yoo-hoo

I started watching only knowing that this was a big influence on The Wire and it shows. Not particularly impressed with many of the performances, it's the intertwining plots and the tragic chain of events created by one shooting that kept me compelled. Music choices and some dialogue were a bit heavy handed but for a prototype of works like The Wire it's good for what it is. Some neat camera tricks and brilliant use of color. It's a very vibrant looking picture, in contrast with the grim plot.

Decent film, but having already seen all five seasons of the Wire, this kind of pales in comparison. Harvey Keitel does a nice job of bringing something new to the done-to-death hardboiled cop role, and the film deserves credit for genuinely good mystery writing which is neither overly obvious nor overly convoluted.

Not bad, but Mekhi Phifer is not very good and it becomes especially obvious when he's up against an actor like Harvey Keitel (Who's excellent). This could be the script's fault, because everything Mekhi says sounds like it was ripped from the Enter the Wu-Tang skits and it gets tiresome. Interesting cinematography.

With a script this solid and a cast this good, Clockers could have been great. It's mostly engaging, but it's so overcooked that it's difficult to enjoy. The cinematography is jarringly noticeable, the soundtrack is relentless and intrusive, and the performances are all too on-the-nose.

Very good.

Sloppy and inconsistent, but compelling and marked with a stamp of Spike Lee's indelible style. If there's one thing Lee knows how to do really well, it's how to balance a diverse cast of characters against a vivid urban sprawl, and that's in full display here. Fans of his movies, and of urban dramas, will appreciate this; those otherwise inclined may find something worth liking as well.

Bit of a mess, but compelling for some reason.

Most of the problems you might have with Spike Lee as a director are present and correct, and the opening credits are probably more affecting than anything that's to follow, yet this is still a fairly well-presented and enjoyable film with a solid cast.

Middling gangsters-in-the-projects tale. It feels like a little late and doesn't bring much new to the table, but it's still watchable without any major missteps. I didn't feel like I cared as much about Strike as Lee wanted me to... a lot of mystery is built up over whether or not he's the one who shot Daryl, but does it really matter? The guy sells drugs, and as we're constantly reminded throughout the film, that's being a death dealer anyway. Also, dolly shot AGAIN.

I like the last 40 minutes a lot and the beginning is good too. It should be better but sucks in the middle - bad directing maybe? Spike Lee has done better.