ThiefHott Too much of everything

Afouotos Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

Janae Milner Easily the biggest piece of Right wing non sense propaganda I ever saw.

Frances Chung Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

drewrhutchinson The first time I heard about this movie was when I was reading this in a magazine in spring of 1995 and I was 15 years old at that time, Which had a photo of actor Lawance with his face painted white w black lips which was the famous trade mark of this film. it was also used another movie called Half Baked. But I did barrow this movie from the local library 4 years later when it was on video. Dvds weren't popular yet until the next year. What can I say about this film. The cast was great, Same with the acting. But the violence in this film was intense. After you watch this movie for the first time, you can tell that this movie is not for everyone. Maybe for those who come from a tough nabor gang. Nc-17 was the original rating for this film. But I don't think that the violent, the langued and the drug used weren't closed enough for this film. But if you want to watch a better drama with a black cast in it. Do the right thing is the best one. Now the best and only thing about this film is the movie soundtrack. The soundtrack has the best 1970s Smooth soul hits from such great soul artist like Arthia Franklin, Curtis Mayfeld, Al Green, The O Jays, Issic Hays and Many more.

kenny_capcity I re-watched this for the first time in over 7 years as I dug it out of my VHS collection. Solid socio-political time peace addressing the issues facing young men growing up in the Bronx during the 70's. Good cast with a firm performance by Larenz Tate in the lead role. The movie showcased three distinct times in the lives of the main character, pre war, during Vietnam and post war struggling with life back in society. Good supporting cast with some noteworthy performances by Bookeem Woodbine, Clifton Powell, N'Bushe Wright and Terrance Howard. Howard steals a few scenes in his small role. Chris Tucker was funny with his usual flamboyant, loud and quick witted character that he has since built a solid career on. The ending was moving and powerful and the movie moved along fairly well accept for a scene or two. The soundtrack was fantastic and had me moving in my chair the whole time, worked excellent with the scenes, mood and period of the film. Well worth the watch.

johnnyboyz Dead Presidents hammers home its point in its final scene, a quite brilliant and excruciating in its execution scene in the sense we may want these characters to get away with what they're doing. The scene is a heist, created between a handful of people who have come to know each other through the years and we have come to understand their predicaments. The finale sums up the sad, sad desperation some of the characters have had to resort to given their life and what has happened to them and captures how hard the times get when they get hard in the first place.Dead Presidents is a crime drama; a social commentary and a war film all wrapped up in one. But this genre hybridity does not work against the film as much as it does compliment the epic feeling that we get when we recognise these characters have covered quite a fair distance. The film is Boyz in the Hood; Taxi Driver; Platoon and finishes it all off with a shoot out alá shortly after the robbery in Michael Mann's 1995 film 'Heat'. The finale stands out due to its jarring slow motion and attention to detail in how they have to go about their plan in brutal, violent, realistic detail – each person is positioned and attacks a victim with a certain weapon in a certain way and focuses on a certain part of the victim. The shootout stands out due to its inclusion in what has been, so far, a film that avoids massive shoot outs and lashings of violence in a steady and careful study of an African-America man in a crisis.The study behind Dead Presidents is intriguing and it's a study of maturity and coming to terms with responsibility. The film has its characters eventually resort to particularly desperate measures in order to merely live but does a good job in not glamorising these means. The primary focus here is the character of Anthony Curtis (Tate), a young African-American in the late sixties hanging around with his other young friends Jose (Rodríguez) and Skip (Tucker) all of whom are about to finish their education and hopefully enter some sort of employment. The setting up of the film is unspectacular but deliberately so; the kids hang out, get high and attend parties. But it is two things that click lead Anthony into his coming of age tale; they are the impregnation of Juanita (Jackson) and the volunteering to go to Vietnam to fight the cause for America in the war.These two events will shape the character upon his arrival back to The States and it's through the pathetic, immature activities that occur at the very beginning that we will get a feel for how far Anthony has come along as a human being when the going really gets tough later on before, as I said, desperation kicks in. These tough times revolve around balancing a family that he has created as well as dealing with his Vietnam experiences in which he witnessed all the atrocities you'd associate with the war.The film's opening third is teasing just as it is entertaining. It threatens to head down a route of crime complete with African-American gangsters hanging out in pool halls, taking rides with one another and getting into scraps; be it with one another over a hustle or Kirby (David), perhaps the fiercest criminal of this opening third, battering someone of a third party nature with his prosthetic leg because they owe him money. But the film never becomes stonewall in its genre and doesn't resort to clichés. It presents Anthony with a series of choices at a delicate time in his life but they are little choices such as 'Does he take the potentially ominous ride with Kirby into the unknown?' as Kirby goes to settle a score and how does he react to first seeing a gun and the potential danger that could spawn.These are choices and scenarios that will prepare Anthony for larger, more important decisions. The scenes and scenarios are nothing we haven't seen before in the respective genre but they're still required for Anthony's maturing process. Once in the military, the film again threatens to break into genre and Anthony is faced once again with choices to do with whether he excepts the Euthanasia plea from a dying soldier – guns and death and general darkness remain in his life and are the subject of a lot of his life experiences. But it's when Anthony returns to New York that a study kicks in. As a character, he has matured through experience and cannot seem to get on with his girlfriend Juanita who's now a mother after his tours of duty. The film feeds off Vietnam as a war which disables its lone individual from re-fitting into society in the snug, immature manner in which he could prior to the event.Dead Presidents contains a fair number of good scenes and its reference to Taxi Driver as a study of America more observant and concerned with what's going on in a small, Asian country many miles away when home and its own people are in an equally nasty mess (New York, yet again) is interesting. Anthony's struggles with employment and family life as well as the pimp that helps out with money and just wants to be friends acts as a highlight that he cannot even get re-acquainted all too easily, no matter how criminally minded the person is and no matter how much they might have had in common had they met prior one of them going off and fighting for one's country.

sambo5180 The Hughes Brothers film Dead Presidents exists as one the most (arguably) realistic human dramas ever made. Many people refer to this as a "blaxpoitation film", but this only how the movie is portrayed. I have seen this film many times (first as a 9-year old, if you can imagine that) and it still remains one of my favourites. I have read other user comments on this film and it seems that the problem most viewers have with it is the uneven plot. So for the person reading this who has not seen this film, please read the following:Dead Presidents is not a concept film in the obvious sense. I won't explain the plot and story (everyone else seems to have their own ideas) but this film does give many messages. Other reviewers claim this tries to be a war movie or a heist movie or a love story all at once. If anything, call this a "culture" movie. Yes, this film does display the worst possible scenarios in a person's life, but this is not to say that life isn't like this for many people. A few things to remember when watching this film: (1)Do not watch this film if you don't enjoy films that portray something less than positivity for your viewing pleasure. People who prefer "soft" films that show kindness, warmth, love, etc. will ineviably be in a rut by the film's end.If this film leaves you in a state of angst by the end, it's just because that's what the film tries for, so don't trip! (2) There are racial undertones in this movie!!! This is not to say that a white person can't enjoy this film, but be prepared. I viewed this with a friend (who is white) and he was angry as hell by the end of film, making comments like, "Life's not really like that!" (3) The violence portrayed in this film is (over-the-top) quite extreme, but this is necessary for the story. Everyone has already pointed out all the most gruesome scenes in previous reviews, so if you've read previous reviews, you know what to look forward to. Don't expect any restraint in the depictions of the darker side of mankind. (4) Trying to guess the plot before viewing is completely pointless. One of the best ideas behind this film is it's unpredictability. Sure, earlier scenes might foreshadow something later, but if you think you have it figured out, you'll most likely be disappointed.The acting in this film is incredible. No one gives an even mediocre performance (this due impart to the cast: What would you expect from Larenz Tate in one of his best performances, Chris Tucker in a serious roll, and even a young Terrence Howard?) A lot of the film's best acting comes not from the dialogue (which isn't anything extraordinary), but from the voice tones and expressions. Look at Chris Tucker's eyes as the film spins out toward the end, or Keith David's rocky voice in his portrayal as the old man Kirby. *The scene where Tucker kills the cop in the heist is one of the most realistic scenes I've ever seen in a movie. Also, this is one of the most brilliantly shot films I've ever seen. From the war scenes in 'Nam to the borough of the Bronx in the 70's, settings and cinematography, as well as the film's soundtrack are all on point, more so than many of today's disappointing films. Yes, the Hughes Brothers may pay homage to other directors, particularly in the war scenes, but any one who says they are "biting" earlier styles is definitely a critic (and nothing more). This film's pacing is hardly slow, it just doesn't move like a mindless action flick. It seeks to show you not just the struggle of the black male (as many people drew this from it), but the struggles of anyone put in circumstances beyond their control. (I'm not agreeing the films final sequences, just pointing out the idea.) Life is not simplistic or happy for these characters, but rather like a hustle to come upon something better. I have dealt with these emotions myself, so I can appreciate what the Hughes Brothers are portraying, and will admit a slight bias to the film. If you have seen Menace II Society, then you have an idea of what to expect. Overall, Dead Presidents attempts to display what gives rise to blues music: the trials of people, and the choices and consequences of human action. Watch the film, draw a conclusion, but don't assume anything.*****Oh, and for those of you who couldn't seem to figure out the film's title: these are what are on U.S. currency (dollar bills), aka M-O-N-E-Y, which is what the character's are trying to O-B-T-A-I-N!