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Clockers

1995

Spike Lee

Harvey Keitel, John Turturro, Delroy Lindo, Mekhi Phifer ...

6.8

5,757

Mystery Fully capturing the thoroughly researched detail of Price's novel, the film focuses on Strike (newcomer Mekhi Phifer), a young, ambitious "clocker"--or drug dealer--who works the streets of his New York housing project, selling drugs for a local supplier named Rodney (played with ferocious charisma by Delroy Lindo). Just as Strike is struggling to get away from his dead-end life of crime, another dealer is murdered in a fast-food ... [+]

	Media	Author	Review
		Roger Ebert rogerebert.com	"Lee finds poetry and humor in all of his stories (...) Rating: ★★★½ (out of 4)"
		Janet Maslin The New York Times	"A story told with mournful, epic vision that rises high above its grim setting."
		Kevin McManus The Washington Post	"Definitely no cartoon, 'Clockers' is a real, wicked thrill."
		Peter Travers Rolling Stone	"'Clockers' thunders home with the bruising urgency of a story that needs to be told."
		Jonathan Rosenbaum Chicago Reader	"The sheer unpleasantness of the story isn't always justified by its insights. The performances are strong, but the spectator often feels adrift in an overly busy intrigue."
		Angie Errigo Empire	"Not Lee’s finest but intriguing nonetheless (...) Average Lee, but still enjoyable overall (...) Rating: ★★★ (out of 5)"
		Jesse Hassenger AV Club	"Lee isn’t in entertainer mode, but despite its mournfulness, the movie is gripping and impeccably made (...) There’s plenty about 'Clockers' that still resonates"
		Kevin McManus The Washington Post	"Lee fills his story with bold, vivid, glib characters who manage to be entertaining"
		Tom Charity Time Out	"The result is a more sober, mournful and meditative expressionism than you'd expect. That's not to say the film isn't suspenseful (...) Superbly acted"
		Edward Guthmann SFGATE	"'Clockers' has the strengths of Lee's best work (passion, humor, terrific acting) without the preachiness, self-importance and gimmicky camera moves of his weakest."
		Owen Gleiberman Entertainment Weekly	"'Clockers' is a work of staggering intelligence and emotional force — a mosaic of broken dreams"
		Kenneth Turan Los Angeles Times	"[It] demonstrates how accomplished a filmmaker [Lee] has become, securely in control of plot, actors and imagery."

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