Not just Fly -

Superfly.

Blaxploitation again. Priest (or Superfly if you will, though he is not referred to as such) is a drug pusher who wants out of the business. He wants out before he is forced to start killing people or before someone kills him. You see at the time and place of this film the black man didn’t have much choice of professions if he wanted to be successful. And dealing was easy and it provided a lot of cash.

Why does Priest want out? He has 8 track players, and a colour TV in every room and he can get any girl he wants etc – his friend/partner Eddie asks of Priest. The answer – which I will reveal in a minute – is very interesting and this is the only movie I have EVER seen where they really explain it, and they explain the reasons for not leaving too!

Priest doesn’t know what he wants to do after he gets out. He simply wants to have enough money to have the freedom to make the choice. He was forced into drug dealing and wants out – not for something better, but he wants out in order to see what he could become if given the chance. I really liked this point. There’s always some garbage about “I want a better life for my kids.” Or something like that, but this movie isn’t pretending it’s taking the high ground – well I mean he wants out, but for his own reasons, not for his girlfriend or friend or family or kids (he doesn’t have kids and isn’t married but he is planning on taking his girl with him). He wants to better himself is the point I’m making. He’s not trying to be a hero – it’s for selfish reasons – he wants to live his life the way he wants to.

The reasons for Eddie wanting to stay in the business is interesting too. You see there are a few police officers with some high level officials running the drug trade. They are now forcing Priest and Eddie to work for them, and Priest tells Eddie that it’s even worse now because those men own Eddie. Eddie doesn’t care. He says he knows they own him and that they will kill him when they don’t need him anymore, but he is willing to take that chance (hoping they wont kill him until he is old anyway) and this way he can live the good life now. Eddie is not willing to bargain millions of dollars and a smug living to take the chance that he may become nothing. He prefers to stay in this drug trade because he knows the business and is doing well, even at the risk of getting killed by rival drug lords or even his own boss.

The writing in this film is amazing, and it stays realistic throughout. The final scene is brilliantly played and well written. No shootouts or action scenes at all, just a final confrontation with Priest and the Man (in this case the corrupt officials), and the way Priest gets the upper hand is so bloody wicked I cant even tell you here.

This movie was 10 bucks at Starstruck and it’s the best 10 bucks you can spend man. Just go out and get it – the music is cool too man.

Can you dig it.

4/5

J-Man.