Plot: What’s it about?
DJay (Terrence Howard) knows there has to be more to life than he has now, which is close to nothing. He tries to support a pregnant woman named Shug (Taraji P. Henson), while pimping out his girl Nola (Taryn Manning), but his hustles don’t make enough to have a real life. He does what he has to do in order to survive, but in mind, he knows there is more and his dream is to work in the music business. After he runs into his old friend Key (Anthony Anderson), they start a home recording studio at DJay’s place and try to make some music. Key helps DJay translate his life issues into rap lyrics, while Shug sings backup, and they bring in a beat expert in Shelby (D.J. Qualls). Can DJay break out his current lifestyle and get his passionate music to the public, or is this just a temporary escape from his ghetto lifestyle?
I have to admit, I had no desire to see Hustle & Flow in theaters, nor was I even tempted to rent the DVD, so this isn’t a movie that had my interest. But I had read some positive reviews, so when this Blu-ray disc was released, I gave the movie a shot and while it wasn’t half bad, it wasn’t as good as I had heard. If I had to sum up Hustle & Flow with one word it would be inconsistent, as I don’t think the story ever finds a real groove. The exposition is long and dull at times, but once the musical element comes in, the movie picks up. But until then, its a lot of slow exposition and while character development is important, it can be done in ways that don’t drag down the pace of the movie. Terrence Howard turns in a powerful performance however and as I said, once the music rolls in, the film is much better off. Even so, Hustle & Flow didn’t impress me and because it was so inconsistent, I think a rental is the best recommendation I can make.
Video: How does it look?
Hustle & Flow is presented in 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen. This isn’t the kind of transfer that you’ll put on to impress your guests, but it does reflect the film’s intended visual design. The image is gritty, so don’t expect clean or slick visuals, with a lot more grain than we’re used to. The grain does soften the visuals of course, but as this was the intent of the filmmakers, we can’t fault the transfer. I still found detail to be acceptable, just not as deep and intricate as we tend to want from high definition. I found contrast to be solid throughout, with only a few instances where blacks were a touch too dark. So not a great looking transfer by traditional standards, but the film’s visual design has been upheld.
Audio: How does it sound?
The included Dolby Digital 5.1 option is good, but this is the same track found on the standard release. I’d like to think studios could raise the bar on the high definition releases, but sometimes, we’re stuck with the leftovers. As I said, the track is good though and the main element is the musical soundtrack. The music sounds alive and powerful here, thanks to aggressive surround use that really drives home the directional presence and deep bass. The other elements sound fine also, including clear vocals, but the music is what remains memorable. This disc also includes Spanish and French language tracks, as well as subtitles in English, French, and Spanish.
Supplements: What are the extras?
I’ve suffered through some dismal commentary tracks in recent weeks, but director Craig Brewer reversed that trend with his session for Hustle & Flow. Brewer has a lot of passion for the material and that comes out here, as he covers all the details of the production. He talks about numerous topics, from the characters to the music, but is always in depth and eager to discuss his perspective, a terrific track. You can learn more about the characters in Behind the Hustle, the music in Creatin’ Crunk, and the production itself in By Any Means Necessary. None are in depth by any means, but if you take all three as a whole, there is some good information to be found. There is also audition footage of Paula Jai Parker, rehearsal footage, promotional spots, two extended scenes, and the film’s theatrical trailer.
