SERIOUSLY. This is what the crap Hollywood still puts out?

not as good as all the hype

A lot of fun.

if their story seems completely bonkers, almost like a feverish work of fiction, you ain't heard nothing yet.

Opening on a striking note with a montage of gory crime scene photographs set to romantic music, 'Clockers' hints from early on at the desensitisation of its protagonists to their violent lives as the film to come focuses on a group of African American youths groomed by local druglords to sell their product. To these young men, the world of drugs is simply the norm, but when one of their own is murdered under suspicious circumstances, tensions erupt as the investigating police officer does not believe the man who confesses. The film is very well acted by all concerned and director Spike Lee is never one to shy away from necessary grit and grime, yet this is an oddly sentimental movie at the end of the day, heavily focused on the well- meaning adults in the neighbourhood who want anything but the local crime influence to rub off on the younger generation. Harvey Keitel's otherwise hard- nosed cop also has a strange change of heart of sorts towards the end which does not really align with his character's values and attitudes. 'Clockers' is, however, a movie full of excellent small moments as its down-to-earth characters interact with one another. The film is exquisitely shot throughout too with memorable bits including a reflection of Keitel viewed in another character's eyeball and a shot that slowly spins around Keitel while he converses with another character at night.

Spike Lee is an example of one we need more of in Hollywood. He is a smart director. Let me start with direct pluses before I get into the juice of this movie. In one scene, where cops are interrogating the clockers in the beginning, the origin of "bro" is gotten right. A Norman (since "Thump" comes from Middle English which is Norman) named Thumper says "bro" in a rather warm way to Strike, and it's not saying it's the same as "brotha." Cause one of the cops who does say "brotha" is saying it in a derisive tone, while holding a suspect's chin very brutally. Yup "bro" is Italian slang according to this. Kudos to all three for getting it right :D Important, because we get to see the reaction by the black people (not many whites in this movie as, except for Klein who never says the word at all).Now, the important stuff. This movie is hard-hitting. It tells of the life of clockers (drug dealers who deal in the housing projects in Brooklyn). But most importantly there is a tone of misery and in some cases, suicide. You can really feel the hopelessness of some in this movie (Rodney for instance tells Strike, "Maybe you won't have to take it much longer," which shows he'll put him out of his misery or at least that's how it's implied). It's so hopeless, it makes me wanna cry. But Strike is a symbol of hope in the midst of a hopeless environment. And so is his bro, Victor. I'm a Rivera by the way :D. If you want something happy, skip this one. But if you can handle the hopelessness of this movie, give it a try. It's a good movie. However less dreary than most movies of this genre such as "Fresh" which is more darker. This movie is a human drama about the lives of young blacks and Hispanics (cause one of the drug dealers is Hispanic, and a "bro"-sayer :D ) who deal drugs because they have no fathers. It's a thoughtful story and Spike really put his time into it. Some moments will make you laugh (like the opening scene -- a funny argument about "rappers who are hard"); some will make you jump (it's something to do with Rodney and Strike) and the last 20 minutes will make you cry (including the credits). This was a tour-de-force. Spike Lee and Martin Scorsese are true masters of cinema. But believe me this is more depressing than "GoodFellas."

Martin Scorcese was originally scheduled to direct Clockers, would he have done a better job than Spike Lee ? Did the latter lack ambition or should the novel be blamed for being not catchy enough ? Those are a few questions emerging after finishing this movie.Because if the story is rather interesting and carried by good cast (though under-exploited), it lacks intensity in order to really implicate the viewer. The scenes follow each other in a certain monotony and shallowness inevitably prejudicial, and the dramatic progression is extremely weak, not to say almost non-existent. Therefore, you're never captivate by this chronicle and the overlong passages don't help either. One could also regret an editing a bit sloppy with flashbacks and others not that pertinent.Anyway, in the ghetto movie genre, others have depicted much better, and with a lot more grip, the everyday life of these neighbourhoods, like Menace II Society for example.

I have no idea why this film wasn't nominated for an Oscar, and I especially have no idea why it's been seventeen years since the film was released and I'm just now seeing it. I've always been vaguely aware of it's existence as one of the 'other' Spike Lee films, but not much more. I certainly wasn't expecting to see some of his all-time best work, which it is. This film should be mandatory viewing for every single high school in America, that's how important it is. Spike Lee paints a devastatingly realistic picture of inner-city life and the mortal perils that it's inhabitants face on a daily basis. There are no heroes, no angels, and no caricatures. It's all laid bare for the viewer to draw their own conclusion. Lee treats the audience with a level of respect and maturity that is almost unheard of in films that deal in such explosive and controversial subject matter. He trusts that the audience will understand the big picture and take away the appropriate lesson without being evangelized, and without resorting to the kind of cheap gimmickry and pandering that can often plague films of this genre. Everyone should see this film. Literally everyone.