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Spike Lee defends Chicago gang war movie, 'Chi-Raq'

A day after the Nov. 22 world premiere of "Chi-Raq" at the Chicago Theatre, during one of the most controversial pre-release sagas in recent film history, prodcuer and director Spike Lee couldn't help but raise his voice when he addresses critics who questioned whether the movie would be a respectful treatment of the carnage in the Englewood neighborhood of Chicago.

"Why would Jennifer Hudson be part of a film that made a mockery, a travesty of her murdered mother, brother, nephew," Lee told Sun-Times movie critic Richard Roeper. "Why would Jennifer Hudson be part of a Spike Lee film that trivialized her three family members that got murdered?"

Hudson plays a grieving mother of a young girl who was taken by a stray bullet, caught in the gang wars between the Spartan and Trojans, two longtime South Side rivals.

For the complete story, check chicago.suntimes.com.

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