Jeff Byrd Movies
A multi-millionaire plans a scam that goes wrong in a great many ways in this comedy. Malcolm King (Anthony Anderson) is a wildly successful businessman who has gotten used to having things his own way. When King decides to divorce his wife, she's none too thrilled at the prospect and makes it clear she will make him pay a huge settlement in exchange for his freedom. King isn't keen on this idea, so he and his mistress hatch a scheme by which one of her friends (Jay Mohr) will "kidnap" King and demand a large portion of his fortune for his return, which will be kicked back to the businessman later. But King seriously underestimates the ineptitude of his would-be kidnapper -- no to mention how many other people want a piece of his fortune. King's Ransom also stars Regina Hall, Leila Arcieri, Charlie Murphy, and Donald Faison. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anthony Anderson, Jay Mohr, (more)
An incarcerated father is forced to stand by and watch as his two young sons struggle to survive on the streets in a gritty urban drama starring Clifton Powell and Sean Blakemore. Ali Dean is a failed father, and now he will bear witness as his failure threatens to turn into an endless cycle of violence and poor decision making. Though Ali's son Tariq shows much promise as an emerging pugilist, Cesar falls on the wrong side of the law after becoming involved with the local drug trade. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Clifton Powell, Dominic Daniel, (more)
The time: June 1998. The place: The sleepy town of Jasper, TX. Three young, self-styled white supremists overpower a 49-year-old black man named James Byrd Jr., chain him to the back of their pickup, and literally drag him to death. What follows is a media firestorm, exacerbated by scores of network and cable-TV news services, the grim pronouncements of so-called pundits, and the intrusion upon Jasper of several extremist activists, ranging from members of the Ku Klux Klan to the newly formed Black Panthers. As the frenzy continues, the heretofore peaceful, if somewhat tenuous, relationship between the white and black residents of Jasper is severely strained, with echoes of past racism resounding throughout the area. In the center of the controversy are two decent, hard-working public servants: R.C. Horn, the first black mayor of Jasper, and Billy Rowles, the town's white sheriff. Also profoundly affected by the appalling murder of Byrd are the respective parents of the victim and the killers. Happily, when the dust clears, justice is done (two of the murderers are condemned to death, the third sentenced to life imprisonment), and, instead of being wrenched apart, the black and white communities of Jasper draw closer together than they have ever been. Made for cable TV, this feature-length reenactment stars Louis Gossett Jr. as Horn and Jon Voight as Rowles. Although certain liberties are taken (the actor playing Byrd is clearly much younger than his real-life counterpart and the Black Panthers and KKK are incorrectly shown descending upon Jasper the same day), the film is, by and large, accurate. Better still, there is a minimum of preaching and proselytizing. Previewed at the Philadelphia Film Festival, Jasper, Texas was given its official Showtime network cable premiere on June 8, 2003 -- almost five years to the day after Byrd's death. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jon Voight, Louis Gossett, Jr., (more)
The truth doesn't come easy, and when the truth involves the mob, the police, and the vengeful survivor of a gangland massacre, it comes screaming in a hail of bullets in this tough-as-nails crime drama from King's Ransom director Jeff Byrd. Left for dead by the mob and then used by police to draw out the same men who nearly sent her to an early grave, Rayne Johnson (Regina King) is caught up in the middle of a battle that's about to blow up. As tension mounts and loyalties shift, the line between good and evil is blurred and Rayne soon learns that the only person she can trust to get her though this mess alive is herself. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
Subtitled "The Definitive Reason Why Men Are Dogs", Book of Love is a mockumentary following the lives of three L.A. bachelors (Eric K. George, Anthony "Treach" Criss, and (Richard T. Jones) as they recover from a series of unhealthy relationships. The team of average Joes are no match for their manipulative girlfriends (Robin Givens, Mari Morrow, and Salli Richardson) , however, and the over eager men are taken for all they're worth. It's this manipulative, self-serving treatment that drives the young bachelors into behaving like "dogs" themselves. Directed by Jeff Byrd, Book of Love was produced by both BET Studios and 5th Gear Entertainment, and eventually released by Strange Fruit Films. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Eric K. George, Salli Richardson, (more)
While twin sisters Tia Mowry and Tamera Mowry gained fame playing twin sisters on the sitcom Sister Sister, this comic fantasy finds them stretching their talents by playing grandmother and granddaughter. When the Donovan family moves from California to Connecticut, 17-year-old Sydney (Tia Mowry) finds it's not easy being in a new town away from her old friends, but her 12-year-old genius brother Willie (Tahj Mowry) is happy as long as he can tinker in his lab with his increasingly complex experiments. Willie is convinced he can defeat the aging process, and while devising an experimental anti-aging formula, he accidentally spills some on a bar of soap. When his grandmother Cat (Hope Clarke) mistakenly uses the tainted soap, she's transformed into a 17-year-old (Tamera Mowry). Her husband Gene (Robert Hooks) follows suit, and is also returned to his teenaged self (Mark Taylor). Cat and Gene are having a fine time reliving their youth and enjoying the thrill of teenage romance, but there's a fly in the ointment -- Willie learns his formula could have deadly side effects, and now he must discover an antidote to return his grandparents to their older but healthy bodies. Seventeen Again also features an appearance by popular vocal group Boyz II Men; one of the group's singers, Shawn Stockman, served as executive producer for the project. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tia Mowry, Tamera Mowry, (more)
A new kingpin in the world of rhythm and blues finds dealing with both success and relationships cause more than a few problems in this drama. Dollar Bill (Wood Harris) is a record producer who after years of struggle has finally reached the top in his field, and Bill and his girlfriend Lenore (Gina Ravera) are enjoying the well-earned perks of the Hollywood high life. But despite the fact Bill and Lenore are happy together, many of their friends believe Bill is losing touch with the sounds of the street which helped make him a success in the first place. As Bill is caught between living his new life and keeping it real, his former lover (LisaRaye) comes back into the picture, and while her smooth singing style could help Bill earn his next hit record, her renewed interest in her ex could put a stake through the heart of his relationship with Lenore. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Wood Harris, Gina Ravera, (more)
