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The film opens with an exterior shot of the protagonist, Raymond Joshua (played by real-life poet Saul Williams), walking away from the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. The image of a young black man turning his back on this symbol of government scant minutes before he's popped on a chump-change drug charge is poignant and disturbing--not easily forgotten by anyone aware of the immense contradictions inherent in the demographics of the nation's capital.
Slam depicts Raymond's fall from relative innocence, and his apparent redemption. As a small-time dope dealer and street poet, his arrest thrusts him into an unfamiliar world--the violence of life in the slammer is palpable and altogether frightening. Incarceration, however, awakens the slumbering power of Raymond's poetry; eventually, its strength keeps him alive. In a prison yard scene when he's about to get whomped, Raymond gives free rein to his words, choosing poetry in motion over violence. Hearing Raymond's impassioned words, the hardened cons let him walk. One of them even covers his bail, and Raymond hits the streets, eager to check out Lauren (Sonja Sohn), the creative-writing teacher he met behind bars.
Although the third act dilutes the credibility established by Levin's in-your-face vérité style, Slam is relentlessly passionate, unswerving in its conviction that there's an alternative to the violence that decimates North America's inner cities. Indeed, for all the film's preachiness, we cheer Raymond on, fueling his poetry, hoping, somehow, that it can transform those around him. Peace is the word. --Stephan Magcosta
| CATEGORY: | DVD |
| DIRECTOR: | Marc Levin |
| THEATRICAL RELEASE DATE: | 07 October, 1998 |
| MANUFACTURER: | Lions Gate |
| MPAA RATING: | R (Restricted) |
| FEATURES: | Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Letterboxed, Widescreen, NTSC |
| TYPE: | Drama, Movie |
| MEDIA: | DVD |
| # OF MEDIA: | 1 |
| UPC: | 031398697336 |
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Customer Reviews of Slam
Very raw, leaves its' mark This was a pretty intense experience. I recently became a fan of Saul Williams, and I had to have this movie. It's a dark, yet learning experience for a man(Raymond Joshua) who gets sent to jail for possession, is hunted for on the inside, gets bailed out but realizes he's going right back. It seems like there are a lot of movies about prison and black folk, but this one was a little different. <
>I thought Saul did quite a job for this being his first movie role. I think it's based in large part on his real-life self. Some of the acting was an eyesore, like the Chinese guy at the beginning, good God! A few of the other small parts were iffy, but I think the main characters, who are all pretty much unheard of, did fine. The best scenes to me were when Ray was about to get his ass kicked in the prison yard and he busted out with an exhilirating rap, and when Ray and the prisoner in the next cell were rhyming. The latter shows a contrast between two distinct rapping styles. The other guy was swearing up a storm kicking violent gangsta rhymes, while Ray's was intense, but loving, etheral, mystical, and mind-bending. The other guy's style represents what gets played the most on the radio and is popular, while Ray's embodies an 'underground' attitude and the style that Hiphop was created with. I am a huge Hiphop guru, and I prefer Ray's style, obviously. <
>Otherwise, the movie leaves an impression, and gets you thinking about the ways of the inner-city lifestyle, as well as that in the prison. The poetry was what set this movie apart. Ray and the main female(forgot her name) perform at a poetry slam at the end of the movie. I wouldn't give this a five-star, but it's still good and worthwhile. I think it could have covered Ray's life more before he went to prison, and the ending kind-of left us hanging, or did it? I still don't understand what he was doing at the end. Like I said, "Slam" is a gritty, raw, uncut slice of the projects and the prison life. Cuss words are aplenty! It definitely hits it's points, and works well with the predominantly no-name cast. I liked the directing too. If you pass by this at the store and see it for a good price, go ahead, pick it up! It may not be one to watch with the kids though.
scary
What happens to the main character in this film is really scary. But we know this kind of "slamming" of young brothers behind bars for nonsense charges really goes on with regularity in more cities than just Washington D.C., where this story is set. The prison scenes are stark, and streety characterizations are all too real. Great poetry by Saul Williams and the lovely Sonja Sohn, and the other brothers too. The ending made sense, but I still have questions about it. This is a real good film which should appeal to anyone who appreciates good story telling. I'm not necessarily a hip-hop or rap music enthusiast, but I liked this movie.
brilliant
i love this movie.. the acting in it, isnt really acting to me, the movie has the feel of a documentary, saul williams is absolutely brilliant in this.. playing the part of a drug dealer/poet. Also the music in this is one of the best soundtracks ive ever heard.. check this movie out if your into poetry, the hip hop lifestyle.. or if your just into movies.. this ones a gem