Clockers is an adequate film that would have been much better under the command of another director, with Spike Lee bringing way too much baggage for the movie to work.

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.

The casting of then unknown Mekhi Phifer in the lead role of Ronald "Strike" Dungham is 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 warrant sympathy, mainly due to Phifer's passive performance.

Co-lead Harvey Keitel works his grizzled magic as Rocco Klein, a homicide detective for over 20 years who is weary of all of the death and despair he has seen. Fine support is supplied by Delroy Lindo as drug lord Rodney Little, Keith David as beat cop Andre and Isiah Washington as Strikes brother, Victor. John Turturro, however, is wasted.

For Spike Lee fans only.