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Slam

1998·Movie
1h 44min·R
61
DecentGoodWatch score
IMDb7.1Metacritic73–Rotten Tomatoes60%86%
IMDb7.1Metacritic73–Rotten Tomatoes60%86%

Slam fingerprint

High energy, strong craft.

Energy

Fast-paced and violent

Fast from start to finish.

  • Fast Pace7
  • Violence7
  • Tension6

Heart

Moving and melancholic

  • Pathos8
  • Melancholy7
  • Catharsis7

Humor

Some sharp wit

Not a comedy at heart.

  • Wit & Wordplay6
  • Dark Humor4
  • Cringe Humor3

World

Everyday modern life, society, and crime

  • Dialogue Centrality9
  • World Immersion7
  • Rewatchability6

Craft

Standout performances, dialogue, and characters

  • Acting8
  • Dialogue Quality8
  • Character Depth8

Style

Functional look and sound

  • Music Centrality8
  • Cinematography7
  • Editing7

Who it's for

AdultsFriends NightSolo WatchTeensDrop-in FriendlyThought-Provoking

Find more like it

Bittersweet movies

Based on the GoodWatch fingerprint: our scores for 70+ attributes of every movie. Select a row to see all of them.

About

Words make sense of a world that won't.

Raymond Joshua, a young black performance poet, is arrested and imprisoned for a petty marijuana charge in a Washington, D.C. jail. Although the confining prison walls do little to shield him from danger, it is within those walls that Raymond establishes his identity, strength, and voice and meets a prison gang leader and a prison writing teacher, Lauren Bell. Bell inspires Raymond to use the power of creative expression to free himself from the struggles and demise of the Black male as another victim of the judicial system.
Urban DramaPrison LifePerformance PoetrySocial JusticeBlack Male ExperienceInner-City StrugglesRedemption Through ArtRealisticPowerful Dialogue

Crew

Directed by:
Marc Levin
Written by:
Sonja Sohn, Saul Williams, Marc Levin
Produced by:
Marc Levin, Richard Stratton, Daphne Pinkerson
Composed by:
DJ Spooky

Sequels and Prequels

No sequels or prequels available

Media

Questions about Slam

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream Slam legally?

KanopyHooplaPlexKino Film Collection

Slam is included with a subscription to Kino Film Collection in the United States. You can watch it free with ads on Kanopy, Hoopla, and Plex. You can also rent or buy it from Apple TV, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, and Google Play Movies. All links in Where to Watch go to these licensed services.

Is Slam worth watching?

61
DecentGoodWatch score

Opinions are mixed, with a GoodWatch score of 62/100 (IMDb 7.1, Rotten Tomatoes 60%, and Metacritic 73). The GoodWatch score combines critic and audience ratings.

What is Slam rated?

RViolenceStrong languageDrug use

It's rated R in the United States. Content advisories: violence, strong language, and drug use.

How long is Slam?

1 h 44 min

Slam runs 1 h 44 min.

Do critics and audiences agree on Slam?

Critics67
Audiences79

Not quite. Audiences rate Slam higher (79) than critics (67). It's more of a crowd-pleaser than a critics' pick.

What language is Slam in?

English

It was made in English. Produced in United States.

In how many countries can I watch Slam?

7ATCADEGBGGIEUS

GoodWatch finds legal streaming, rental, or purchase options for Slam in 7 countries. Pick any of them in Where to Watch to see the local services.