Clockers (1995) ***1/2

Even though Clockers (1995) is unmistakably a Spike Lee film, it's clearly evident that Martin Scorsese (who served as a producer) was originally attached to direct. Scorsese's influence on Lee is easy to spot and it's also easy to see why the former was attracted to Richard Price's (The Wire (2002–2008)) 1992 novel and screenplay.

Clockers is an uneven film, but it has strong central performances and plenty of Lee's visual, editing and emotional flair. The unfiltered way that the film explores drugs, crime, race, law enforcement, community, socioeconomic status, passions, hopes/dreams, and how all these elements affect one another is mostly satisfactory.

Spike Lee Joints Ranked