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"NEVER DIE ALONE"
(2004) (DMX, David Arquette) (R)

Alcohol/
Drugs
Blood/Gore Disrespectful/
Bad Attitude
Frightening/
Tense Scenes
Guns/
Weapons
Extreme Heavy Extreme Mild Extreme
Imitative
Behavior
Jump
Scenes
Music
(Scary/Tense)
Music
(Inappropriate)
Profanity
Moderate Minor Moderate Minor Extreme
Sex/
Nudity
Smoking Tense Family
Scenes
Topics To
Talk About
Violence
Extreme Heavy Heavy Heavy Extreme


QUICK TAKE:
Drama: A writer investigates the life and death of a notorious drug dealer who sought redemption in his last days.
PLOT:
King David (DMX) is a drug dealer who's suddenly decided he needs to seek redemption and make amends for his errant and criminal ways. Accordingly, he records his thoughts on audiotape while returning home and offering to settle his hefty debt with crime boss Moon (CLIFTON POWELL). The latter sends his two strong-arm thugs, Mike (MICHAEL EALY) and Blue (ANTWON TANNER), to collect the money. Things go awry, however, with both Blue and David being badly wounded outside a bar run by Jasper (LUENELL CAMPBELL).

Aspiring journalist Paul (DAVID ARQUETTE) hears the ruckus and transports David to the hospital where he dies, but not before bequeathing the writer with his tapes, money and car. When Moon gets word of what's occurred, he sends more henchmen to take care of both David and Mike. The latter attempts to stay clear of them, all while pursuing his own vendetta regarding how David treated a special woman in his life, Edna (KEESHA SHARP).

As Paul begins to go through David's belongings and tapes, we see various flashbacks to his relocation to California. There, he sets up his own drug business and becomes involved with various women, including TV actress Janet (JENNIFER SKY) and college student Juanita (REAGAN GOMEZ-PRESTON). Having decided that this tale will make a good story to sell to the local newspaper, Paul sets out to find what he can about David and his doings, all while being unaware of the danger awaiting him.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?
If they're fans of someone in the cast or gritty, urban dramas about drug dealers and other thugs, they might.
WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: R
For strong violence, drug use, sexuality and language.
CAST AS ROLE MODELS:
  • DMX plays a thug and drug dealer who's suddenly decided he needs to seek redemption for his ways. He kills at least one person, uses strong profanity, deals drugs, has sex with various women, smokes and drinks.
  • DAVID ARQUETTE plays an aspiring newspaper reporter who happens upon a wounded David and becomes his beneficiary after taking him to the hospital. He then sets out to learn what he can about the dead man and write his story. He drinks and smokes.
  • CLIFTON POWELL plays a criminal boss who orders that various people be killed, carouses with two young twins, drinks, smokes and uses strong profanity.
  • MICHAEL EALY plays one of his strong-arm thugs who uses strong profanity and has it out for David.
  • ANTWON TANNER plays his thug partner who uses strong profanity.
  • REAGAN GOMEZ-PRESTON plays a college girl who uses strong profanity and is using David just for a fun time with sex and drugs.
  • JENNIFER SKY plays an actress who falls under both David and various drugs' spell.
  • LUENELL CAMPBELL plays a middle aged bartender who's in cahoots with Moon and uses strong profanity.
  • KEESHA SHARP plays a woman from David's past who's a drug addict.
  • CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO

    HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE


    Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit?
    Then read OUR TAKE of this film.


    (Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below).


    OUR WORD TO PARENTS:
    Here's a quick look at the content found in this R-rated drama. Profanity consists of at least 92 "f" words, while plenty of other expletives and colorful phrases are used. Sexually related dialogue is present as are various sexual encounters (with movement, sounds and some nudity, while oral sex occurs out of the camera shot in one).

    Violence consists of various murders (by various means) and people beating up others. Some of that has rather bloody/gory results, while such scenes and others might be unsettling or tense for some viewers. Nearly every character has an extreme bad attitude, while they and others drink and/or smoke. Various characters take drugs and are noted as being addicts, while others are dealers.

    Meanwhile, tense family material arises from seeing family members die, while various forms of imitative behavior are present. Should you still be concerned about the film's appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home, you may want to look more closely at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content.


    ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE
  • David talks about people coming out of rehab.
  • David drinks.
  • Paul has a drink.
  • Paul drinks and then has more shots of liquor.
  • Moon drinks.
  • Moon has the two young women with him snort cocaine.
  • We see David stashing various drugs in fake aerosol cans.
  • David has a drink.
  • Janet appears to be rubbing coke on her gums and later is seen snorting coke (although David is heard in voice over narration stating that she didn't know the difference between coke and heroin).
  • We see David dealing drugs.
  • Janet snorts more coke and we hear David saying it was fun trying to guess which of her TV costars were strung out.
  • We see various drugs on tables in a montage of David trying to find a west coast supplier. He also talks of the growth potential of dealing heroin.
  • We see that Janet has become a drug addict as well as a dealer for David.
  • Miscellaneous people have drinks.
  • Paul has a shot of liquor and then drinks back at his place.
  • Juanita snorts some coke.
  • David and Juanita have champagne.
  • Juanita snorts coke in a restaurant bathroom.
  • David spikes Juanita's coke with heroin to get her addicted (as revenge).
  • Moon has the two young women with him snort coke.
  • Juanita shows up at David's place for another heroin fix. He gives her drugs after having sex with her and we then see her heating up heroin and shooting up (from a distance). We then see her reaction.
  • BLOOD/GORE
  • We see a thug kicking a man on the floor and holding a gun on him (to get money owed to Moon). We see blood on that person and the floor around him.
  • David has blood on his face after being hit and then has blood on his clothing after being stabbed.
  • Blue's face looks torn up and bloody (seen at night and in the shadows).
  • A thug shoots a guy at close range through a car window (sending blood and possibly brain matter splattering onto it).
  • A gun battle leaves several people dead and bloody.
  • Paul has a little bit of David's blood on his shirt.
  • Janet vomits into a toilet.
  • A man shoots Mike in the arm. In return, he shoots the man (who's in a hot tub) many times, leaving the bubbling water red with his blood.
  • Mike has blood on his jacket after being shot.
  • We see what looks like dried snot and/or blood under Juanita's nose (from being an addict).
  • A gun is held to Paul's head, but Mike shoots that man and another dead (and gets shot himself), with bloody results.
  • We see various still images of dead and sometimes bloody people.
  • Mike has blood on his hand.
  • DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE
  • David is a mean drug dealer who's only looking out for himself and has no problem ruining or even taking the lives of others.
  • Moon is a criminal boss who has various thugs, including Mike and Blue, do his dirty enforcer work, including killing others.
  • A hospital worker breaks the rules and/or law by giving Paul all of David's possessions rather than to the police as required. In turn, David tips that man a lot of money.
  • Juanita tells David that he's just small time and always will be, and that she's just using him for fun.
  • David spikes Juanita's coke with heroin to get her addicted (as revenge).
  • On two occasions, we see David collecting car battery acid to mix with drugs to take care of women who are troubling him.
  • A woman tells David that he's the father of her son, but does so 10 years after the fact.
  • FRIGHTENING SCENES
  • Scenes listed under "Violence" might also be unsettling or tense to some viewers.
  • For those sensitive to such matters, we see a fully dressed body in a coffin. Later, we that body in a coffin and then in a box that's put into a crematory.
  • We see some more of Moon's thugs showing up at a parking garage to take care of Mike and Blue.
  • Mike enters his place at night through a window and with his gun drawn, but doesn't find anyone there.
  • GUNS/WEAPONS
  • Handguns/Shotgun/Knives: Used to threaten, wound or kill others. See "Violence" for details.
  • We see a wall of weapons in Moon's place.
  • We see Janet (an actress) in a bikini and holding a gun in her TV show.
  • IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR
  • Phrases: "Payback is a m*therf*cker," "Stay the f*ck out of it," "Where the f*ck /is the money at/is he?" "Still ugly as a m*therf*cker," "F*ck that up," "F*ck your momma, bitch," "You're a funny m*therf*cker," "That's f*cked up," "Don't f*ck this up," "Get the f*ck out of Dodge," "Shut the f*ck up," "I f*cked up," "Stupid f*ck," "Who the f*ck is that?" "F*ck you," "Stupid m*therf*cker," "This sh*t is f*cked up," "What the f*ck did you do?" "Open the f*cking door," "You f*cker," "Get the f*ck out of my way," "Same old sh*t," "Bullsh*t," "Ain't that some sh*t?" "Sh*t (like this) happens," "Oh sh*t," "Bitch" (said many times), "Ain't that/this a bitch?" "We were just kicking it," "Dawg," "Nigger" (said many times), "Big ass," "I'll be G*ddamned," "What crawled up his ass?" "What the hell is wrong with you?" "Pigs" (cops), "Hell hole," "(You) Bastard," "Broad" (woman), "Stupid bitch," "Shut up" and "Bad ass bitch."
  • The thug/drug dealer life might be enticing for some kids to imitate.
  • Michael has tattoos, as does David, while Juanita has a small one on her back.
  • A teen wears a midriff revealing top. David talks to her and asks how old she is and she replies, "Old enough."
  • Mike uses money as bait to make a thug come into an alley where Mike knees or kicks him unconscious.
  • David spikes Juanita's coke with heroin to get her addicted (as revenge).
  • On two occasions, we see David collecting car battery acid to mix with drugs to take care of women who are troubling him.
  • JUMP SCENES
  • A car window suddenly shatters.
  • A person is suddenly shot.
  • MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE)
  • A moderate amount of ominous and suspenseful music plays in the film.
  • MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE)
  • A song uses the term "nigger" in it, while it and other songs contain lyrics that we couldn't hear and/or understand, thus offering the potential of them possibly containing additional objectionable lyrics.
  • PROFANITY
  • At least 92 "f" words (40 used with "mother," 1 used sexually), 38 "s" words, 2 slang terms using male genitals ("c*cks*cker" and "d*ck"), 1 using female ones ("p*ssy"), 11 hells, 9 damns, 8 asses, 9 uses of "G-damn" and 1 use each of "Jesus," "Jesus Christ," "Oh God" and "Oh my God."
  • SEX/NUDITY
  • David tells Jasper (a female bartender), "Keep the change and buy yourself a d*ck."
  • Moon states that the only important things in life are "money, p*ssy and money."
  • An older bartender shows some cleavage.
  • A teen wears a midriff revealing top. David talks to her and asks how old she is and she replies, "Old enough."
  • Moon has the two young women with him (who are in frilly lingerie and show cleavage) snort cocaine.
  • We see some young women sunbathing in bikinis. David gets friendly with one of then, Janet, and we then cut to a full overhead shot of them having sex in bed (him between her legs, his bare butt, graphic thrusting and related sounds). After they're done, she asks if he's ready to go again, he says he is, and she climbs on top of him (the scene ends there).
  • We see Janet (an actress) in a bikini and holding a gun in her TV show.
  • We see Janet in her panties.
  • We see an overhead shot of David having sex on top of Janet (with movement), but their lower halves are under the sheets and she appears highly drugged.
  • The camera focuses on and up Juanita's clothed body (representing David's point of view).
  • We see Juanita in her bra. She and a shirtless David then passionately kiss. She pushes him to the bed, straddles him (wearing just her bra and panties) and kisses his chest. The camera then focuses on her butt and then up her body.
  • Juanita runs her foot up David's leg under a restaurant table.
  • Juanita tells David that he's just small time and always will be, and that she's just using him for fun, saying "I love f*cking you." She then kisses down his body and out of the camera shot. Oral sex is implied and we then see his reaction to climaxing.
  • We see the form of Juanita's body through a smoked glass shower door.
  • Mike enters a place where we hear what sound like sexual sounds. He then finds Moon in a hot tub with two young women (but we don't see anything sexual happening).
  • We see David having rear entry intercourse with Juanita while standing and clothed (there's thrusting, and it's in exchange for him giving her drugs).
  • SMOKING
  • David smokes more than 5 times, Moon smokes (cigars) around 5 times and Paul smokes once.
  • TENSE FAMILY SCENES
  • Mike implies he never had a mom (we later learn she died when he was 10 or so) and he takes care of his younger sister.
  • Mike strikes Ella (his teenage sister) in a car.
  • Mike sees a thug murder his younger sister.
  • A woman tells David that he's the father of her son, but does so 10 years after the fact.
  • David slaps a woman to the floor where he kicks her and then backhands a boy (who's his son).
  • A woman dies in front of her kids from a bad drug mixture.
  • TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT
  • Whether the film glamorizes the life of drug dealers and thugs, etc.
  • The fact that many kids nowadays seem to idolize gangsters or at least the gangster lifestyle.
  • That crime or criminal behavior doesn't pay.
  • Drugs and addiction.
  • VIOLENCE
  • We see a thug kicking a man on the floor and holding a gun on him (to get money owed to Moon). We see blood on that person and the floor around him.
  • Mike strikes Ella (his teenage sister) in a car.
  • Mike or Blue shatters David's car window and Mike then hits David, knocking him to the street. Mike then stabs David with a knife. In reply, David jabs a large needle/small rod into Moon's eye. We later hear that David died from his wounds (but we already knew that since we see him dead at the beginning).
  • A thug shoots a guy at close range through a car window (sending blood and possibly brain matter splattering onto it).
  • Mike gets into a gun battle with a thug, eventually hitting and presumably killing him. A car then tries to run him over, but he jumps on the hood and shoots the driver dead through the windshield (with the car smashing backwards into another car). Another thug shows up, however, and shoots his sister dead (the shotgun blast blows her back across a parking garage). Mike then repeatedly shoots and kills that thug.
  • We see a flashback of David slapping Edna to the floor.
  • Mike uses money as bait to make a thug come into an alley where Mike knees or kicks him unconscious. He then holds his gun on several thugs (we later see them bound and gagged on the floor).
  • A man shoots Mike in the arm. In return, he shoots the man (who's in a hot tub) many times, leaving the bubbling water red with his blood.
  • David slaps a woman to the floor where he kicks her and then backhands a boy (who's his son).
  • We see a woman heating up heroin, but then hear her collapse on the floor and see her foaming at the mouth (from a tainted drug mixture David gave her).
  • A gun is held to Paul's head, but Mike shoots that man and another dead (and gets shot himself), with bloody results. Paul then nervously holds a gun on Mike but then puts it down.



  • Reviewed March 23, 2004 / Posted March 26, 2004

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