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American Pimp (1999) More at IMDbPro »


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Overview

User Rating:
6.2/10   1,315 votes
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Contact:

View company contact information for American Pimp on IMDbPro.

Genre:

Documentary more

Plot:

Street pimps, all of them African-American, discuss their lives and work: getting started, being flamboyant... more | add synopsis

Plot Keywords:

more

Awards:

2 nominations more

NewsDesk:
(8 articles)

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User Comments:

Pimpin' Ain't Easy more (38 total)


Cast

  (Credited cast)
John S. Dickson ... Himself (as Rosebudd)
Antonio Fargas ... Link Brown

Heidi Fleiss ... Herself (archive footage)
L. Hammond ... Payroll The Pimp

Hugh M. Hefner ... Himself (archive footage)
Dennis Hof ... Himself
The Bishop Don Magic Juan ... Himself
Max Julien ... Himself / Goldie
Rudy Ray Moore ... Dolemite

Conan O'Brien ... Himself (archive footage)

Roscoe Orman ... Willie Dynamite
Kenny Redd ... Himself (as K-Red)
Todd Anthony Shaw ... Too $hort
Clarence Sims ... Himself (as Fillmore Slim)

Carol Speed ... Lulu
Andre Taylor ... Himself (as Gorgeous Dre)
Mel Taylor ... Himself
more

Additional Details

MPAA:

Rated R for pervasive sexual content including dialogue, strong language and some drug related material.

Runtime:

87 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1 more

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Filming Locations:

Chicago, Illinois, USA more


Fun Stuff

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The World of Austin Powers (2002) (V) more


FAQ

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12 out of 13 people found the following comment useful.
Pimpin' Ain't Easy, 1 October 2001
7/10
Author: mattymatt4ever from Jersey City, NJ

I've always had a guilty curiosity about the life of a pimp. Of course, we have those "pimp stereotypes" in films like "The Mack" and "Willie Dynamite." But do we really, really know ALL about this lucrative, though immoral, profession? Thanks to the Hughes Brothers, now we do.

First of all, this well-made documentary doesn't glorify the life of street pimps. I'm sure a lot of you out there (especially women) will take one look at a film like this, and say to yourself, "Why the hell do I want to watch a movie about greedy, heartless, misogynistic 'mack daddies' who make a living at degrading women for their own financial pleasure?" The Hughes Brothers don't try to take sides. In fact, the film opens with a montage of opinions (mostly negative) from everyday people about these pimps. Whether you condone the industry or condemn it, that's not the issue.

Allen and Albert Hughes do a wonderful job at intercutting the views and "days in the lives" of real pimps with clips from seventies blaxploitation flicks and topping it off with a vivid soundtrack filled with classic soul music. The film starts out by showing the more luxurious, darkly comic side of pimping. It's interesting to learn what real pimps really have to say. Of course, their vocabularies practically consist of three words: "ni**a," "motherf**ker" and "b**ch." But hey, that's how they talk. Am I going to blame the Hughes Brothers for writing an excessively profane script? They didn't write a script! This is how these pimps really talk!

As the film goes on, we learn the more serious side of pimping. We learn the pimping REALLY ain't easy. But at the same time, they're not completely heartless. When one of their "hos" die or get sucked into drug addiction, they can't go on with their lives like nothing happened. And it's interesting to see how different pimps took different paths. Some decided to quit the business and concentrate on raising their families, some ended up in the penitentiary and some (believe it or not) found religion. But some still feel that pimping is the way to go, and though it's immoral, they don't necessarily think it's wrong. We even get a brief introduction into the lives of "legal pimps." You know, those clean-cut white guys with the fancy whorehouses with quality hookers who will do anything they please for a large sum of money.

Expect to see gratuitous close-ups of female rear ends. At times, you feel as if you're watching a 2 Live Crew video. This is another film that I can consider a feminist's nightmare. Nevertheless, it's wonderfully done, eye-catching, compelling, funny and sometimes heartfelt. The Hughes meant to explore the subject without patronizing it. And I found it quite fascinating. If there happened to be a filmmaker who explored the world of pimping before these guys, then let me know. Until then, I give Allen and Albert two thumbs up for taking on daring subject matter involving an underworld of people often overlooked--or broadly portrayed--by the average filmmaker.

My score: 7 (out of 10)

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for American Pimp (1999)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Wow... TKgamer5000
Disgusting! AintNoThang
Wow... looks like this board missed the point... controlclerk
Name of track that plays over the closing credits? sven-netpimp
Kramer song gore_galore
Name Of Song Playing When Fillmore Slim Talked.... cleve25
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