Starring Saul Williams and Sonja Sohn -- 1 hour 39 mins.

*** You don't even have to love poetry as much as I do to enjoy the fabulous film Slam.

Slam is a raw, critically acclaimed docu-drama (a winner at both Sundance and Cannes film festivals) which takes a look at urban violence and the transformative power of art.

Here's the basics: Ray Joshua (Saul Williams) sells weed for a living and writes poetry in his spare time in Washington DC. He gets caught with a quarter-pound of the drug when his friend is shot in the middle of a gang war.

He's carted off to jail, and manages to side-step the violence inside the prison through his incredible lyrics and razor-sharp delivery, earning him the respect of at least one of the top-dog inmates (Bonz Mallone).

A court-appointed lawyer gives Ray the facts -- plead guilty and spend two or three years in jail, or fight it and get a probable eight to ten.

As far as Ray is concerned, this isn't a real choice -- his `back is up against a wall and there's a Mack truck two inches from his face', and Brother Ray keeps looking for the magic doors that will show him a way to escape.

While inside, he meets up with sexy, positive writing teacher Lauren (Sonja Sohn) who tries to show him the magnitude of his own creative talent when Ray gets out on bail, and attempts to open his eyes to a new concept of what it means to be free.

Some reviews I read of the film offered some explanation of how it carried and maintained its genuinely gritty vibe: For one, film writer and director Marc Levin is a documentary maker who utilises two very effective techniques to avoid a glossy Hollywood-esque feel -- he uses a hand-held camera and allows for a decent amount of improvisation.

Secondly, both of the starring roles are played by people who have actual careers as poets (Americans Sonja Sohn and Saul Williams).

And thirdly, real prisoners were apparently used for the jail scenes which practically bubble over with barely-caged anger.

All in all, I loved the film -- it inspired me to think about the potential of Bermuda's poets and Flow Sunday, how art can have a genuine effect in terms of social transformation.

The poetry in the film was quite impressive and rather moving. And the soundtrack is absolutely bangin'.

However, there were a few parts of the film that came off a little corny -- the rather abruptly intense romance between Ray and Lauren didn't seem convincing, and the huge blowup scene between them was seriously overdone.

But if you appreciate slightly fringe art with a powerful message as much as I do, go check it out -- and I've heard the book is as good as the film.

Kim Dismont Robinson