Sugar Hill

Wesley Snipes is back, and in a black gangster film, so the screen is going to be ablaze in non-stop action, right? Think again homeboys. Does the title Rumble Fish mean anything to ya? In some ways, that’s what Sugar Hill most resembles, and many of ol’ Wesley’s fans may wonder what this half-loopy, left turn to drama is all about.

Snipes plays a drug lord who spends a lot of his time – i.e. the whole movie – brooding. He broods about his mother, who OD’ed in front of him when he was a kid. He worries about his addict father (Clarence Williams III), who’s wasting away because of drugs and bitter memories. He’s frustrated with his brother (Michael Wright), who’s become his hot-headed business partner on the streets. He’s concerned about the impending gang war that the mob is provoking and the strain it’s placing on his oddly personal relationship with his Mafia connection (Abe Vigoda). Last but not least, he’s confused about his deepening feelings for Theresa Randle.

But what Snipes should be worried about is the fact that Sugar Hill doesn’t go any place. It’s nice to see Snipes handling a major dramatic role; he has a greater range than he’s given credit for, and his performance always contain an edgy quality that’s captivating. But Sugar Hill only allows him to look worn out and serious. Even the almost embarrassing conclusion of this movie – in which the Oedipus complex goes for an odd-ball triple hitter – doesn’t give Snipes any emoting room to act in. Besides, the two-part ending simply confuses all of the movie’s issues, instead of resolving them.

So, what is Snipes doing in this thing? At this very moment, he may be asking his agent that very question.