RottenTomatoes.com
Log In | Register | What is RT?
Found a Bug? Squash It! Report Bugs Here
  • Home
  • Movies
  • DVD
  • Celebrities
  • News
  • Critics
  • Trailers & Pictures
  • CommunityBeta
  • Box Office
  • | Best Of
  • | Certified Fresh
  • | Showtimes
RT Search Powered by Google
help icon Enhanced RT
searches on Google
Click here to turn on enhanced search results from RT on your Google searches.
 
Movies / On DVD / Life is Hot in Cracktown
Life is Hot in Cracktown

Rate this Movie Help Icon

  • Write a Review
  • Read Reviews
  • Add to List
  • Buy Poster External Icon
Bookmark and Share

Life is Hot in Cracktown (2009)

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
50 %
Tomatometer
Template ImageTemplate Image

How does the Tomatometer work Help Icon

Reviews Counted:6

Fresh:3

Rotten:3

Average Rating:5.1/10

Runtime: 3 hrs 24 mins

Genre: Action/Adventure

Synopsis: Based on Buddy Giovinazzo’s best-selling novel, Life is Hot in Cracktown shows the gritty, hard realities of a neighborhood, as well as the struggling, proud people who try to survive them... Based on Buddy Giovinazzo’s best-selling novel, Life is Hot in Cracktown shows the gritty, hard realities of a neighborhood, as well as the struggling, proud people who try to survive them everyday.

Marybeth (Kerry Washington) is a pre-op transsexual working as a prostitute and living with her lover, Benny, a small time burglar. In spite of their lines of work, they live a somewhat normal life as a married couple. Marybeth works the streets in the hopes of saving enough money for her final sex change operation, so then she and Benny can be married.

Manny (Victor Rasuk) works two jobs: the late shift in an all night bodega surrounded by young junkies, drug dealers and prostitutes, and as a security guard in a Welfare hotel. At home his wife, Concetta (Shannyn Sossamon), takes care of his sick infant son and makes their grimy rundown apartment as much of a home as she can.

Willy, ten years old, lives in the Welfare hotel with his sister, mother (Illeana Douglas) and her violent boyfriend. Willy begs on the street so he and Susie can buy some fast food to eat.

Romeo (Evan Ross), a street tough, roams the streets with his gang. Upset over the murder of his younger brother, and feeling partially responsible for not being there during the shooting, he terrorizes anyone who comes in his path.

These four stories come together in a powerful climax of love and salvation, showing that despite the obstacles of life in the inner-city, humanity and hope can still prevail. --© Lightning Entertainment [More]

Starring: Kerry Washington, Victor Rasuk, Evan Ross, Desmond Harrington

Starring: Kerry Washington, Victor Rasuk, Evan Ross, Desmond Harrington, Shannyn Sossamon, Edoardo Ballerini, Mark Webber, Vondie Curtis-Hall, Brandon Routh, RZA, Thomas Ian Nicholas, Tony Plana, Carmine Giovinazzo, Richard Portnow, Illeana Douglas, Lara Flynn Boyle

Director: Buddy Giovinazzo

Director: Buddy Giovinazzo
Screenwriter: Buddy Giovinazzo
Producer: William D. Fisch, Larry Rattner
Studio: Lightning Entertainment

[See More Credits]

  • Trailers
  • Pictures
1 - 4 of 4

See More Movie Trailers & Pictures

Reviews for Life is Hot in Cracktown

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
 
 
1 - 8 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
Text View
Arrange By:Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 

There are no positive characters in Cracktown. No voice of reason; just the reality of dire circumstances, which cannot be tied up in a pretty Hollywood bow.

Full Review Source: BET.com | comment Comment
07/02/09
Clay Cane
Clay Cane
BET.com
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Hollywood Reporter | comment Comment
07/02/09
Hollywood Reporter
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

While Giovinazzo's crude approach undercuts his occasional stab at gravitas, Cracktown's cast keeps things in the ballpark of relatable humanity.

Full Review Source: Los Angeles Times | comment Comment
07/01/09
Glenn Whipp
Glenn Whipp
Los Angeles Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

One part Crash and one part Menace II Society.

Full Review Source: Boxoffice Magazine | comment Comment
06/26/09
Tim Cogshell
Tim Cogshell
Boxoffice Magazine

Aside from tremendous performances given by Washington and Rasuk, the bleakness in 'Cracktown' doesn't offer a solution that leaves a positive outlook on life.

Full Review Source: BlackFilm.com | comment Comment
06/26/09
Wilson Morales
Wilson Morales
BlackFilm.com
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Variety | comment Comment
06/26/09
Justin Chang
Justin Chang
Variety
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

About as credible as a middle school production of Death of a Salesman. The unspectacular storylines plod along, dragged down by lackluster performances and sloppy direction.

Full Review Source: Metromix.com | comment Comment
06/25/09
Geoff Berkshire
Geoff Berkshire
Metromix.com

Life goes far past the boiling point for most of the characters in this hilariously overwrought ghetto soap opera from cult writer-director Buddy Giovinazzo.

Full Review Source: L.A. Weekly | comment Comment
06/25/09
Scott Foundas
Scott Foundas
L.A. Weekly
 
 
1 - 8 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
Text View
all

Latest News for Life is Hot in Cracktown

May 25, 2009: Trailer & Poster review Opens in new window
More...

March 12, 2008: Pics of Kerry Washington, Shannyn Sossamon, and Brandon Routh Opens in new window
More...

See All

More DVDs

Top Rentals
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
36% 36% Angels & Demons
25% 25% Four Christmases
68% 68% Funny People
95% 95% Star Trek
14% 14% The Ugly Truth

More Rentals…

New On DVD This Week
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
32% 32% Terminator Salvation
44% 44% Night at the Museum: B…
86% 86% A Christmas Tale
60% 60% Paper Heart

More New Releases…

What’s Hot On RT

Twilight Saga: Eclipse

Twilight Saga: Eclipse

5 facts straight from the cast.

Disney Animation

Disney Animation

We chart the studio's classics.

Avatar

Avatar

An exclusive look at the human hardware.

Eric Bana

Eric Bana

The Star Trek star talks cars with RT.

Other News

  • Top Stories
  • Popular
  • Interviews
 
 

Comments

 
 
Top Stories
Headlines Comments
  
  • Spielberg Hops Away from Harvey Source: Variety
19
  • Tarantino Could Have Directed Green Lantern Source: MTV
24
  • Will Duvall be Gilliam's Don Quixote? Source: Collider.com
26
  • No Hobbit Until 2012? Source: The Wrap
22
  • Don't Hold Your Breath for Hancock 2 Source: HitFix
42
  • Peter Berg Talks Battleship Source: CHUD
2
  • Summit Ponders Twilight Finale Source: Variety
159
  • First Look at Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Source: USA Today
56
  • Jeremy Renner Talks Hawkeye Possibilities Source: Superhero Hype
14
  • Todd Phillips Talks The Hangover 2 Source: Entertainment Weekly
18
Popular
Headlines Comments
  
  • Total Recall: Natalie Portman's Best Movies
69
  • 10 Horrifically Profitable Films
45
  • Five Favorite Films with Jason Reitman
45
  • Box Office Guru Wrapup: Vampires and Football Break Thanksgiving Records
42
  • Critics Consensus: Everybody's Fine Is Just OK
41
  • Five Favorite Films with Jesse Ventura
39
  • Awards Tour: National Board of Review Winners List!
23
  • Sundance 2010: RT's 10 Most Anticipated Movies
23
  • RT on DVD & Blu-Ray: Terminator Salvation and a Smithsonian Battle
21
  • Weekly Ketchup: Tron Team to Remake The Black Hole
15
Interviews
Headlines Comments
  
  • Director Ruben Fleischer Talks Zombieland
1
  • "I Don't Hate Women": Lars von Trier on Antichrist
17
  • Eric Bana talks Love the Beast - RT Interview
11
  • Fight Club Sound Designer Reflects on Film's 10th Anniversary
21
  • James Schamus talks Taking Woodstock - RT Interview
8
  • John Hurt Talks Harry Potter, Quentin Crisp and Alien - The RT Interview
15
  • Terry Gilliam Talks Doctor Parnassus
22
  • Wes Anderson Talks Fantastic Mr. Fox - RT Interview
9
  • Wolverine Creator Len Wein Talks About the Film
28
  • Gavin Hood Talks Wolverine; Possible Sequel
28
 
 

Sponsored Links

Around The Network

  • Life is Hot in Cracktown at Rotten Tomatoes

Fresh Links

Featured
RT on YouTube
RT on YouTube External Link

Subscribe to RT's YouTube channel and don't miss a second of our cracking video content.

RT on Twitter
RT on Twitter External Link

Follow Rotten Tomatoes and join us as we tweet about the week's releases.

 
 
About| Site Map| Help| RT To Go| Contact Us| Critics Submission| Linking to RT| Licensing| Movie List| Celebs List| Newsletter
IGN Logo

IGN.com | GameSpy | Comrade | Arena | FilePlanet | GameSpy Technology
TeamXbox | Planets | Vaults | VE3D | CheatsCodesGuides | GameStats | GamerMetrics
AskMen.com | Rotten Tomatoes | Direct2Drive | Green Pixels


By continuing past this page, and by the continued use of this site, you agree to be bound by and abide by the User Agreement.
Copyright 1998-2009, IGN Entertainment, Inc. About IGN | Support | Advertise | Privacy Policy | User Agreement | Subscribe to RT's XML feed! IGN RSS Feeds
IGN's enterprise databases running Oracle, SQL and MySQL are professionally monitored and managed by Pythian Remote DBA
Certain product data ©1995-present Muze, Inc. For personal use only. All rights reserved.