Anthony Anderson is a real and pleasant surprise stuck in character roles for the past decade, Anderson has become a real annoyance to me, as the usual character he plays is really excessive, a caricature. Terrence Howard as DJay shows timing and expression worthy of much older, more "schooled" actors. Among the actors, two performances especially shine. But they are all very human for that, and so ultimately win our respect if not approval. These characters are not likable - none of them are, they each have a tic that denies them total sympathy from the audience. The gritty staging, the solid no-frills camera-work and editing, and some really excellent performances make this well worth the effort to confront dishonest characters struggling to find some sort of integrity in their efforts to survive and succeed. But the situation is so bleak for these characters, I doubt that American audiences would have accepted a more believable ending and, after all, there were far worse "happy" endings that it avoids. I have noted criticism that the film slips into formula in its second half true.
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