Two years in production,
with 30 pimps interviewed in 15 cities has come together in one of the
most bold, entertaining and insightful documentaries in the last few
years. Questions like "Why does a ho need a pimp?," "What does a pimp
do?," as well as definitions like Mack, Player, and Knockoff are all
covered in the words of active and retired pimps and hos. From the
ruthless player types to the seasoned professional, from the nation's
capital to Hawaii, the characters are genuine and enlightening.
'American Pimp' documents what is generally believed to be the origin
of the pimp, through the uprise in popular culture to the present day,
where many of the film's stars have retired and moved on. The truth can
be glamorous yet unsettling, with the perpetually looming dangers of
drugs, jail and death. The lyrical mastery and swave debonair of
real-life players Fillmore Slim, Payroll and Gorgeous Dre are
alarmingly more animated, intelligent and lovable than much of the
fictitious characters often portrayed on the screen. An undertaking
like this is a triumph for the Hughes Brothers, as the subject matter
must make it difficult to seek out the stars and capture them in their
own words. Seek it out.
