Strapped

I thought this was a superb hood movie. I don't know why it isn't up their with all the other good ones.

It has an original story. Plenty of good plot development.

The acting was good most of the time. Sometimes it would seem a tiny bit bad but all and all it was pretty good. Bokeem Woodbine who plays the main character stands out, as does Fredro Starr who plays his friend. Also good acting by some of the younger members of the cast.

One thing that stood out was the soundtrack. Not just because it was rap music and this is a hood movie, the songs were appropriate to what was happening at the time in the movie.

Another good thing was the directing. Great job Forest Whitaker! That stood out as well.

Overall it should prove to be an entertaining, exciting and powerful movie with a powerful message. Another must see for hood movie fans.

Take any of the dramas that came out in the early 90's about young African American men caught up in the dope game, everything that entails and substitute guns for them instead. Voila what you've got is the made-for-tv movie called 'Strapped' where some solid performances aren't enough to rise above a formula story. Accomplished actor Forest Whitaker directs in his behind the camera debut.

Diquan Mitchell (Bokeem Woodbine) spent time behind bars and isn't looking to go back. Trying to go straight takes a turn however when his pregnant gf is busted for selling crack cocaine & needs him to come up with bail money. Now it's a complicated mix of allegiances between old friend Bamboo (Fredro Starr) making bank selling guns on the street as a middle-man and Detective McRae (Michael Biehn). Who wants to help Diquan and his situation, but only if he gets him a high-end bust.

Woodbine, Biehn and Starr are all more than adequate. Solid pieces of acting, but they're constrained by a cookie cutter plot that doesn't have anything new to say on the topics of crime and everyday life. Also not lacking in questionable or downright cliche moments fueled by Diquan. Don't get me started on that forced and rather silly ending too.

Is 'Strapped' about guns? Poverty? Misguided thinking? It's hard to tell by the time the finale rolls around where some senseless deaths and loudmouth behavior gave the film it's most visceral bursts of energy. Whitaker and an able cast are up for the material, but this HBO made movie never does anything to set itself apart which explains why it's largely been forgotten about in a sea of similar films.

If you haven't been to the streets of an urban town where drugs and guns are on the boost of popularity, then this is the film for you. After seeing Strapped you'll know exactly what happens in places all over the world where teenagers become shcool drop-outs and gun buyers. Strapped is a film which keeps you awake during the whole movie. Watch it, you won't be disappointed!

I wish this movie was put on DVD, i do however own the VHS copy of it .. It stars Fredro Starr from ONYX and has many cameo appearances of hip hop celeb's including BUSTER played by none other than Bustah Rhymes -- and the one (or was it two) hit wonders Das Efx..Also look for Sticky Fingaz also from ONYX in the line-up scene...The soundtrack, the clothes, the sets (Graffiti) ... They will all take you back to 93...Nyc hip hop..BUY THIS MOVIE!.I'm not judging this movie on the content of the script, nor the direction. (Frankly the story is kind of weak and the end is truly baffling) I'm coming from a Hip Hop historian point of view , this is definitely worth owning.

I must give credit where credit is due. This film has a pretty good, well-structured script, with a powerful crisis and climax in the end. I must commend the writer for putting together such a script.

But the acting wasn't convincing most of the time, and the Brooklyn portrayal, which includes the character's choices of clothing, didn't give a realistic image of the Brooklyn I know. I would also probably change the music in the film, cut-out the snippets of reggae music during the revealing of a gun in the film, and the emphasis made on the main actors to look like thugs. The actors over did their performances as criminals most of the time and it was a bit distracting to someone, like myself, who grew up hanging out with true thugs from the streets of Brooklyn, New York.

But besides all of that, the film was still great. From a grade of A+, being excellent, to a F, being the worst, I give this film a C...