Never Die Alone

Name: Never Die Alone
Genre: Action, Drama, Thriller, Crime
Released: March 26, 2004
Duration: 88 min
Rating: 38
Cast: David Arquette, DMX, Michael Ealy

2004

METASCORE

Generally unfavorable reviews based on 28 Critic Reviews

See All

USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 19 Ratings

See All

7.0

VOTE NOW

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

7.0	Your Score
7.0	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 19 Ratings

Would you like to write a review?

There is a 75 character minimum for reviews. If your review contains spoilers, please check the Spoiler box. Please do not use ALL CAPS. There is no linking or other HTML allowed. Your review may be edited for content. 0/5000

Check box if your review contains spoilers

Play Sound

Please enter your birth date to watch this video:

You are not allowed to view this material at this time.

Never Die Alone

Now Playing: Never Die Alone

Movie Details & Credits

Fox Searchlight Pictures | Release Date: March 26, 2004 | R

Starring: David Arquette, DMX, Michael Ealy

Summary: A richly literate film noir about King David (DMX), a hard-boiled, stylish criminal who returns to his hometown seeking redemption and finding only violent death. (Fox Searchlight Pictures)

Director: Ernest R. Dickerson

Genre(s): Action, Drama, Thriller, Crime

Rating: R

Runtime: 88 min

See All Details and Credits

Watch Now

Buy on

Stream On

Expand

Metascore

Positive:

Mixed:

Negative:

Critic Reviews

Roger Ebert

Never Die Alone is [Dickerson's] best work to date, with the complexity of serious fiction and the nerve to start dark and stay dark, to follow the logic of its story right down to its inevitable end. Read full review

Ruthe Stein

That the film finds its own groove is due largely to the eye of director Ernest Dickerson. Not surprisingly, he began his career as a cinematographer, working on Spike Lee’s early films. Read full review

David Rooney

Largely overcomes key cast weaknesses to deliver a jazzy, darkly textured rendering of the ghetto pulp of late African-American ex-con author Donald Goines. Read full review

TV Guide Magazine Angel Cohn

DMX delivers a surprisingly solid and convincing performance, but he's easily overshadowed by the very talented Ealy, who makes his secondary character truly memorable. Read full review

Manohla Dargis

Played by DMX in a gravel-pit monotone and a near-total lack of affect, King David cuts an unremittingly tedious swath through Never Die Alone. Read full review

Michael Sragow

Most of the film simply wallows in gangsta hyperbole - it's all bling bling, bang bang. Read full review

Marc Savlov

If Never Die Alone had even a smidgeon of comic relief (or even, say, a bunch of zombies) to offset some of its relentlessly downbeat brutality, it might have been at best tolerable. But it doesn't, and it's not. Read full review

SEE ALL 28 REVIEWS

Write a Review

User Reviews

Tor

Aug 19, 2007

the rest of these critics really need to get some fucking taste and not underrate films like these (Boondock Sanits Running Scared, Never Die Alone) This will soon get its respect soon enough. last I remember Scarface was panned like this as well as simply being trashy.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

NickM.

Sep 29, 2005

Terrific , just amazing, i thought it was going to be bad, but it was birlliant.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

Leif

Sep 16, 2013

Dark, jazzy, with a saturated visual style and engaging narrative that examines a drug pusher and his need to return home to the New York and make amends to a small time drug lord he pilfered a stash of heroin from a decade earlier. Much of films failure commercially is due to the poorDark, jazzy, with a saturated visual style and engaging narrative that examines a drug pusher and his need to return home to the New York and make amends to a small time drug lord he pilfered a stash of heroin from a decade earlier. Much of films failure commercially is due to the poor advertising and marketing which tried to sell it as a "Gangsta thriller" when in fact it's an introspective and literate urban noir that shows the domino effect one mans life can have on those around him. David Arquette's aspiring novelist in the ghetto is a smart fit when you examine that he is meant to be out of place in this milieu. DMX makes a brutal and charismatic screen presence who makes his character David more interesting then you would think and the supporting roles are well cast and deeper than what you would expect. Credit to Michael Ealy as a somber and reflective runner for the local drug lord and director Ernest Dickerson creates a layered and intelligent film from Donald Goines 1970's novel. The last 20 minutes, when the film's arc really comes full circle is impressive and rewarding.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

AraH.

Jan 16, 2006

This movie was utter and complete garbage. The acting was bad, DMX's narration was plain unnecessary, the pacing and editing were utterly horrible and the story was painfully week. I saw the ending coming halfway through the film. Ernest Dickerson should never be given money (not even This movie was utter and complete garbage. The acting was bad, DMX's narration was plain unnecessary, the pacing and editing were utterly horrible and the story was painfully week. I saw the ending coming halfway through the film. Ernest Dickerson should never be given money (not even his own) to make another movie. I am disappointed that Ebert could give this movie 3 1/2 stars!… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

SEE ALL 4 REVIEWS