1997 Directed by Vondie Curtis-Hall
After a friend overdoses, Spoon and Stretch decide to kick their drug habits and attempt to enroll in a government detox program. Their efforts are hampered by seemingly endless red tape, as they are shuffled from one office to another while being chased by drug dealers and the police.
That scene where tim roth and tupac are waiting on a bench for hours trying to get food stamps and they have a lil quick cut timelapse sequence and tim roth is sleeping and lays his head on tupac's lap! aah.
This is my Casablanca.
The type of film I love; an anarchic, irreverent blackly comic indictment of the system and its failings told from the 24 hour perspective of two struggling musicians trying to kick their drug habit and enter into rehab.
Both Tim Roth and Tupac Shakur give charisma loaded performances as Stretch and Spoon. Roth has one of his finest and funniest roles whilst Tupac is a revelation. On paper the duo perhaps oughtn't work, but they really do. I can't say Tupac's music was ever really my thing, but he impressed me here as an actor and watching it now one cannot shake the sorrow at seeing someone so talented, young and beautiful shine on screen with the knowledge that he had less than a year to live. Both are supported with a nice turn from Thandie Newton as their English poet flatmate and mutual lover.
why gridlock’d is sexist: when the male characters piss onscreen, it is very loud. when the female character pisses onscreen, it’s silent. something to think about
Gridlock’d slipped under my radar growing up, I was aware of it but thought it was some sort of hardboiled buddy cop movie or something. Obviously I was completely wrong, I mean I’m not sure how this was marketed, I don’t remember. Gridlock’d is about a pair of heroin addicts played by Tupac Shakur and Tim Roth that decide to get sober after an incident opens their eyes. The problem is it’s hard to get into a detox program same day with no money, no Medicaid, and all the red tape that comes with government programs.
The film is high energy, darkly funny, offbeat, violent, and a great satirical social commentary. I love movies that take place in one day…
Nice! Tim Roth & Tupac Shakur als Junkie-Buddies, die vom Heroin runterkommen wollen und, für die - zum begleiteten Entzug - benötigte medical card, von Behörde zu Behörde, quer durch L.A. gescheucht werden.
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Ein Film, wie eine real-life-Version des „Haus das Verrückte macht“ aus ‚Asterix erobert Rom‘. Durch die Selbstverständlichkeit Shakurs, das großartige Spiel von Roth und die fantastische, brilliant zwischen Humor und Ernsthaftigkeit changierende Regie von Vondie Curtis-Hall, ist ‚Gridlock‘d‘ mit sehr hoher street credibility ausgestattet; eine Fusion aus Wayne Wangs ‚Smoke‘ und Danny Boyles ‚Trainspotting‘. Der Film wechselt zwischen ruhigen, dialoggetragenen (starken) Szenen der beiden Protagonisten, sowie (ebenfalls starken) Sequenzen, die schnell geschnitten und mit fantastischem Soundtrack unterlegt sind, in einer Optik, wie sie in den End-Neunzigern prominent z.B.…
Auf der Hauptseite von Google zu dem Film steht unter dem deutschen Titel des Filmes mit dem Beinamen "Voll drauf!" (wow, was ein Gag) darunter noch die Genrezuordnung. Nun, Google ist ja aus dieser Perspektive nicht gerade der Ansprechpartner für so etwas, aber hier wurde mal ordentlich verfehlt.
Es ist kein Krimi.
Es ist auch kein Drama.
Es ist eine f*cking Schwarze Komödie und Satire!
Zusammen sehen wir zu Beginn drei Junkies: Ein Schwarzer namens "Spoon" (Tupac Shakur), ein Weißer namens "Stretch" (Tim Roth) und eine farbige Britin namens "Cookie" (Thandie Newton... ah ne, sie heißt ja jetzt Thandiwe Newton). Natürlich haben sie ihre bürgerlichen Namen, aber hauptsächlich bleiben wir bei ihren Spitznamen. Cookie hat eine Überdosis und das zum…
Now here is a highly appreciated and little seen gem that showcases the acting talent of the late Tupac Shakur. I can't say anything about his music, but on the screen, he sizzles. His intensity greatly matches with Tim Roth's, and the two are a dynamic duo trying to overcome their drug addiction.
It's funny, fresh, and spunky. Then-newcomer Thandie Newton leaves a tasteful impression.
