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Strike
(Mekhi Phifer) is a small time drug dealer who works for drug lord
Rodney Little (Delroy Lindo). When a night manager at a local fast
food restaurant is killed, Strike's older brother Victor (Isiah
Washington) confesses to the crime. However, homicide detective
Rocco Klein (Harvey Keitel) does not buy his story and as he digs
deeper all clues lead to Strike and Rodney.
With the films grim opening credits prominently featuring pictures
of violently murdered young black men, it is clear that director
Spike Lee will not pull any punches in spreading his message to
the masses. However while Lee is a master at social commentary (no
matter how one sided) his talent for creating a great movie is hit
and miss.
Clockers unfortunately belongs in the former, as Lee takes
Richard Price's acclaimed novel and turns it into his own personal
soapbox as story is sacrificed for message of the week style commentary,
with the casting of then unknown Mekhi Phifer in the lead role of
Ronald "Strike" Dungham a big blunder, the actor not able
to bring any life to his character, a clocker (drug runner who work
on an organized schedule) who although has inflicting emotions about
his lifestyle does not get any sympathy from this reviewer, mainly
due to Phifer's passive performance.
Harvey Keitel is good as Rocco Klein, a homicide detective for over
20 years who is weary of all of the death and despair he has seen.
Delroy Lindo to is also very good as drug lord Rodney Little, as
is Keith David as beat cop Andre and Isiah Washington as Strikes
brother, Victor. John Turturro, however, is wasted.
In the end Clockers is an ok film that would have been much
better under the command of another director, with Spike Lee bringing
way to much baggage for the movie to work. For Spike Lee fans only.
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