Slam

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2:19

Slam

R

Released Oct 5, 1998

1h 43m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

57%

Tomatometer

21 Reviews

85%

Popcornmeter

2,500+ Ratings

Raymond is a young Black performance poet who's arrested and imprisoned for a petty marijuana charge. In jail he meets a prison gang leader and a writing teacher who inspires him to use the power of creative expression to fight for freedom and avoid becoming a victim of the criminal justice system.

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Gavin Smith

Film Comment Magazine

Suffused with an emphatic but completely vague sociopolitical anger, Slam can't get beyond reiterating familiar sentiments about genocidal cycles of violence and black male prison statistics.

Apr 11, 2018

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Emanuel Levy

Variety

Part gritty prison drama, part inner-city chronicle, the energetic Slam defies easy categorization, serving as a compelling plea for black males of how to survive in oppressive society. The film won the 1998 Sundance Jury Award for Best Drama.

Rated: B

Dec 1, 2006

Full Review

Globe and Mail

Rated: 2.5/4

Jul 12, 2002

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Chuck O'Leary

Fantastica Daily

Rated: 2/5

Oct 9, 2005

Full Review

Susan Tavernetti

Palo Alto Weekly

Rated: 4/4

May 20, 2003

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James Hill

BET.com

Rated: 3/5

Dec 13, 2002

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K W

What all indie film should be with a very specific voice, look, and opinion. So poignant and powerful

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/18/25

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Audience Member

Saul blows me away in this perfomance, the movie does lack some fluidity though.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/14/23

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Audience Member

Capitalizing on his fame garnered from winning the 1996 National Poetry Slam, Saul Williams combines elements of 'Oz' with his own brand of self-reflection and verbal styling to convey a story of man looking to break his restraints. There are truly captivating moments in the film namely when Williams intermittently approaches the mike to deliver a piece that acts as his own soliloquy to the events surrounding him. The almost documentary-style film making from Levin adds a stripped down nature to the proceedings while also making it conducive to the tone and energy of the film and its various messages. Overall, a deeply affecting drama with much to offer. Recommended particularly for both fans and performers of spoken word as it is deeply educational.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/25/23

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Audience Member

Too manipulative to be taken seriously.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/17/23

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Audience Member

The fiction element of the film, instead of driving Levin to deeper truths, delivers him toward triteness and manipulation.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

01/16/23

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Audience Member

A gritty tale of poetry, drugs, and consequences

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/23/23

Full Review

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Marc Levin

Director

Saul Williams

Ray Joshua

Sonja Sohn

Lauren Bell

Bonz Malone

Hopha

Lawrence Wilson

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Beau Sia

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Slam: Trailer 1

2:19

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Synopsis

Raymond is a young Black performance poet who's arrested and imprisoned for a petty marijuana charge. In jail he meets a prison gang leader and a writing teacher who inspires him to use the power of creative expression to fight for freedom and avoid becoming a victim of the criminal justice system.

Director: Marc Levin
Producer: Marc Levin, Richard Stratton
Screenwriter: Sonja Sohn, Marc Levin, Bonz Malone, Saul Williams, Richard Stratton
Distributor: Trimark Pictures
Production Co: Off Line Entertainment Group
Rating: R (Sex Scene|Pervasive Language|Brief Violence)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 5, 1998, Wide
Rerelease Date (Theaters): Apr 26, 2024
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 1, 2012
Box Office (Gross USA): $982.2K
Runtime: 1h 43m
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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