Watch Sweet Sugar

Possible description: Sweet Sugar is a gritty and exploitative drama about a young woman's harrowing experience in a brutal prison-like sugar cane plantation in Central America. Released in 1972, the film is part of the wave of so-called "blaxploitation" movies that emerged in the early 1970s, characterized by low budgets, sensational themes, and a focus on black and brown actors and audiences. Directed by Michel Levesque and starring Phyllis Davis (TV's Vega$), Sweet Sugar blends elements of sexploitation, action, and social commentary to create a disturbing yet fascinating portrayal of female empowerment and survival.

The story centers on Sugar (Davis), a bold and attractive prostitute who is sentenced to six months in a remote sugar cane field after being caught with drugs. Despite her initial defiance and skepticism, Sugar soon realizes the horrific conditions of the plantation, where she and other women are forced to work long hours under the sun, guarded by sadistic overseers who abuse and humiliate them. Sugar also learns that the plantation is a front for a drug smuggling operation run by the corrupt foreman Horn (Timothy Brown) and his vicious henchmen, who use the women as mules to transport cocaine to the US. As Sugar tries to adapt to the harsh reality of the plantation, she befriends fellow prisoners Isabel (Ellaraino), a tough but tender-hearted black woman, and Man (Ella Edwards), an older and wiser Haitian who teaches her about voodoo and survival.

As the plot unfolds, Sweet Sugar exposes the wretched and exploitative nature of the plantation industry, which thrives on the cheap labor and oppression of women of color. The film does not shy away from depicting nudity, violence, and racism, but it also presents a nuanced and sympathetic portrayal of the female characters, who are not mere victims but complex individuals with dreams, fears, and desires. Davis brings a fearless and seductive presence to her role as Sugar, who gradually transforms from a reckless rebel to a strategic warrior, using her sexuality and cunning to outsmart her captors and to help her friends. Davis also displays some strong acting skills in the more dramatic scenes, conveying the emotional turmoil and trauma that Sugar undergoes during her incarceration.

The supporting cast is also notable, especially Ellaraino as Isabel, who delivers a poignant monologue about the plight of black women in America that is still relevant today. Brown is appropriately menacing as Horn, a villain who enjoys torturing and raping the women but also shows some surprising vulnerabilities and motives. The film benefits from some impressive location shots in the Dominican Republic, where the sugar cane fields and the rugged landscape provide a vivid sense of place and isolation. The music by Luchi de Jesus, a blend of funky grooves and Latin rhythms, adds to the funky and exotic atmosphere of Sweet Sugar.

Despite its flaws and controversies, Sweet Sugar has gained a cult following and is regarded as one of the more interesting and daring examples of blaxploitation movies. The film has been praised for its anti-imperialist and feminist themes, its portrayal of black women as agents of resistance, and its willingness to challenge the norms of mainstream cinema. However, it has also been criticized for its exploitation of women, its reliance on stereotypes and cliches, and its uneven pacing and scripting. Nevertheless, Sweet Sugar remains a fascinating relic of a turbulent and transformative era in American film history, one that offered new voices and perspectives to a previously marginalized and stereotyped audience.

Sweet Sugar is a 1973 action movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 30 minutes. It has received moderate reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 5.2.