Life Is Hot in Cracktown

A drama about living in the inner city, where crack and prostitution reign. Some say it is too dark, but it's real and dark is what this life is all about.

Waking up with cockroaches running across your face, and having nothing more than a cracker for breakfast, would make anyone despair.

The film features pre-op transsexual Marybeth (Kerry Washington) and her boyfriend Benny (Desmond Harrington), Manny (Victor Rasuk) who works two jobs to support his wife (Shannyn Sossamon) and baby, street kids Willy (Ridge Canipe) and Suzie (Ariel Winter) and gang member Romeo (Evan Ross). Among the other recognizable faces are Brandon Routh (Superman Returns), Illeana Douglas (Otis), Lara Flynn Boyle (Land of the Blind), Vondie Curtis-Hall (The Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call - New Orleans), Mark Webber (The Laramie Project), RZA (American Gangster), Carly Pope (Young People F*cking), Thomas Ian Nicholas (American Pie, Pie 2, Wedding) and Tony Plana (Slayer).

If you like poverty-porn, then you will find four good stories and lots of familiar actors in this film.

(2009) Life Is Hot In Cracktown DRAMA

Somewhat of a raw documentary drama style film based on the stories told through Buddy Giovinazzo's novel of the same name who also wrote and directed it. The film although not for everyone since anyone can see something like this on some documentary channel or another about pushers and low life's, but the thing is that the film does have an ending if not a satisfying one, but have to go through all the retro tape to go there which just 'states' the characters without viewers able to identify with any of them until at least after the first hour! There's also a realistic feel to the characters since it's centered on the poor side of town portraying a particular neighborhood unnoticed and often ignored by civilized residents and hard not to look. Style is similar to (1995) Kids and Bully of (2001)

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.

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!!!

First off let me say that I used to live where this movie was filmed and its some what like that but this movie is madness maxed out. Its really not like that. They show these people has having no humanity what so ever. That couldn't be farther from the truth. Bad things do happen but when u live in a neighborhood no matter how down trodden the people are still your neighbors. You have to live with those people. They show crackheads as just animals with no souls. Its not true.

Another reviewer said that it was unreal because the transgender character was beautiful. He's obviously not been around many trans women or seen many. There are some trans women who are absolutely stunning like the character in this film.

Again this movie is gritty but its sensationalism. I also resent that the only redeemable characters are white people. All the black men are barbaric and the white are more docile. This is not true. I'm sick of seeing this mess in films.