Tougher Than Leather

This is a low budget action move set in the rap music industry, starring one of the most popular groups of the first wave of rap stars, Run-DMC. Though produced on a shoestring and rough around the edges, this fun little epic captures the style and period when rap music was king far better than slicker more hyped films like KRUSH GROOVE. The acting is a bit shaky at times, but Run, DMC, Jam Master Jay and the others project an impressive charisma. The entertaining story moves along at a fast clip, with our heros out to avenge the death of a beloved roadie at the hands of some slimy music industry sharks who have a sideline laundering drug money. Cameos by rap music heavyweights like The Beastie Boys, Russell Simmons, Rick Rubin and LL Cool J add to the amusement. Director/co-writer/co-star Rubin's father Mickey gives a nice performance as a mafia kingpin who is less than thrilled with his son's chosen profession. Co-writer Ric Menello went on to direct several classic music videos for The Beastie Boys and LL Cool J. All in all, not too shabby.

I was a rap fan back from the beginnings with kurtis blow, this was all part of the phenomenom that russell simmons, and rick rubin started with their def jam recordings studio...i remember being like 14 yrs old going to see this movie with my dad, and even at that easily entertained age, i was let down...but...looking back now..they did the best with what they had, the budget had to be a spaghetti string..im sure...so with what they were given....it was the first RAP movie...and ushered us in to the age of tupacs,biggie smalls,redmans,wutangs...opened doors for the movies like friday,house party...they were the FRONT RUNNERS!!! and deserve better ratings then the people rating the show here.... AMEN thank god for run dmc

mackdaddyspliffs AKA a white boy who fell in love with those FUNKY BEATZ

As a B- Movie , a hip hop movie, or whatever, this movie is a blast. You get Run DMC and their friends on a mission. bad reviews are expecting some 'history of hip hop' go read the book. This is more insightful than the history books.

I bought this film based entirely on the fact that I'm a RUN DMC fan, and I wasn't disappointed. It's surprisingly well directed, considering Rick Rubin is a record producer and as far as I know had no experience, and the acting is much better than you might expect. Jam Master Jay is especially good in a Tarantino-esqe storytelling scene in the beginning when DMC is released from prison and Jay and RUN go to pick him up. Run is also very good. DMC was great in his action scenes, and even though his lines weren't done wonderfully, he's not at all bad either. In fact, everyone does surprisingly well, for being mostly Musicians and their producers and managers. Jenny Lumet is really sexy as well as being a pretty good actress, I'm surprised that I haven't seen her more. Great action sequences, excellent introduction, and totally cool party scenes with Slick Rick and the Beastie Boys rapping, and DMC drinking from a 40 of OE. A very underrated movie!

I love Run DMC and the Beastie Boys, but this movie was trash. To list what was good is easier and shorter than listing what was bad. And to be clear--since we're talking about a movie starring hip-hop artists--I mean bad as in awful not bad in the complimentary sense. The only thing good about this "movie" was the music. Everything else was terrible: the plot, the acting, the editing, the sound, the video quality, everything. The plot started as something very nebulous and somehow morphed into a revenge plot. One of Run DMC's homies was killed by the antagonist, Vic. Run DMC and Jam Master J then went about trying to find the real killer and exact justice. It was laughably bad, but I won't hold it against these hip-hop pioneers.