Slam is an excellent movie and an intriguing character study. Ray is a young black man who deals marijuana and writes "slam" poetry. His life changes when a tragic event occurs right in front of him and he is caught with a packet of marijuana. He faces jail time and there is where the movie draws it's amazing strength.
The movie does not blink at the violence, factionalism, and bureaucraticness of today's prison system. Ray is just a man trying to survive and be left alone. Though he finds that to be nearly impossible. An all too quick to develop romance develops and Ray has to figure out how to deal with finding a new love in the very brief time between his being bailed out and the beginning of his sentence.
It is a fascinating story with excellent performances. The major criticism I have with it is when it tries to stretch itself out to become a non-violence message to all black people instead of sticking with its strength which is the poetry, the romance, and the utter desperation felt by Ray. It is in Ray's utter desperation that the film's manic energy is truly felt.
The movie does not blink at the violence, factionalism, and bureaucraticness of today's prison system. Ray is just a man trying to survive and be left alone. Though he finds that to be nearly impossible. An all too quick to develop romance develops and Ray has to figure out how to deal with finding a new love in the very brief time between his being bailed out and the beginning of his sentence.
It is a fascinating story with excellent performances. The major criticism I have with it is when it tries to stretch itself out to become a non-violence message to all black people instead of sticking with its strength which is the poetry, the romance, and the utter desperation felt by Ray. It is in Ray's utter desperation that the film's manic energy is truly felt.