Additionally, her character too easily and unbelievably alternates between liking and loathing her job, and stops only because the club finally burns to the ground (where the story begins). Although she's presented as a working college student, and is weakly convinced by other dancers to join their "opulent" lifestyle, she never makes much money so her continuance in the profession for so long doesn't ring true. The biggest problem is that the motivation behind Diana's decision to strip isn't at all believable. The dramatic elements didn't fare much better either, and their mixture with the comedy scenes often created a rather haphazard feel - as if the movie couldn't decide what it really wanted to be. For everyone else, though, you'll just sit there slack-jawed about why anybody would find most of the material even remotely funny. Of course if you can find humor in a stripper spanking an ATF agent's bare butt with a paddle, or can laugh aloud at the sight of a man running alongside a car that's driving in circles because some thugs have trapped his head in the partially closed car window, then maybe this film's right up your alley. While we found a few moments mildly amusing - including Bernie Mac's outrageous take on the fast- talking, perpetually nervous, and always hustling club owner - most of the other moments landed with a dud. While some audience members laughed at the absurdities, others loudly exclaimed just how stupid they were finding the film. Like "Striptease,"the film tries to balance comedy, drama, and action, but neither succeeds at the balancing act, nor in presenting those individual elements. Although nervous and uncomfortable at first, she soon becomes a pro and has no problems displaying her "assets." Yet she then discovers that things aren't as rosy as she had formerly believed and the story ends not long after that. There's the standard "good girl" who's stripping only for a short while or just to make ends meet. Although in the production notes he's quoted as saying that no one had ever examined the Atlanta strip club scene (his reason for doing this movie), his take on stripping isn't much different from other similarly based films. Ice Cube, who was featured prominently in last year's "Dangerous Ground," this time dons the trifecta cap (writer/director/actor) and allows others to take the more substantial roles so that he can focus on the movie's elements. That's too bad because this lousy excuse of a movie is about to be sunk by both the critics (no surprise there) and most moviegoers alike. Nonetheless, freshman director Ice Cube has decided to damn the proverbial torpedoes and sail full steam ahead. Considering the cataclysmic failures of both "Showgirls" and "Striptease" - two high profile Hollywood films - it doesn't seem like the best subject matter upon which to base a new project. OUR TAKE: 2.5 out of 10 A movie about stripping (clothes, not furniture or paint), or at least one that puts a heavy emphasis on that profession, is a questionable cinematic proposition at best. Considering the occupations and behavior of most of the main characters, only JAMIE FOXX - who plays the deejay - would come close to being just an okay role model.WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: R For strong language, sexual content and violence. WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT? Probably only if they're fans of someone in the cast. From that point on, Diana must not only contend with Ebony, but with Ronnie as well, who has now become her adversary. Soon, she falls in with Ronnie and Tricks, and Diana begins to worry about her, particularly when some club regulars, Reggie (ICE CUBE) and Clyde (ALEX THOMAS), try to take advantage of her. Louis (LARRY MCCOY) who's determined to retrieve the $60,000 they owe him.Īlthough her parents warn her against doing so, Diana introduces her younger cousin, Ebony (MONICA CALHOUN), to the world of stripping. Both are seriously in debt to a loan shark named St. Along the way, Diana befriends the club's deejay, Blue (JAMIE FOXX), but keeps her distance from Dollar Bill and his doorman, Li'l Man (A. Adopting the stage name, "Diamond," Diana learns the tricks of the trade from Ronnie (CHRYSTALE WILSON) and Tricks (ADELE GIVENS), but unlike those two professionals, she hopes to make her money and then get out. Needing to make ends meet, she decides to take a job as a stripper at The Players Club, a notorious strip joint run by a two-bit hustler named Dollar Bill (BERNIE MAC). PLOT: Diana Armstrong (LISA RAYE) is a single mom and aspiring broadcast journalist. QUICK TAKE: Drama/Comedy: A college student, who's taken a job as a stripper to make ends meet, must contend with the other dancers, as well as her younger cousin who's been seduced by the high paying, fast paced lifestyle.
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