Product Details

• Actors: Laurence Fishburne, Tim Roth, Vanessa Williams, Andy Garcia, Cicely Tyson
• Directors: Bill Duke
• Writers: Chris Brancato
• Producers: Laurence Fishburne, Bill Duke, Chris Brancato, Frank Mancuso Jr., Helen Sugland
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, NTSC
• Rated: R (Restricted)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
• VHS Release Date: July 14, 1998
• Run Time: 130 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (39 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6304961634
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #235,139 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

A flawed but admirably ambitious gangster movie, Hoodlum aspires to be a kind of Harlem-based equivalent to The Godfather, and while it falls short of that lofty goal it's still got plenty of qualities to make it well worth seeing. It's the first film to tell the story of Ellsworth "Bumpy" Johnson (charismatically played by Laurence Fishburne), an ex-convict who dominated the Harlem numbers racket during the 1930s and '40s. As he rises to power he gains equally powerful enemies, including hotheaded Bronx gangster Dutch Schultz (Tim Roth) and the suave mobster Lucky Luciano (Andy Garcia). Determined to defend his Harlem turf against these invaders, Bumpy eclipses the "policy queen" Stephanie St. Clair (Cicely Tyson) and becomes a self-styled Robin Hood figure, attracting the attention of a community servant (Vanessa Williams) who must confront the brutality of Bumpy's business. A must-see for anyone who likes gangster movies, Hoodlum is certainly not a masterpiece, but sharp performances and some powerful scenes make it an interesting look at a little-known chapter in criminal history. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another Great Fishburne Performance!, April 6, 2003

By 

Sal Paradise "ethanallen95" (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hoodlum (DVD)

Among other criticisms of this film was that it was a below average gangster flick, well I didn't see it that way. There was a lot of focus on the characters especially Fishburne's character Bumpy Johnson. Of course the movie highlights his rise in Harlem as opposed to Tim Roth's character (can't spell his name). The dialog was well written, I think that people were not ready for a gangster flick set during the era of Lucky Luciano and the Dutchman, involving a significant number of black characters. Yes I think African Americans were doing something during that time period besides wait for Dr.King to have his "dream". Fishburne played a strong character who took his destiny in his own hands and I think that's really what makes this film highly enjoyable to see.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Gangster Flick!!!, July 9, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Hoodlum [VHS] (VHS Tape)

It may not be Goodfellas or The Godfather, but Hoodlum surely holds its own as a great gangster movie. Not much is known about Bumpy Johhnson, perhaps the most powerful black gangster of his time, and this movie brought his story to light. This film is time spent very, VERY well.

10 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Unknown Gangster, December 16, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Hoodlum (DVD)

Hoodlum is based upon the true story of Harlem's most unsung hero. Ellesworth "Bumpy" Johnson was an icon in the Harlems number racket and was a man who helped keep the Italian mobsters from taking over Harlem's underworld sooner than they did. He kept peace between rival Italian gangsters and was well respected by most of them. This man actually lived and Hoodlum portrays an accurate interpretation of his life. I rank it on the same level as the Godfather. It was a well acted and suspensefull movie. It is a must see true story based upon people who actually lived. All gangster film lovers must see this. All people who are interested in the history of Harlem's criminal underworld that kept the people from starving during the Depression must see this movie.