Clockers (1995)

Right at the height of his '90's powers, Oscar-winner Spike Lee (Do the Right Thing, Inside Man, Blackkklansman) decided to direct and co-adapt this powerful crime novel from Richard Price (creator of "The Wire") about a murder investigation in Brooklyn which goes much deeper than any one could have expected.  Among the prime suspects is Strike (Mekhi Phifer) who is a beleagured "clocker" which is another term for a middle-man drug pusher.  This racket is truly taking its toll on Strike who wants to find an escape.....and on his tail is the lead investigator of this murder, Detective Klein (Harvey Keitel).  Further complicating matters is that Strike's legit-working brother Victor (Isaiah Washington) becomes implicated and casting a shadow over all of this are the ruthless machinations of Strike's boss, the local druglord Rodney played by Delroy Lindo.  What results is a searing, unflinching crime drama which kind of got lost in the shuffle upon first release but has endured over the past thirty years as one of Lee's most accomplished films.  The stacked cast also includes John Turturro, Regina Taylor, Thomas Jefferson Byrd, and Keith David. Host: Geoff GershonEdited By Ella GershonProducer: Marlene GershonSend us Fan MailSupport the showhttps://livingforthecinema.com/Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/Living-for-the-Cinema-Podcast-101167838847578Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/livingforthecinema/Letterboxd:https://letterboxd.com/Living4Cinema/