Strike (Mekhi Phifer) is a street pusher or clocker working for drug-lord Rodney Little (Delroy Lindo). He drinks chocolate Moo and suffers from an ulcer. Rodney tells him that fast food worker Darryl Adams is dealing from behind the counter and needs to be taken care of by him. He has trouble doing it and tries to get his brother Victor Dunham (Isaiah Washington) to do it by telling him that Darryl beats his girlfriend. Then Darryl turns up dead. Homicide detectives Rocco Klein (Harvey Keitel) and Larry Mazilli (John Turturro) investigate. Victor confesses to killing in self defense. Rocco doesn't buy it but Larry would rather close the case.
The movie is pretty good with great actors doing good work. Spike Lee is doing a drug movie but he is doing it his way. There is an unrealism to it. His cameos only add to it. This is more of a crime murder mystery than a gritty drug movie. The Spike Lee style, the dialog, and even Strike constant need for chocolate milk seems design to make this somewhat surreal. It is the main reason that this is pretty good rather than really good. It's not really surrealistic but it's also not gritty enough to be the scary real drug movie.
The movie is pretty good with great actors doing good work. Spike Lee is doing a drug movie but he is doing it his way. There is an unrealism to it. His cameos only add to it. This is more of a crime murder mystery than a gritty drug movie. The Spike Lee style, the dialog, and even Strike constant need for chocolate milk seems design to make this somewhat surreal. It is the main reason that this is pretty good rather than really good. It's not really surrealistic but it's also not gritty enough to be the scary real drug movie.