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Don't listen to the Hype. It's awful

Don't Believe the Hype

A lot of perfectly good film show their cards early, establish a unique premise and let the audience explore a topic at a leisurely pace, without much in terms of surprise. this film is not one of those films.

It's a feast for the eyes. But what really makes this dramedy work is the acting.

This movie is TERRIBLE-ly funny to me - the characters are all just totally "CHARACTERS!" - colloquially speaking! So the many prior mixed reviews are likely because this may not be a cultural expression that everyone can or wants to appreciate. I think another reviewer noted this may not play well in what amounts to less 'cosmopolitan' parts of the U.S. It is thereby easy to see why a few 'good old boys' getting shot up is "violent!" (But war movies, werewolves, cannibalism and the like are - not so bad?) This, even though the movie and writer have billed this as an action comedy, loosely based on Chester Himes' novel.I found that Robin, Forrest, Gregory, and Danny were all absolutely perfect in their roles, but most especially that indefatigable Forrest: "I ain't movin' - I ain't movin'..." And Miss Givens' Immabelle is ICONIC as many others have said. She PLAYS that role (a la Mike Tyson?). Then there's the dark, dangerous Djola, who I thought has been totally overlooked and underrated for his unforgettable role as the 'leader of the pack.' I thought he and his baritone voice portrayed an entertaining, impavid, two gun bad guy, without being vicious or ruthless.I believe this movie is delightful with its twists and turns, and truly colorful characters. Bill Dukes is an outstanding Director! (Hence, the five-minute standing ovation at the Cannes Film Festival!) I gave it a one star because there will be some who go to WORST RATING first to see why they WON'T like this...

Nasty, unforgiving, unrelenting blood sport. I watch war movies and don't bat an eye except for Saving Private Ryan, but this is downright sickening. I went because I liked Forrest Whittaker, but it was so savage, so sick with violence just for violent's sake that I was shocked. I also took a date and it was lucky that we had seen other movies together because she would have had real doubts about me if this was my kind of movie. The movie reminded me of news stories about people killing puppies and torturing cats. I still have nightmares about this movie. The reviewer for the Washington Post at the time called it an urban comedy. If this is his version of a comedy, I never want to see another one.

(Includes one minor spoiler, but it's unrelated to the plot and really more of a recommendation.)Surprised to see so few votes and comments for A Rage in Harlem - it was a modest commercial hit in Britain, so perhaps the all-black casting and setting just didn't play Peoria.The tone of this stylish, good-looking period crime adventure swings wildly between brutal, raunchy, tragic and comic, but a clever, funny script and likeable characters - especially Gregory Hines's big-hearted wiseguy Goldy, but also several delightfully written minor roles - maintain attention and sympathy throughout what could otherwise have been a bumpy ride. It's an emotionally engaging film, much more character-driven than the average urban thriller of the 1990s.Its purely incidental pleasures are many, topped by a splendid musical treat in the shape of cult R 'n' B hero Screamin' Jay Hawkins, giving a no-holds-barred performance of his voodoo classic I Put a Spell on You at the Harlem Undertakers' Ball. If you have a taste for the old school of black show business, this sequence will have you holding up the rest of the picture until you've given Screamin' Jay an encore.Thrills, laughs, and pathos, dished up with verve and heart, make a film that many of us still remember very affectionately.

Robin Givens stars in this brilliant action-comedy-crime-thriller flick about a gangster's moll, who after a bloody shoot-out in the beginning, flees to Harlem with a trunkload of gold. She later finds herself involved with a shy assistant(the always dependable Forest Whitaker). They predictably fall in love and pretty soon Givens' presumed dead boyfriend comes to town looking for her and the gold.As my one line summary states it, this is one the best gangster movies ever made. In the vein of such gangster films like "The Untouchables" or "Hoodlum", "A Rage in Harlem" ranks pretty high up there. Director Bill Duke who directed Laurence Fishburne in the very stylish "Deep Cover" and the gritty "Hoodlum" is at the top of his game here. The 1950s setting really adds to the overall greatness of this movie.Robin Givens is excellent and very beautiful in a role that seems almost perfectly suited for her. Forest Whitaker plays his role almost too good. Not only does fit his part but he looks it as well.To sum it up, this movie is excellent. The direction, acting, and casting are all top notch.10/10