Classic gangster movie!
Added 8/16/2009
They had so much style! It shows that not only can you be a bad ass but you can do it with style. I liked the fact that the time setting just went with it. I got to admit Dutch was my favorite because he was a fool throughout the entire movie.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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"Get ready for your final thrill"
Added 8/4/2008
This movie might not have won any awards or gotten praise by these high brow snobs but its still an excellent piece of work directed by Bill Duke(who stared in Commando, Predator, Exit Wounds, National Security and Busta Rhymes' Dangerous video) with excellent performances from an all-star cast.
Set in the Depression Era of 1930s Harlem, The only way people could make money was through the "Numbers racket which is ran by Stephanie St. Clair(Cicely Tyson) also known as " The Queen". An arrogant and brash gangster called Dutch Schultz wants to take control of the numbers game and ends up bumping heads with Ellsworth "Bumpy" Johnson(Laurence Fishburne) who is just released from jail. These two get into a series of wars and everything starts to get out of control. Laurence Fishburne as well as Tim Roth were great in this film. Andy Garcia played it mellow as Lucky Luciano but he was better here than he was in 8 Million Ways To Die. There are also some solid performances here by Cicely Tyson, Chi Mcbride(Illinois) and Vanessa Williams(Bumpy's love interest). As far as complaints I have none. Hoodlum is well written and well acted. It pays homage to gangsters but doesnt glorify them. I tip my hat of to Bill Duke for this one. Two thumbs up as high up as they can go.
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
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Good movie,but......
Added 5/17/2008
Good movie,great acting, but if you want to know the REAL story of Bumpy Johnson,Madame Queen,and the character played by the great Clarence Williams III, Bub Hewlett, and the white gangsters, read an eyewitness account. Read "Harlem Godfather, the rap on my husband Ellsworth "Bumpy" Johnson. It's hard to put the book down! Also she tells the REAL story of Frank Lucas, who she says was little more than a flunky.
0 out of 1 people found this helpful.
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Anybody see the irony?
Added 11/6/2007
Oscar nominees, Fishbourne, Roth, and Garcia were nominated for an oscar for playing bad guys; Tim Roth for playing a ruthless royal rapist, Lawrence Fishbourne for playing an drug-addicted abusive husband, and Garcia for playing a power hungry gangster. Either way these three guys made this movie great.
0 out of 1 people found this helpful.
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Kinda the prelude to American Gangster
Added 11/4/2007
Excellent movie .. and if you watch this movie then go see American Gangster...it follows a path. In American Gangster Denzel's character is the hier to Bumpy Johnson who passes away early in the film.
2 out of 3 people found this helpful.
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Classic gangster movie!
Added 8/16/2009
They had so much style! It shows that not only can you be a bad ass but you can do it with style. I liked the fact that the time setting just went with it. I got to admit Dutch was my favorite because he was a fool throughout the entire movie.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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"Get ready for your final thrill"
Added 8/4/2008
This movie might not have won any awards or gotten praise by these high brow snobs but its still an excellent piece of work directed by Bill Duke(who stared in Commando, Predator, Exit Wounds, National Security and Busta Rhymes' Dangerous video) with excellent performances from an all-star cast.
Set in the Depression Era of 1930s Harlem, The only way people could make money was through the "Numbers racket which is ran by Stephanie St. Clair(Cicely Tyson) also known as " The Queen". An arrogant and brash gangster called Dutch Schultz wants to take control of the numbers game and ends up bumping heads with Ellsworth "Bumpy" Johnson(Laurence Fishburne) who is just released from jail. These two get into a series of wars and everything starts to get out of control. Laurence Fishburne as well as Tim Roth were great in this film. Andy Garcia played it mellow as Lucky Luciano but he was better here than he was in 8 Million Ways To Die. There are also some solid performances here by Cicely Tyson, Chi Mcbride(Illinois) and Vanessa Williams(Bumpy's love interest). As far as complaints I have none. Hoodlum is well written and well acted. It pays homage to gangsters but doesnt glorify them. I tip my hat of to Bill Duke for this one. Two thumbs up as high up as they can go.
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
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Good movie,but......
Added 5/17/2008
Good movie,great acting, but if you want to know the REAL story of Bumpy Johnson,Madame Queen,and the character played by the great Clarence Williams III, Bub Hewlett, and the white gangsters, read an eyewitness account. Read "Harlem Godfather, the rap on my husband Ellsworth "Bumpy" Johnson. It's hard to put the book down! Also she tells the REAL story of Frank Lucas, who she says was little more than a flunky.
0 out of 1 people found this helpful.
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