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Hoodlum

Play trailer Poster for Hoodlum R Released Aug 27, 1997 2h 10m Crime Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
43% Tomatometer 21 Reviews 65% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
Having just been released from jail, Bumpy Johnson (Laurence Fishburne) returns to his criminal ways as a linchpin in the African-American-run numbers racket. However, Bumpy's longtime friend Illinois Gordon (Chi McBride) and girlfriend Francine Hughes (Vanessa Williams) are both eager to get him back on the straight and narrow. But a brewing rivalry with Mafia boss Lucky Luciano (Andy Garcia) and his henchman Dutch Schultz (Tim Roth) threatens to raise the stakes to dangerous new levels.
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Hoodlum

Critics Reviews

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USA Today The Sting-like ending with its crosses and double-crosses could have been better handled, but there are plenty of other payoffs. Rated: 3/4 Jan 1, 2000 Full Review Roger Ebert Chicago Sun-Times This is a gangster movie in a sense, but it is also about free enterprise. Rated: 3/4 Jan 1, 2000 Full Review Matt Brunson Film Frenzy [UPDATED 2025 REVIEW] Impressively mounted if overly familiar gangster tale. Rated: 2.5/4 Jul 24, 2016 Full Review Michael Dequina TheMovieReport.com This slow-going, talky film is in a constant struggle to hold the audience's interest. Rated: 2/4 Feb 14, 2009 Full Review Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com Rated: 3/5 Jul 28, 2005 Full Review Dragan Antulov rec.arts.movies.reviews Rated: 2/10 Mar 15, 2004 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Hugh O In many ways, this movie is time travel. The cast’s Laurence Fishburne, Tim Roth and Andy Garcia are absolutely top class as very different players of the time. I found the movie completely gripping and they show the moral arc of the character portrayed by Lawrence Fishburne. Admittedly, some of the acting is a little bit wooden here and there, and sometimes they confrontations between the characters of a little bit TV movie, but it is a movie to see Rated 4 out of 5 stars 07/24/25 Full Review D P I didn't even know this movie existed. I try to support black cinema, but this won't suffice. Everything about this movie was subpar. Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 06/18/25 Full Review Nunn Y I love this gangster flick. The acting, atmosphere of the scenes was on point and I love seeing this piece of Harlem history as a beautiful cinematic period piece. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/28/25 Full Review Jelisije J An enjoyable gangster flick where the tone is all over the place, but leaves a memorable experience at the end of the day. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/27/24 Full Review andre k Laurence Fishburne!!! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member Harlem-set gangster film that at 130 minutes feels too long, but has enough underdeveloped storylines to feel like it's not long enough. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 01/27/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Hoodlum

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Cast & Crew

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Bill Duke

Director

Laurence Fishburne

Bumpy Johnson

Tim Roth

Dutch Schultz

Vanessa Williams

Francine Hughes

Andy Garcia

Lucky Luciano

Cicely Tyson

Stephanie St. Clair

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Hoodlum

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Movie Info

Synopsis Having just been released from jail, Bumpy Johnson (Laurence Fishburne) returns to his criminal ways as a linchpin in the African-American-run numbers racket. However, Bumpy's longtime friend Illinois Gordon (Chi McBride) and girlfriend Francine Hughes (Vanessa Williams) are both eager to get him back on the straight and narrow. But a brewing rivalry with Mafia boss Lucky Luciano (Andy Garcia) and his henchman Dutch Schultz (Tim Roth) threatens to raise the stakes to dangerous new levels.
Director
Bill Duke
Producer
Frank Mancuso Jr.
Screenwriter
Chris Brancato
Distributor
United Artists, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Production Co
United Artists
Rating
R
Genre
Crime, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Aug 27, 1997, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Sep 16, 2008
Box Office (Gross USA)
$23.5M
Runtime
2h 10m
Sound Mix
Surround, DTS
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