk and those that walk the walk. People who walk the walk sometimes talk the talk but most times they don't talk at all, 'cause they walkin'. Now, people who talk the talk, when it comes time for them to walk the walk, you know what they do? They talk people like me into walkin' for them.

Movie Connections:

Featured in 2006 Independent Spirit Awards (2006) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Still Tippin' (It's a Man's World Remix)

Excellent directorial effort

"Hustle & Flow" is a very strong directorial from writer/director Craig Brewer, and it is very worthy of the buzz that it has been generating for the last couple of months. I got to see it last night at an AFI screening at Arclight Cinemas in Los Angeles, and the audience really reacted positively to what they saw. The story is similar in some respects to "8 Mile," but it is a far better movie (and "8 Mile" was pretty good too). It features a tremendous performance by Terrence Howard as a low level pimp who suddenly breaks out of his dark surroundings to become a respected rapper. Craig had commented that had he made this movie within the studio system, he probably never would have been able to cast Terrence in the movie, and that would have been tragic. Anthony Anderson is also excellent as his friend/producer, and there is also Taryn Manning who is very strong in a role as a prostitute who wants to do more with her life. It's a movie with a lot of heart and integrity, and will appeal to anyone who has ever aspired to something with all their heart, regardless of the road blocks ahead. Here's hoping that "Hustle & Flow" gets the audience it truly deserves!