Gridlock'd review

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On the basis of this fine performance, Tupac Shakur - - million-selling rap artist and sometime actor - - is going to be missed by more than just the music business. Shot dead shortly after filming was completed, Shakur had hoped that Gridlock'd would signal a turning point in his life. ""The role of Spoon is my first venture into a new philosophy"," he said. ""A new image that's not violent, sad or angry. It's just funny."" And he was right: Gridlock'd is a grim, hard-edged film, but it's also an hilarious comedy, brought to life by the relaxed, easy banter of its stars, Tupac and Brit actor Tim Roth.

Shakur is right about the new image too. His Spoon is likeable, level-headed and logical. He's the brains of the duo, in sharp contrast to Roth's Stretch, who's dysfunctional, deranged and dangerous. The on-screen chemistry is unforced throughout, the two beleaguered anti-heroes battling valiantly to free themselves from the shackles of heroin, cops, heavies and red tape, all of which stand between them and the detox they so desperately need.

The late, hugely lamented Tupac Shakur teams up with Tim Roth to deliver a sizzlingly paced and frequently funny black (and white) comedy, one that pokes a big finger of blame into the eye of an uncaring American healthcare system. Fine performances, great dialogue and stylish camera-work make for a bleak yet hilarious debut feature from actor Vondis Curtis Hall.

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