Slam is a multi award winning film depicting the consequences of street life, drugs and gangs and how one young African-American man used his talent of writing slam poetry to transcend that situation.

The film was made by Trimark pictures and the main characters are Ray (Saul Williams) and ------- (Sohja Sohn). They are real slam artists.

Andaiye Zwelethu a movie goer who saw the film said " I am still trying to recoup. As a mother, I feel like this is a serious reality check." She went on to say, "It is like there is a ' right of passage' that our boys go through in the streets that we are not a part of and there is not a right to passage program that teaches them how to become men."

As a result of the the movie, the mother has decided to work with young brothers to help them to reach inside and to work some of their problems. This would help them to be free because it is clear to her that freedom exists inside the individual. She concluded by saying "People in jail need to be out here. We need to support them."

The people who saw the film seem to be satisfied with it. One movie goer said that the whole concept of using slam poetry to escape personal demons is fascinating to him. He said he doesn't really know much about slam poetry but from walking out of the theater he wanted to learn more.

Another movie goer said, "The movie is excellent. Everything in it is true." He hasn't been through the jail system but he has friends who have and what was in the movie is true. "That part was deep" he said. The part where the character got out of a tight situation by reciting a poem. "In a real situation, I don't know how that would have turned out. But it probably would turn out the same way."

Audrey Allen another movie goer said the film deals with some very powerful issues such as how to cope with tempting and dangerous situations and how to get around it. "The movie is very moving" she said. "It's beautiful. I hope it's well publicized and everyone gets to see it."

The film is very interesting. It gets you thinking about life. The film in a way is sad and funny at the same time. I am not really into poetry but the poems in the movie really moved me. One character in the movie said that freedom is not out there. It is inside you. I started thinking about it and I realized that what she said is true. Freedom is really in you. When you are free inside, you can never be a prisoner outside.

At first I thought people in prison are bad and dangerous, but now I realized that not all of them are bad and dangerous. Some of them sometimes act the way they do because they don't have anybody to guide them or some program to help them express their feelings. Expressing your feelings sometimes prevents you from doing certain things. such as being violent. One prison character in the film recited a poem and in it, he said that he was sitting in his jail room and thinking he shot three people and doesn't know why. This is an example of somebody who acted violently without a reason.

One of the ironies in the film is a cameo part played by mayor Marion Barry of Washington DC who had a problem with drugs while he was mayor and was incarcerated and rehabilitated for his drug use. He came out of jail, ran for mayor again and won. He not only got over his problem but also managed to win an election. His situation shows that an individual can not only overcome his personal demons but also go high in society.

The film leaves us the viewers in suspense. The ending is not what you would believe. It is very interesting and I encourage everyone to see it.