Thug Life in D.C.

Americans prefer to think Washington D.C. symbolizes law and order, yet almost within the shadow of the Capitol dome there flourishes a criminal subculture. According to this film, 50% of all the district's black men between the ages 18-35 are in jail, on probation, out on bond, or wanted by the police. Thug Life in D.C. (a poor title choice) takes viewers inside the D.C. prison, interviewing a black prison guard who harbors almost as much resentment as the prisoners, a black female warden who seems an oasis of calm inside this inferno, and above all, introducing Aundrey Burno, a.k.a. "Bruno," an 18-year-old serving hard time for murdering another teenager and the attempted murder of a cop. Our first glimpse of Bruno finds him behind bars, masked, rapping about the joys of thug life, which means taking what you want and "dealing with" anyone who stands in your way. Later Bruno agrees to drop the mask and we see a confused, angry, and scared kid. Handcuffed and shackled, he counsels his admiring kid brother Kevin during a visit, "you can't be me." Asked whether he thinks he'll survive prison life, Bruno, after a pause, sadly, silently shakes his head. Made in the best tradition of the hard hitting HBO documentaries (with plenty of four-letter obscenities), this one will shake you up, and make you think about what kind of country America has become. Highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (S. Rees)