Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Graphic
- tense
- smoky
- confrontational
- crime movie night
- 1990s film retrospective
What critics said
Critics found an energetic but historically inaccurate historical gangster drama whose violent action is balanced by a more serious portrait of 1930s Harlem.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Bumpy Johnson and Dutch Schultz compete to control Harlem's illegal gaming operations.
The story places Black and white criminal organizations in direct conflict over 1930s Harlem.
Bumpy Johnson's strategic composure is repeatedly contrasted with Dutch Schultz's ruthless hotheadedness.
The film dramatizes figures including Bumpy Johnson, Dutch Schultz, Lucky Luciano, and Stephanie St. Clair, while critics noted substantial historical inaccuracies.
Films like Hoodlum, and why
American Gangster
period organized-crime drama centered on rival gangsters, racial power dynamics, and Harlem underworld politics
The Untouchables
stylized historical gangster drama about competing criminal empires, ruthless ambition, and organized crime
Carlito's Way
urban crime saga focused on mob power, betrayal, violence, and the formation of a criminal legend
Black Mass
historical gangster drama combining racial conflict, criminal enterprise, and volatile underworld personalities
Movie Details
- Director
- Bill Duke
- Release Date
- 1997-08-27
- Runtime
- 130 min
- Rating
- 6.5 / 10 (264)
Cast
- Laurence Fishburne
- Tim Roth
- Vanessa Williams
- Andy Garcia
- Cicely Tyson
- Chi McBride
- Clarence Williams III
- Richard Bradford
- William Atherton
- Loretta Devine
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, MGM Plus, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Hoodlum about?
- A calculating Harlem crime boss battles a volatile rival for control of an illegal gaming empire while navigating shifting alliances and racial power.
- What is Hoodlum like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Hoodlum as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Hoodlum violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Hoodlum as graphic.
- What did critics think of Hoodlum?
- Critics found an energetic but historically inaccurate historical gangster drama whose violent action is balanced by a more serious portrait of 1930s Harlem.
- Which films are like Hoodlum?
- Films with a similar feel include American Gangster, The Untouchables, Carlito's Way, and Black Mass.
- How long is Hoodlum?
- Hoodlum runs 130 minutes.
- Where can I watch Hoodlum?
- In United States, Hoodlum streams on Amazon Prime Video, MGM Plus, Amazon Prime Video with Ads.
