In writer/director Vondie Curtis-Hall's engaging look at inner-city life, Tim Roth and Tupac Shakur (who was killed while the movie was in post production) play jazz musicians trying to kick heroin. The comedy mainly springs from the bureaucratic nightmares they encounter on the rehab/welfare merry-go-round, while also trying to avoid drug dealers and suspicious cops. Despite the depressing subject matter, the angry sadness that underscores the outwardly comic playing gives this absurdist buddy movie some neat twists. These are further elevated by nifty flashbacks and agreeable character observation.

After a friend overdoses, Spoon and Stretch decide to kick their drug habits and attempt to enroll in a government detox program. Their efforts are hampered by seemingly endless red tape, as they are shuffled from one office to another while being chased by drug dealers and the police.