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Sugar Hill is an intense movie that exposes the harsh reality of drug addiction and drug dealing. Roemello(Snipes) and Raynathan(Wright) are two brothers who are drug dealers in Harlem. Snipes and Wright gave great performances. Sugar Hill has a lot of drama and suspense and it is very realistic. The film has al ot of great monologue, And the message is very clear: "Don't Do Drugs".

but it can't be.

It's just not that good. The writing is substandard. And the one thing that stands out is the weepy jazz soundtrack that is intrusive and annoying.

The basic plot, how the black drug runners in the ghetto relate to each other and to the Mob, not a bad idea. And the idea that Wesley Snipes gets sick of the whole thing and wants more from life. Not bad. In fact, Snipes is pretty good in the role. Almost everyone else is pretty awful.

It's interesting how lacking in interesting this movie is. Not much seems to happen except once in a while a gun goes off.

I think "New Jack City" is likely a better call, not nearly as stylish, nor as pretentious, but more solid as a story.

Years after they saw their mother OD and their father shot in the legs over drug dealings, brothers Roemello and Raynathan now run the streets of Harlem. However Roemello begins to tire of the trade and looks to leave, a new girlfriend helping to show him what he is missing out on. However getting out is never easy and is made more complicated by Lolly Jonas moving in on their territory with the beginnings of a gang war.

The score to this film is a lazy, rambling blues number that plays consistently at times, like wallpaper. It is this score that I think sums up the weakness of this film - it is too slow, too patient and too lacking in style or energy. That's not to say it's a poor film for it is not, but it could have been better. Much has been done to try and make this quite a serious film that avoids the black gangsta clichés but the plot requires too much talking and exposition. This wouldn't have been as much of an issue if the characters and narrative had been more convincing.

However, I never fully bought Roemello and Raynathan as adults having just seen flashbacks of their childhood. I could accept that they would end up selling the poison that ruined their lives, but would Roemello been as balanced and as suave as he was? Likewise, in the drug game - to get on top wouldn't he needed to have been ruthless and violent? He just seems too nice. This lack of convincing characters is an issue as they were really needed to make the rather slow and talky script more involving. Despite this weakness the film is still interesting, it doesn't really do anything different from things you will have seen before, and parts of it hark back to better gangster-epic style films. It doesn't distinguish itself but I must give it credit for trying to be a serious black gangster film in a sea of New Jack type clichés in other films.

Snipes has become a better leading man with time and he tries to give a serious role here as a younger man but it never convinced me. I never got a sense of any menace or `dark side' to his character - he played him far too upright and moral to be a convincing character - his battle to go straight would have been more interesting if it didn't look like he was already halfway there! Randle is OK but has little to really do, and I never once understand where her character was coming from. Wright is a more erratic performance and more convincing than Snipes. Support is good from a variety of well known faces including Williams, Hill, Hudson and Bottoms.

Overall this is a serious gangster film that had potential but whose delivery is just a little too slow and talky. The characters are more than just clichés but the script can't get them where they need to go - it sets up complex characters with childhood background but then fails to bring that out as adults. Worth a watch but it is quite slow, aiming for the grandeur of better films that it can't quite reach.

"Sugar Hill" tells the story of two Harlem drug-dealing brothers, Romello & Ray Nathan Skuggs, who struggle to stay on top of their chosen profession as well as their relationship with drug-addicted father Arthur Romello Skuggs(Clarence Williams III). Romello realizes that his life has gone in the wrong direction & that he wants out, to honor his deceased mother's wishes for him.

Ray Nathan(Michael Wright), heir apparent to the drug ring, wants to get rid of the competition & rule Harlem with his younger brother. Romello(Wesley Snipes), fed up & idealistic, wants out of the drug business & is looking to start over with new girlfriend Melissa(Theresa Randle). Scared of becoming a target, Melissa wants nothing to do with Romello who convinces her to leave with him. Romello tries to bring together a bitter Ray Nathan & strung-out druggie Arthur to no avail. Romello forgave his father for the past & desires Ray Nathan to reconcile before its too late. Ray Nathan is still angry with his father for the death of junkie mother Ella Skuggs. Romello finally convinces Melissa to be with him & leave to begin a new life together. Romello wants only to take Ray Nathan, Arthur, Melissa & himself back to the South to start over & away from the drug & street life.

The problem: Gus(Abe Vigoda), an old Italian drug lord & Lolly(Ernie Hudson), new drug dealer & ex boxing champ, want the brothers out of the way as well as their territories in the drug trade. Gus has a history with Arthur Romello & makes Romello aware of it. Gus told Romello that his father killed his brother Sal many years ago. Lolly kills fellow dealer & best friend Ricky Goggles(Steve Harris) as a warning to Romello & Ray Nathan. Ray Nathan in turn murders one of Gus's men. Lolly calls in a hit on Romello but kills a local wannabe gangster Kymie Daniels(Donald Faison). Romello tells Gus he is out of the game & prepares to leave with Melissa. Ray Nathan kills Arthur by giving him a overdosed shot of heroin. Ray next goes to Gus & Lolly to concede but instead kills them in the restaurant. Ray Nathan then runs into Romello & tells him he killed their father. The two argue with Ray Nathan accidentally shooting Romello with Melissa watching in horror. The film ends with Romello sitting in a wheelchair with Melissa & son living in the South, starting life anew.

A good film with a very tragic ending. Unbelievable scene where Arthur(Williams III)overdoses while Ray Nathan watches in horror & shame. The realism of Arthur's overdose is unforgettable & wreaks of solid acting talent. This film does little to glorify drug dealers & rightfully so. No Nino Browns to despise this time!! Check it out.

I really felt this story starring Wesley Snipes and Michael Wright. It really shows the struggle of two brothers up to their present point in time, of how they were exposed to the drug game at such an early age from the death of their strung out mother to the crippling of their father thanks to the mafia. It was such a real story that sent out a strong message that got through to me - it's kind of a good guy/bad guy hood flick with a strong crime element and brutal murder scenes. Wesley Snipes is great as the hustler w/ a conscience but it was Michael Wright who delivers as the trigger-happy older brother who will murder just about anything that tries to invade his...

Sugar Hill is a movie that packs a wicked punch...great movie - in urban cinema this is easily a classic