With a career spanning a quarter of a century, Craig Brewer has proven himself to be a versatile filmmaker. Although born in Newport News, Virginia, Brewer spent most of his childhood in Memphis, Tennessee. Thanks to his background, Brewer has earned a reputation for his deep affection for Southern storytelling and underdog narratives.
With six released feature-length films on the big screen, Craig Brewer’s portfolio speaks greatly of his versatility as a filmmaker. From gritty indie dramas and high-profile biopics to big-budget studio remakes, Brewer has done it all. Besides his upcoming biopic film starring Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson, Brewer is also working on a Snoop Dogg Biopic. Here’s a look at Craig Brewer’s directorial journey on the big screen.
The Poor & Hungry
The low-budget, black-and-white indie drama The Poor & Hungry was Craig Brewer’s feature directorial debut. Set and shot in Memphis for just about $20,000, The Poor & Hungry features a relatively unknown cast. Its storyline follows Eli Foote (Eric Tate), a car mechanic who lives a double life, working in a salvage yard by day and a thief by night.
The story takes an emotional turn when Eli steals a car belonging to Amanda Russell (Lake Latimer), a quiet cellist. Eli becomes smitten with Amanda after they meet at an impound lot. While his new love life makes him want to put his criminal life behind him, he’s drawn back into it by his close friend, Harper (Lindsay Roberts). To date, Brewer, who directed, wrote, co-produced, and edited the film, still considers The Poor & Hungry his best film.
Hustle & Flow
Although relatively unknown after the release of his directorial debut, Craig Brewer beat the sophomore slump with his 2005 masterpiece Hustle & Flow. The character-driven drama tells the story of DJay (Terrence Howard), a struggling Memphis pimp and small-time drug dealer. The movie’s storyline follows DJay’s dreams of becoming a rapper. Hustle & Flow is set against the backdrop of the Southern hip-hop scene. Financed by filmmaker John Singleton, Hustle & Flow became a cult classic and received two Oscar nominations, winning for Best Original Song. The movie also featured a younger Taraji P. Henson in the early stages of her career.
Black Snake Moan
By the end of 2005, Craig Brewer had earned a spot in Black cinema. Although a white filmmaker, his keen interest and attention to detail helped him gain acceptance into the community. Brewer followed his 2005 hit with the black comedy-drama Black Snake Moan (2006). The provocative Southern drama follows Lazarus Redd (Samuel L. Jackson), a deeply religious and emotionally wounded former blues musician. Lazarus, struggling to find purpose after his wife leaves him, discovers a young woman, Rae Dooley (Christina Ricci), beaten and left for dead on the road.
Rae battles her own demons, including a history of sexual abuse and self-destructive behavior tied to sex addiction and emotional instability. Justin Timberlake plays Ronnie Morgan, Rae’s boyfriend who’s away in the military. Lazarus takes Rae into his home and, in a controversial and symbolic move, chains her to a radiator in an attempt to “cure” her of what he considers a sinful, destructive behavior. Despite its polarized critical reviews and being a box-office disappointment, Black Snake Moan raised Craig Brewer’s profile for perfectly executing a controversial storyline.
Footloose
After a five-year break from the big screen, Craig Brewer returned with the 2011 musical drama Footloose. The movie is a modern remake of the 1984 classic film. While it remains the original film’s core story, it’s updated for a contemporary audience with a Southern flair. Kenny Wormald plays Ren McCormack, a rebellious teenager from Boston. He moves into the small, conservative town of Bomont, Georgia, after the death of his mother.
Ren McCormack soon discovers that the town has outlawed dancing and loud music after a tragic car accident claimed the lives of several local teenagers. As Ren challenges the law and the mindset behind it, he clashes with Reverend Shaw Moore (Dennis Quaid), a well-meaning but grief-stricken pastor who supports the ban. As Ren pushes for change, he forms a bond with Reverend Shaw’s troubled daughter, Ariel Moore (Julianne Hough).
Dolemite Is My Name
By the late 2010s, Craig Brewer’s profile had risen in Hollywood. He returned from an eight-year hiatus after co-writing The Legend of Tarzan (2016), to direct one of the best films of his career, Dolemite Is My Name (2019). The biographical comedy-drama tells the incredible true story of Rudy Ray Moore (portrayed by Eddie Murphy). In the film, Rudy Ray Moore is a struggling performer who reinvents himself as the flamboyant, foul-mouthed character Dolomite and becomes a Blaxploitation film icon in the 1970s. Dolemite Is My Name was critically acclaimed and a comeback role for Eddie Murphy.
Coming 2 America
Having previously worked with Eddie Murphy in Dolemite Is My Name, Craig Brewer was hired to direct the long-awaited sequel Coming 2 America. While several of its older cars reprised their roles, notable new cast additions included Tracy Morgan, Wesley Snipes, Teyana Taylor, and Trevor Noah.
Released on Amazon Prime Video, Coming 2 America was received with generally mixed or average critical reviews. Despite its critical ratings, being hired to direct an iconic sequel like Coming 2 America proves Craig Brewer has established himself as a force to be reckoned with as a filmmaker.
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