Film Snail

6.7

Clockers

R·1995·128m

Crime

Drama

Mystery

Crime

Drama

Mystery

Summary

Strike is a young city drug pusher under the tutelage of drug lord Rodney Little. When a night manager at a fast-food restaurant is found with four bullets in his body, Strike’s older brother turns himself in as the killer. Detective Rocco Klein doesn’t buy the story, however, setting out to find the truth, and it seems that all the fingers point toward Strike & Rodney.

Cast

Harvey Keitel

Det. Rocco Klein

John Turturro

Det. Larry Mazilli

Delroy Lindo

Rodney Little

Mekhi Phifer

Ronald 'Strike' Dunham

Isaiah Washington

Victor Dunham

Keith David

André the Giant

Peewee Love

Tyrone 'Shorty' Jeeter

Regina Taylor

Iris Jeeter

Thomas Jefferson Byrd

Errol Barnes

Sticky Fingaz

Scientific

Fredro Starr

Elvis Nolasco

Horace

Lawrence B. Adisa

Stan

Hassan Johnson

Skills

Frances Foster

Gloria

Michael Imperioli

Detective Jo-Jo

Lisa Arrindell

Sharon, Victor's Wife

Paul Calderon

Jesus at Hambones

Brendan Kelly

Big Chief

Mike Starr

Thumper

Graham Brown

Mr. Herman Brown

Steve White

Darryl Adams

Spike Lee

Chucky

Shawn McLean

Solo

Arthur J. Nascarella

Bartucci

Harry Lennix

Bill Walker

Bray Poor

Detective #1

Craig McNulty

Detective #2

Christopher Wynkoop

Detective #3

Paul Schulze

Detective #4

Donald Stephenson

Detective #5

John Fletcher

Medic A

J.C. MacKenzie

Medic Frank

David Evanson

Smart Mike

Norman Matlock

Reverend Paul

Isaac Flower

Charles

Leonard L. Thomas

Onion, Bar Patron

Maurice Sneed

Davis, Bartender

Calvin Hart

Guard #1

Ginny Yang

Kiki

Michael Badalucco

Cop #1

Rick Aiello

Cop #2

Scot Anthony Robinson

Earl

Richard Ziman

Moe

David Batiste

Mar'qus Sample

Ivan

Mar'rece Sample

Mark

Ron Brice

Dead Man Begging

Ken Garito

Louie

Anthony Nocerino

Teen #1

Brian Konowal

Teen #2

Michael McGruther

Teen #3

Carlo Vogel

Teen #4

Harvey Williams

'Pick Me Up' Kid

Michael Cullen

Narc #1

Tim Kelleher

Narc #2

Skipp Sudduth

Narc #3

Larry Mullane

Narc Larry

Patrick Ferraro

Bike Cop #1

L.B. Williams

Bike Cop #2

Jeff Ward

Bike Cop #3

Ronda Fowler

Bomb Girl

Hal Sherman

Himself - Forensics Officer

Marc Webster

EMS Technician

James Saxenmeyer

EMS Attendant #1

Paul DuBois

EMS Attendant #2

Jordan Brown

EMS Attendant #3

Michael Marchetta

Corrections Officer #1

Joanna Gardner

Corrections Officer #2

Mark Howard

Baby Recruit #1

Michael Shepherd

Baby Recruit #2

Gerald King

Baby Recruit #3

Ronta Davis

Baby Recruit #4

Lord Kayson

T's Crewmember #1

Orran Farmer

T's Crewmember #2

Wayne Muhammed

Fruit of Islam Vendor

Martin Jaffe

Street Vendor

Freddie Velez

Pedro, Security Guard

Crew

Director, Screenplay

Spike Lee

Novel, Screenplay

Richard Price

Reviews

talisencrw

April 17, 2016

Spike Lee is an unfortunate instance of a very talented filmmaker who's obvious talent in craftsmanship doesn't come across in contemporary mainstream cinema because of issues having nothing to do with cinema itself. I realize that in becoming great at anything in one's life, other things have to suffer, and with him it seems, at least to me, that for everything he has undoubtedly accomplished in the filmic realm, it's created a type of 'idiot savant' (it's simply an existing term--I certainly don't mean it pejoratively)--that is, in social skills, at least pertaining to self-marketing, or getting across one's persona in the field, he is lacking--and it negatively impacts his cinema. And that's a dirty rotten shame, because this was a fine film.

He and his excellent approach to cinema remind me of the Heisenberg principle and make me: a) wish Lee could find more happiness in his life, so that he can come across better, and thus have his personality not negatively influence cinephiles like me; and b) wonder, like in 'A Beautiful Mind', if he was happier and more pleasant, if it would negatively impact his filmmaking? Philosophical questions such as this tend to keep me up at night, unless I have some red wine, milk or chamomile tea to wear me out and soothe me.

'Clockers' worked for me. Keitel was really on a roll when he worked in this, with 'Bad Lieutenant', 'Reservoir Dogs', 'Pulp Fiction' and 'Smoke' all around this time. It was certainly a great vintage for him, and a fine time to sample his acting.