IMDb > Life Is Hot in Cracktown (2009) > IMDb user comments
Filter: Hide Spoilers:
Index 10 comments in total 

31 out of 48 people found the following comment useful :-
The REAL Reality..., 2 July 2009
10/10
Author: markgrizzly from United States

With this being the FIRST movie review i've done, i couldn't have picked a harder movie to summarize.. If you've seen Buddy Giovinazzo's 1986 street slime suicide epic "Combat Shock", than you'll know what to expect.. A perfectly made film thats downbeat and depressing, a Drama that can pass for horror And characters that you are supposed to hate, but can't.. The only difference here is that instead of the gritty 80's look this film has a nice pop-polished feel (and more characters to feel bad for)

The movie basically follows four groups of characters in their day to day struggles in a drug/hooker infested neighborhood (Not unlike Hollywood). There's Marybeth (Kerry Washington) and Benny (Desmond Harrington) who roam the streets looking for johns. Marybeth is a Transsexual who's trying to save money for her sex change by giving head to old filthy tricks and at the same time supporting her loser boyfriends (bennys) drug habit. Benny's trade is a burglar, but his drug problem and age has made it difficult to pull anything off without F**king it up. Then There's Willy (Ridge Canipe) A pre-teen who, like all kids in these neighborhoods has no future. He wakes up to cockroachs running across his face, hangs out with the Junkie outside his welfare building (Brandon Routh), Has a crush on a local hooker named "Melody" (Elena Franklin) who's roughly the same age as he is.. He also has to watch after his little sister while his Mom (Illeana Douglas) and her abusive boyfriend smoke rock.. Romeo (Evan Ross) is the neighborhood punk who roams the streets terrorizing people, extorting and brutally beating down the elderly for their welfare checks, raping, robbing, killing.. People may think his character is an exaggeration of a street punk, but there are HUNDREDS of "Romeos" in every city.. The kids that were number one on the football team 2 years ago, now sell crack and aspire to live out the "Scarface" life. Then There's the people in the neighborhood who are trying to make a life for themselves, but they are too naive to realise that it will NEVER happen.. Manny (Victor Rasuk) works two jobs.. A Day job at the local Liquor Store and a Security job at the welfare apartments (were Willy Resides). He and his wife Concetta (Shannyn Sossamon) live in squalor and have a newborn son who NEVER STOPS CRYING (Kinda reminiscent of Frankies 'Agent Orange" Baby in "Combat Shock"). Of all the people in the neighborhood (that we see) he is the only one trying to make a better life for himself and his family, but in the end not even THREE jobs can help. (you just have to LEAVE!!)

Of the four of us that went to the film i think i was the only one who really loved it.. My Girlfriend (who's favorite film is "Bloodsucking Freaks")said that it was too dark. My two other friends liked it, and one friend actually sparked his stem about half way through.. The truth is, we all grew up in a neighborhood just like the one shown in the film. Its hard to watch "Hollywood" almost Glorify and Exploit this reality for rich snobby dick heads to watch and try to analyze.. (Its basically Hollywood Exploiting ITSELF!) I've been in willy's shoes and the reality is that no matter how innocent he seems in the film, eventually he will grow up to be a junkie, thief or dealer (or all three) Some people finally realise that it would be easier to just LEAVE the neighborhood and move to the suburbs. You'd still have to struggle, BUT after everything you've already dealt with, moving would be a walk in the park. HOPEFULLY some Crackheads out there will see this film and realise that they should NEVER have kids! Maybe they will see that this life is a vicious cycle that they will pass on to their kids and they'll grow up to be our future addicts and hookers OR WORSE, They'll become the future "Romeos". Too many kids in the city end up like him. In a neighborhood full of druggies you realise that the only REAL job out there is to actually supply these drugs to these losers. When your Mom and Dad cant pay the rent and your able to hustle $1000 A DAY selling crack and heroin you feel like a success. Thats the trap. Only 1 in 10 will be able to stay off the drugs they sell, and only 1 in 10 will save that money and move to Riverside and get a job selling DVD's and VHS tapes on Amazon :) Anyways, this is my first movie review to a movie that still doesn't have a review. (now i'll try to sound like everyone else) The movie had GREAT direction, excellent acting from an excellent ensemble cast and it will give you a realistic look into the streets! I heard somebody say this film was like "Short Cuts on Drugs". That sums it up nice, except there isn't some stupid earthquake. Unlike "Short Cuts" this movie has a realistic ending. Good job Buddy G!! Hopefully you'll adapt some of your other books to film. Then you'll have my SECOND review ever!

Was the above comment useful to you?

5 out of 7 people found the following comment useful :-
A realistic look at life in the inner city., 28 August 2009
9/10
Author: Captain_Couth (sirjosephu@aol.com) from Sacramento, CA

Life is Hot in Cracktown (2009) is a movie based upon a collection of short stories written by the director Buddy Giovinazzo. The film follows four story lines: a man who works two jobs trying to support his family and move out of the inner city, a brother and sister who try to survive in a roach infested hotel, a pre-op transsexual who works the streets to make ends meet and a young hoodlum who lives an empty life with no future to look forward to. They are just some of the faceless people who try to make a life inside a poverty stricken ghetto. even though they have a bleak present, something inside of these people drives them to try and look for a way out of there lives and look for a brighter future.

I really enjoyed this movie. Most of the films I see about the inner city are full of cartoonish and stereotypical characters that you don;t care about. The people in this film are real as the person next door. I found a lot of the dialog and situations these people are faced with to be real and very authentic. Buddy Giovinazzo has come a long way since his first film (Combat ShocK) but he still retains the gritty realism and spirit of that film in his latest project. He seems to have a genuine feel for his characters and none of that pseudo-liberal guilt complex that similar films that come out of Hollywood have. No phony baloney middle class guilt trip here and I really appreciate that in a film like this one.

Highly recommended.

Was the above comment useful to you?

1 out of 1 people found the following comment useful :-
A slice of black lives with a slice of bleakness, is a little too "clean" which makes it hard to lose yourself-which is good since this is a punch in your face, 25 August 2009
7/10
Author: dbborroughs from Glen Cove, New York

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

This is a bleak black film about how crack and other ills destroy the lives of people. We have a small boy who has to figure out how to survive with his sister and his parents; pre-op transsexual whose boyfriend is addicted; a young man with a wife and baby who works days as a security guard and nights in a bodega trying to get enough money to get out, and a gangbanger and his crew who run rough shod over everyone and each other in a crack fueled haze.

I began by saying that this is bleak and black and I mean it. The film begins with our gangbanger taking his girlfriend away from watching a street basketball game to show her something. Instead of showing her something he turns her over to his boys who brutally rape her and leave her crying in an alley. Its not a fun and happy film by any stretch of the imagination. It's not the sort of film that I would normally watch but the opening kind of floored me and I had to see where it was going. You would think it could only get better from there but it doesn't, we're on the fast track to hell as we watch as most things and people are broken.

Well acted, you like many of the "bad" people despite their actions, this film remains bearable thanks to the very good cast.

If there is any flaw in the film it's that its too clean. The film doesn't have a grittiness to it that speaks of the street. The film often has the feel of a Hollywood idea of the street and the poor. Its not that what happens doesn't ring true, it does, it just that things look dressed up. In a way it feels like people re-enacting events transpiring in the next room. The characters, the young boy and his sister most glaringly, seem to be playing dress up. The kids seem too well fed, the dirt on their faces too perfect. For me it put a distance between the actors and what was going on, some of the edge was taken off things.

Then again maybe that's a good thing since this is still an uncomfortable movie no matter how you slice it.

A good little film, this should have been great. Regardless of good or bad this film with haunt you like a bad dream.

Worth a look if you like your slices of life black with a side of hopeless.

Was the above comment useful to you?

1 out of 1 people found the following comment useful :-
Requiem For A Dream On Crack, 16 August 2009
8/10
Author: chicagopoetry from United States

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

This one would make Hubert Selby Jr. proud. Although it doesn't seem to have the budget of Last Exit To Brooklyn, it certainly has the balls. It starts out with a rape. I can't remember another movie that starts out with a rape except for High Plains Drifter, although this one is a bit more violent although not as intense as the one in Irreversible. In any case, smoking crack or doing drugs seems to be the running theme ala Crash or Babel, but the cinematography is more in the lines of the cable drama The Wire, which isn't putting it down since The Wire is a pretty good feakin' show. The characters are well acted but not really likable and at times not believable but that's okay because this is a story about crackheads so what is there to like or believe in? Some of the screen writing is a complete mess and at times it doesn't make sense, like why is the mother who in one scene cares so much about her children abandoning them in the next, and the entire bit about the gangbanger who is hired to kill someone but then is targeted by killers is totally confusing, but coming from probably one of the most well made low budget movies it's all okay. I watched it, flaws and all, from beginning to end, and it kept me on the edge of my seat, and I was impressed, so I give it an eight.

Was the above comment useful to you?

2 out of 3 people found the following comment useful :-
Don't do crack, 26 August 2009
6/10
Author: magicsinglez from United States

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Don't do crack.

The message could also be, 'Don't move to NYC, anytime'. At least not if you are poor. It's a message a bit more timeless than don't do crack, and a message it wouldn't hurt to remind folks of even here in North Carolina.

The message could also be: buy a gun and be ready to use it. The movie shows a cast of characters willing to rape teenage prostitutes, hold hostage, and rape senior citizens, male ones, in a daily maneuver to get their welfare checks, and, when one tenant calls the police, not only do they not show up but the landlord kicks him out for making the call. It's inviting trouble apparently.

A third of the way through the movie finally someone fights back, a mumbling character who's the boyfriend of a transsexual being harassed. He's the good guy in the movie. It's good to know even a movie this depraved can still find room to put in a pro-gay theme. Robbery, murder, sexual harassment: You have to draw the line somewhere and apparently on those who won't march in favor of homosexuality is where.

A shopkeeper in the movie at what would amount to 'the arab store' (who is actually Hispanic, I think) fights back too, shooting a would be robber. It's this scene where we learn fighting back isn't good either, as it leads to ugly death. It's not even his store, he's just a worker apparently. The store clerk could not regret his decision more.

So the message seems to be don't anything. Don't feel anything. Ball up like a rollie-pollie on the floor and try to avoid being stepped on. Take no action in this world. Everything is bad. There are no good guys. Being neurotic, and being gay, is a small price to pay for there to be one less person out there being shot by a stupid guy. There was a book out once with the title, "The Pursuit of Loneliness". This movie is saying the opposite. We'd be better off alone. At least in Cracktown. It's probably up to you to determine the boundaries of 'Cracktown'.

Oh - and don't trust black guys. All the really-bad guys in this movie, getting away with everything, are black.

My favorite scene in the movie is when the transsexual goes to her friend Gabrielle's house, in tears, "My boyfriends been shot. They don't know if he's going to make it" unwisely adding "how are you". Gabrielle immediately launches into an explanation of how he can't be 'Gabrielle' anymore. His mother is going to take him back, if he ends his current ways. "I can't be poor" he says. So there are two heroines in this movie. 'Gabrielle' Gary now or something, says they can't be friends anymore and shuts the door on the crying transsexuals face! So white. So gay. How real can you get?

This is one of those ultra violent (and this particular one is dirty and desperate and ugly) movies we can gush about afterward saying how great and amazing (and artistic) and (sadly) how real? it is, because it is supposed to be an anti-violence film. And I suppose if we don't understand the action we're probably some kind of wimp. Apparently, the only way to curb violence is to show more and more of it. Anything less would be reactionary, or conservative, not to mention a lot less hip. I'm willing to bet the original title was intended to be 'Life is Hard in CrackTown' (certainly an adequate one-line review) but, 'too preachy'.

I was entertained but, while I didn't really like the movie a lot on a conscious level, I did enjoy myself watching the movie, I think. The depravity and sadness was so extreme it seemed to bring these feelings close to the surface. This movie affected me like no other, on some kind of 'subliminal' level. The lives of those in Cracktown are so sad and desperate and the scenes so dirty and ugly, my own very sad life began to seem livable.

So, while you don't want to live in Cracktown, it's not so bad living a few blocks away.

Was the above comment useful to you?

2 out of 4 people found the following comment useful :-
Gritty. Real. Personal. Unfortunate About The Title..., 2 September 2009
8/10
Author: fwomp from United States

I'm gonna have to eat some crow here, especially after complaining about the last film I reviewed, SHADOWHEART. Both it and this one – LIFE IS HOT IN CRACKTOWN – came to me via Amazon's Vine Program. And I was becoming rather tired of the careless films that tended to populate The Vine's DVD list. Well, Life Is Hot In Cracktown has reformed me ...somewhat. It isn't great. It isn't stupendous. But it is gritty, real, and put together in a way that made it extremely watchable.

All of these characters are well-rounded and exceptionally well acted. There will be someone that every watcher will be able to connect with. Whether it's the young boy looking after his younger sister as his mother and her boyfriend get high and leave them alone for days, or the pre-op transsexual Marybeth (Kerry Washington, THE LAST KING OF Scotland) and her emotionally labile boyfriend Benny, or Manny, the guy working two jobs trying to support his wife Concetta (Shannyn Sossaman, WRISTCUTTERS) and their colicky baby, or the gang-banger Romeo who's life on the street is turning him into a dangerous individual, there's someone here for everyone.

The interest comes in the fact that you watch most of these people make horrible decisions or do terrible things, yet you cannot look away or even condemn them. They are the best and worst of us all, and it shows a rugged side of humanity that most of us would rather not see ...except to realize that one of these people might have been you had you not had a few breaks. It's frightening and enlightening.

The best part of the film is toward the end as we watch each person forced to make a decision and wonder at what the outcome will be. It is a turning point in their lives and we are given front row seats to it. Amazing how it all came together.

Watching the special features, I have to disagree with Kerry Washington's comment about transsexuals never being shown on film in any meaningful way. The film TRANSAMERICA focused specifically on this subject and was a fantastic film. Just FYI, Kerry.

Anyway, this film is actually quite good, even though I found the title a bit unfortunate.

Was the above comment useful to you?

0 out of 1 people found the following comment useful :-
Might be realistic but its only remotely watchable and mostly depressing, 9 September 2009
6/10
Author: Robert W. (Robert_duder@hotmail.com) from Ontario, Canada

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Life is Hot in Cracktown shows a gritty and disturbing life on the streets as a result of crack shown from various viewpoints and stories. The concept is certainly interesting enough and almost invariably the story will be depressing and attempt to show some moral and terrifying look at the human spirit and the underbelly of the drug infested community and all that is true. Where the film stumbles is that the characters presented aren't necessarily interesting enough to hold your attention or the story lines that could potentially be riveting end up not getting enough coverage and end up being buried by the other stories. Granted I find this happens consistently in the multiple story type films made even more popular by award winning "Crash" from a few years ago. The moral message behind Cracktown doesn't force it down your throat but still manages to show the degradation essentially caused by crack and addiction in this community. The stories don't really cross each other which is different in some ways but also makes you feel like you're watching several different movies at once.

Kerry Washington gives a very good performance as a pre-op Transsexual. Obviously her character has an interesting history and Washington brings this character to the forefront of the film. She is probably one of the best performers in the film certainly. Victor Rasuk plays hard working Manny. Rasuk's character is probably potentially interesting and yet he also fails to bring the character to the forefront. Rasuk and Shannyn Sossamon who plays his wife are bordering on boring as far as their story goes. Granted they are only the focus because Rasuk's character tends to be around when the other characters are. Fourteen year old Ridge Canipe is terrific as Willy, the young boy forced to beg on the streets to care for his little sister while his mother runs around with her abusive boyfriend. Canipe gives a powerful performance and I kept wishing that the film focused on him and his sister because clearly they were the most interesting. Evan Ross plays a gang leader that seems to be completely blood thirsty and will stop at nothing to get vengeance for his brother's murder. Ross is good but has absolutely no character arc. He comes on the screen as a murderous psychopath and leaves the film exactly the same if not worse. You will never feel any empathy for him and you will feel like his end is just and worthy, which I don't think is the intention.

I think the best description of Life is Hot In Cracktown is "mish mash." All these characters, some potentially interesting, are thrown together and rushed through their stories. The ending is so slapped together and happens so quickly and all at once you will feel like none of the characters are properly closed off leaving you feeling essentially ripped off after sinking time into these characters. There are certainly some potentially good performances but they are hampered by the slapped together story and lesser characters. Writer and director Buddy Giovinazzo seems to have a certain ego about his own work. He wrote the original novel in 1993 and then the screenplay and then directed it. He hasn't had any real experience on the big screen and his biggest claim to fame appears to be Maniac 2: Mr. Robbie and as producer of a project called "Suck My D$#%." I'm not bad mouthing either project but I'm thinking he should potentially think about doing something a little less serious. Life is Hot In Cracktown is worth seeing but I doubt you'll be blown away by it. Its gritty and often disturbing but doesn't tie anything together at any point. 6/10

Was the above comment useful to you?

0 out of 2 people found the following comment useful :-
Worst Movie Ever!!!!!, 8 October 2009
1/10
Author: marasha from United States

Most awful casting I've ever seen. Clark Kent as a crack head, a very feminine looking woman as a trans and on and on.............

Stupid ass violence just for the sake of being violent. No content, no meaning. This person has never been on the streets. It's a joke!

The only thing dumber than this movie is the fact that I finished watching it. I just kept thinking it couldn't get any worse but it did to the very end.

Trying way to hard to be an off the hook movie. Trying to be freaky. So stupid! I really have no more to say but can't leave a comment unless I write more.

Please take this advice and DO NOT BOTHER WATCHING THIS MOVIE!!!!! AWFUL!!!

Was the above comment useful to you?

0 out of 5 people found the following comment useful :-
terrible,waste of time,, 25 August 2009
1/10
Author: juliansplanet from Taiwan

I feel dumber after watching the first 20 min,luckily i walked out and saved the rest of my brain, people should watch better films and take notes on why they are rated highly,not because of the budget of the film or the special effects, just simply good acting and getting simple things right,and MOst importantly--not being LAME--, but i guess this was produced for those Sheeple without taste and not a clue of what is ''A good Movie''don't be scared of rating films low,save your under-appreciated high scores for ''once in a life time movies''. Keep in mind that many use IMDb for trusted reviews and opinions,don't spoil the broth by sugarcoating turds Peace & love

Was the above comment useful to you?

0 out of 6 people found the following comment useful :-
Just so god-awful, 24 August 2009
1/10
Author: matt-2477 from Toronto

I cannot stress how bad this movie is. This director took every cheap little unintelligent shot at making these people look so "distressed". Why are their clothes so dirty? Why on earth would you get the new clark kent to play a crack head? You should be banned from motion pictures for the rest of your life Buddy Giovinazzo.

I take serious offense to this fool wanting to cast real actors as thugs and lowlifes as some kind of clever joke. Why would you ask Clark Kent to play a crackhead? Why are they yelling so much? Why is everyone so mean? Why are those kids so filthy? No one would want to be so filthy? Not even a crackhead child.

You need to grow up and not make any movies ever again.

Was the above comment useful to you?

Add another comment

Related Links

Plot synopsis Ratings External reviews
Parents Guide Plot keywords Main details
Your user comments Your vote history