Never Die Alone (2004)

The new movie from the freshly retired rapper DMX is like nothing else that has been out in theaters in the past six months. DMX goes back to the streets in this gritty gangster movie. You will be pleased to see him return to a role more similar to the one in his movie debut Belly. He fits perfectly into the equation of the urban gangster movie. Never Die Alone is based on the novel of the same title by Donald Goines. DMX plays King David a drug king pin that has came back home to set things strait. The movie is set in present day New York. It is told mostly in flash backs, and voice-overs which make the movie very unique.

The strong plot and acting will keep you interested through the whole movie. Another aspect, and one that is sometimes over looked is the camera work and picture. At times the picture is grainy. This may sound cheap, but it goes perfectly with the harsh and raw story. The camera angles and shots are also awesome. Small things like this can make the biggest differences in a movie. If I had four hands I'd give this movie four thumbs up.

Fmovies: The movie starts with King David in a casket.

Then he starts telling us about his life. He came to Los Angeles to start his life over. Two days earlier, Moon needed Mike and Blue to collect some money from him.

Something goes terribly wrong, and David is left lying in the street. Paul, a white writer with a black girlfriend (Nancy), couldn't just let him die. On the way to the hospital, David pleads with Paul to tell his son his story. Interestingly, Paul was living the life of a black man, while Nancy seemed to have rejected her culture (I'm basing this on one scene, but we never got to know her) and disapproved of his living in that world, but Paul felt he had to in order to write what he wanted.

Paul finds out from a hospital worker that David had rewarded him by leaving him everything--lots of cash, jewelry, and a nice car. And cassette tapes with his autobiography.

As Paul listens to the tapes, we see the events described. Once again, David says he is starting over in Los Angeles. In a scene with three bikini beauties, Paul meets blonde white actress Janet. She becomes the first of his girlfriends that we see. With her connections, and the fact that no one on the west coast has quality merchandise, David becomes a major drug dealer. David meets Juanita, a waitress studying to be a social worker, so Janet is tossed out like yesterday's trash. And she's not making it as an actress, so guess what she does for a living? Poor Juanita. And wait until you see what he does to Edna, who may have had his baby.

To say David is not a nice person is a major understatement. But he's so charming that women want to be his girlfriend. Then they find out what he's really like.

Why would I watch this movie? I'm white and a few months older than Barack Obama. These days, I'll watch anything I haven't seen. At least I'll get it over with. But for me personally, the movie had a few redeeming qualities.

I won't say there's music for every taste. No classical, rock, or country. But nearly every style of jazz is represented. Some examples include muted trumpet with a rap beat, muted trumpet without a rap beat, a beautiful vocal performance in a club, and piano jazz in a nice restaurant. Of course there is gangsta rap. Two rap songs played for the closing credits are actually catchy, even for me.

And then there is the bartender at The Blue Room. She has the same edgy charm that made her so appealing on an episode of My Network's "Tony Rock Project". At least I think that's her.

The crazy judge from "Boston Legal" is a funeral director, but he's on very briefly and doesn't speak. That's a shame.

DMX delivers a very good performance. Like I said, his character is not a nice man at all. And yet you sort of want to like him. You won't when you find out about him.

Some unusual camera and editing techniques should be mentioned. One act of violence is shown from the victim's point of view. We see what he sees. In the scene with Edna everything is green or blue and seems to move in slow motion. The bikini babes disappear gradually as we jump forward in time several times from David's arrival to his first conversation with Janet.

Of course I saw this on a My Network station, so the sound went out many times and the mouth of the character speaking was blurred. Something tells me I should be very glad of that. Once (I mention this because it could happen to you)

I watched this movie as I read one or two viewers opinions of it. Both must have been white men or women who have lived a protected life. A life that has never been touched by the harsh realities that life as a black person in a large city in the USA faces.

I agree that there is no clear hero or villain in this movie. What upsets me about the reviews I read was the lack of compassion the reviewers of this movie had about it.

The reviews of this movie that I read clearly have not experienced the terrible reality that this movie portrays.

I believe that the persons that dished this movie have never been tested by environment of poverty.

I have. I'm white. I can tell you that to spend your youth in settings of LA will test the mettle of anyone.

It seems obvious to me that viewers commentaries that I read have not.

I didn't like the movie but I thought it was honest.

Never Die Alone fmovies. This is a story about revenge. If it were about somebody named Hamlet or Oedipus or Corleone then the violence would be described as in service to the art of the story. In this movie two young men, one black the other white, get caught up in a story of illegality and revenge. The two wind up tied together around the story of a third man, who one tries to rescue and one kills.

This is not a great movie; the soundtrack is predictable and the pacing is uneven. Still, when the dead guy starts talking, the viewer's perception changes, and that kind of moment indicates something is happening in the script and on the screen that is important. "He had this nobility..." the white character enthuses about the dead dealer to his black girlfriend. She is less than impressed. This is a movie where no one is noble: why is the white character hanging with a black girlfriend? Does he like her or does he need "street cred."

If race wasn't a part of this movie, then this would be a movie about characters who take a series of missteps and pay for them. However, in the reviews of this movie, because the main characters are black, it is a movie about depravity. Like the narrative of victims of Hurricane Katrina innocence or guilt... salvation or damnation... is determined by the color of skin. For a viewer who doesn't see skin color first, this is a well- acted, disturbing revenge story.

For starters story is very smart. That's the stand out thing in the movie. Interesting how one person can affect so many. But it seemed very short.

Acting wise it was average I guess. I'm a fan of DMX and think he isn't a bad actor. But most characters he's played are pretty similar. Good job by the supporting cast as well. David Arquette was the a stand out.

Overall an enjoyable movie. I was looking forward to seeing this movie very much for some reason, and it didn't let me down, but it wasn't perfect either. Once you've watched it you'll probably think something was missing because of the shortness, but there isn't (I think!). I look forward to reading the book.

I wanted to let you guys know that this is one of the best movies I've ever seen. It's got a clear message in it and uses images to tell the story. The light at the end of the tunnel at the end of the movie is very touching and well thought. I don't understand why the rating is so low. I admit it's annoying that he talks all the time. but that's necessary to know the story. I think it's based on a true story, maybe that's the reason of the low rating, because of it's cruelty. But hey, that's life. Hope you'll enjoy it as much as I did! This really is a masterpiece. I thought the storyline was well connected and had a clear message in it, all the time. Hope this was useful to you.