Hustle & Flow (2005)

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
Adam Ward	....	b-camera assistant
Tom Weston	....	camera operator
Matt Zschoche	....	best boy electric: Los Angeles
Greg Morse	....	24 frame video operator (uncredited)

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)
• 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)
• 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)

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
• Tomkats Catering  catering
• 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:

Craig Brewer added several touches from his personal life in the script: his wife worked in a strip club, then got pregnant, he would have to turn off the air conditioning to edit or the fuse would blow out and he actually saw a black pimp with a white braids-wearing hooker in a car trying to hustle up some business near a local hotel.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Shelby is laying down the piano loop for "Whoop that Trick", he is shown first playing it in the middle of the keyboard, but in the next shot, the position of his hand has changed to the bottom of the keyboard, while the notes stay the same.

Quotes:

Nola: Everyone tells me my hair is pretty.
Lexus: Ya, then they nut.

Movie Connections:

References The Poor and Hungry (2000)

Soundtrack:

Edwin's Lament

Powerful stuff

Terrence Howard plays a Memphis pimp who decides to give hardcore rapping a shot in this arresting, gritty drama. Howard plays DJay, who pimps girls out of his beat-up Chevy Nova. When he comes into the possession of an electronic keyboard, DJay plays around with it and finds he has a talent for writing and performing hard, violent lyrics.

On its face, this seems like a typical "man rises from the ashes of his hardscrabble life to experience success and then watches it all crash down around him" kind of movie. It's not a movie about suffering, success, and redemption, in other words. But it's not as predictable as it may seem at first blush, and Howard is not your typical actor, by any shot.

DJay lives with his small stable of prostitutes in a tumble-down shack in the Memphis ghetto. As pimps go, he's not exactly Donald Trump. Some dance for an exotic club during the day and hook at night; some hook all day. But the money's not rolling in for DJay, who remains somewhat confident that he'll someday come out ahead. When he obtains the keyboard, inspiration strikes, and a chance encounter with an old classmate (Anthony Anderson) who's now a producer (of sorts) gives DJay the opportunity to jump out of the rotten life he's carved for himself.

This never feels like a typical rise-and-fall story, and that's thanks in no small part to the powerful performance by Howard, who's much better here than in the critically lauded (by some) Crash. Appearing with Howard in Crash was Ludicrous, who also has a big role in Hustle and Flow - hey, some rappers are very good actors, it turns out. Howard, aided by a crisp script from Craig Brewer, who also directed, never portrays DJay as simply a nice guy with some flaws, someone who's been handed a bad hand and is making the best of it. It's clear that DJay's made all of his own choices, and the situation he finds himself in - depending on hookers for his livelihood - is of his own doing.

But neither does the script show DJay as being entirely bad, either, as evidenced by some surprisingly tender, moving scenes between DJay and Key (Anderson) and DJay and Shug, his pregnant woman. These scenes don't come off as stilted or insincere, and that's thanks especially to Howard's strong performance. True, too, are the scenes in which DJay lays down a rap track in his home; you can feel the rage seeping through your television.

This movie might be a difficult sell to those who have trouble relating to the environment and atmosphere in which DJay operates. Undoubtedly those who grew up on the wrong side of the tracks will recognize aspects of their own lives, identifying strongly with one or more of the characters. But even those of us who have never lived in squalor, who've generally had advantages that others do not, can appreciate the intense, gray world in which DJay and his associates live. Had this been a simple, typical biography of a musician from the mean streets, it wouldn't have had near the effectiveness, the passion of Hustle and Flow. The movie intrigues you, makes you want to know what happens to DJay, even when it's obvious he's a bit of a jerk. But because he's not a stupid man, his actions cannot be painted as simply good or simply bad. Howard, in particular, is well deserving of his critical accolades here.