Hoodlum

Starring: Laurence Fishburne, Andy Garcia, Tim Roth, Vanessa Williams
Directed by: Bill Duke
Released: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1997

Featuring a host of top-notch actors, you'd expect Bill Duke's Hoodlum to be a rousing adventure through gangsterland as set in Harlem of the 1930's. Unfortunately, it's not, although it does come close at times. Laurence Fishburne stars as Ellsworth "Bumpy" Johnson, a favorite son fresh from prison who comes home to find his uptown neighborhood dominated by a vicious turf war and a crooked lottery game. The plot is a little thin, which is mostly why the acting corps has such trouble moving beyond their characters' idiosyncrasies -- though Andy Garcia nearly pulls it off with his role as "Lucky" Luciano. Mostly, though, the movie is driven by the hallmarks of the gangster genre: blaring 72-point headlines, drive-by shootings, and a bit of nudity, all in the name of keeping the viewer awake through the 130-minute runtime. Although decidedly more serious than Dick Tracy, this film feels a bit bland in comparison.