Faizon Love Movies
A plus-sized actor of Afro-Cuban descent whose killer smile and infectious laugh can liven up any comedy, Faizon Love got his start in such well-received African-American comedies as Fear of a Black Hat and Friday before getting wide recognition in such high-profile comedies as Money Talks, The Replacements, and Elf. It was during high school in New Jersey that the aspiring comic first became interested in performing for a crowd; his English teacher recognized Love's skill for comedy and allowing the student to perform for his classmates on days when lessons went especially well. Following graduation, Love moved to New York and made a bid for the big time in the East Coast entertainment capitol; it didn't take long for the performer to land an off-Broadway role in the Harlem National Black Theater production of Bitter Heart Midtown (a modernized retelling of Charles Dickens' Great Expectations). The subsequent death of beloved comic Robin Harris during the production of the animated comedy BeBe's Kids provided the emerging performer with his first big break in film, and though it was strictly a vocal affair, Love performed admirably under pressure. He could next be seen alongside Robert Townsend, Rusty Cundieff, Ice Cube, and Shawn Wayans in a series of low-budget but well-received comedy features.Love later parlayed his connection with Townsend into an extended television role on the small-screen sitcom The Parent 'Hood, and he continued to climb the credits until his role as a gridiron giant in The Replacements punted him into the mainstream. It was following his appearance in the Keanu Reeves sports comedy that Love's career truly took off, with a 2001 performance opposite Sean "Puffy" Combs in Jon Favreau's Made marking the beginning of a working relationship between the director and the actor that would continue when Love appeared opposite Will Ferrell in Elf (2003). Love's role as a surfing football player in Blue Crush in 2002 allowed the actor to overcomed his duel fears of sharks and water to brave the waves. And after attempting to remain in control of a prison as the warden in The Fighting Temptations, it was time to hit the road in Torque, a two-wheeled thrill ride starring Love's former Friday co-star Ice Cube. Video-game players with an ear for detail would recognize Love's substantial role in the hit 2004 release Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, with additional roles opposite Lindsay Lohan in Just My Luck and in the long-awaited OutKast musical Idlewild effectively serving to mark the arrival of a comedic actor whose versatility continued to impress. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- 2011
- PG13
- Add Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son to Queue Add Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son to top of Queue
Martin Lawrence reprises the role of FBI agent Malcolm Turner -- aka, undercover grandma Big Momma -- in this installment in the Big Momma's House franchise, Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son. Malcolm's latest assignment teams him up with his teenage stepson, Trent (Brandon T. Jackson), who unwittingly makes himself a target when he witnesses a murder. In order to keep Trent out of harm's way and solve the case behind the killing that Trent saw, the two have no choice but to go undercover at an all-girls performing arts school, with Malcolm posing as the titular rotund old lady, Big Momma, and Trent dressing up as a heavy female student named Charmaine. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Martin Lawrence, Brandon T. Jackson, (more)
Beloved zookeeper Griffin Keyes (Kevin James) decides to quit his job to dive into the dating pool, and finds that his animal friends have been harboring an incredible secret in this comedy from director Frank Coraci (The Wedding Singer, Click). Griffin is a single guy who loves his job at the Franklin Park Zoo. He has a special bond with the animals, yet he can't help but feel lonely each night when he returns to an empty house. Eventually deciding that a more prestigious job may be the key to finding a new girlfriend, Griffin prepares to turn in his walking papers and reinvent himself. But when word gets out to the animals that Griffin will soon be leaving, they realize the only way to keep him around is to reveal they have the gift of the gab. Perhaps with a little dating advice from his friends in the animal kingdom, this lonely zookeeper will manage to meet the girl of his dreams without losing the job he loves. Rosario Dawson co-stars in a comedy featuring the voices of Sylvester Stallone, Adam Sandler, Cher, and Nick Nolte. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Kevin James, Rosario Dawson, (more)
Their relationship in danger of dissipating, a couple racing to salvage their marriage invites three other couples to join them at a tropical island resort. Upon arriving at the island paradise to enjoy some carefree fun in the sun, the other couples are disturbed to discover that participation in therapy sessions is mandatory if they hope to remain at the resort. Peter Bilingsley directs a comedy penned by Jon Favreau, produced by Vince Vaughn, and pairing the two Made collaborators onscreen with co-stars Jason Bateman and Faizon Love. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Vince Vaughn, Jason Bateman, (more)
When a high-profile hip-hop star is denied membership into an exclusive country club in the Hamptons, he comes up with a cunning plan to subvert the questionable ruling in this comedy of manners starring OutKast's Antwan Andre Patton. By purchasing property directly adjacent to the 18th hole, popular rapper C-Note (Patton) is subsequently granted membership into the haughty club by default. As the curmudgeonly club members make it their mission in life to get him kicked out, the clever rapper infuses the stodgy old club with new life. Andy Milonakis, Jeffrey Jones, and Faizon Love co-star. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Antwan Andre Patton, Andy Milonakis, (more)
Gabrielle Union, Morris Chestnut, Queen Latifah, and Terrence Howard star in a film concerning a young girl who implores a department-store Santa to find a new husband for her divorced mother for Christmas. Single mother of three Nancy (Union) has been putting the needs of her three children ahead of her own for as far back as she can remember, and lately her youngest daughter, Emily (Khail Bryant), has become acutely aware of her mother's palpable sadness. As Christmas draws near, Nancy takes her kids to the mall for a cheerful visit with jolly old Saint Nick. When it comes time for Emily's turn to sit on Santa's lap and make her Christmas wish, she selflessly remembers her mother's recent comment that a compliment from a man would be the best gift of all. Determined to make her mother happy again even if it means sacrificing her own wish, Emily relays the message to Santa (Chestnut), not realizing that the man beneath the beard is actually an office-supply salesman and ambitious singer/songwriter named Benjamin. Recognizing the daughter's love for her mother and sensing something truly special in Nancy, Benjamin cheerfully obliges the young girl, setting into motion a series of events that promise to make this the most memorable holiday in quite some time. Lance Rivera directs a film produced by Shakim Compere and Latifah through Flavor Unit Entertainment. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Morris Chestnut, Gabrielle Union, (more)
- 2007
- R
Onyx rapper Sticky Fingaz directs and stars in this hip-hop musical about a gangster who becomes caught up in a bloody war between two feuding crime families while struggling to leave the streets behind. When Black's family raids one of Stick's drug houses and kills two of his men, Stick is forced to choose between leaving it all behind or seeking revenge and feeding the cycle of violence. It's a difficult decision that's made even more arduous when Stick's girlfriend reveals that she's pregnant. Word on the street is that Black has just put out a contract on Stick, and now a pair of detectives is hot on his trail. Desperate, Stick decides to flee the country with his girlfriend and start over. Just as they're about to board their flight, a gunfight erupts at the airport and all hell breaks loose. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Sticky Fingaz, Faizon Love, (more)
OutKast duo André "Andre 3000" Benjamin and Antwan Andre "Big Boi" Patton star as two Prohibition-era performers determined to fend off the vicious gangsters currently attempting to gain a stake in the pair's lucrative club in this musical drama directed by longtime collaborator Bryan Barber and featuring choreography by three-time Tony award winner Hinton Battle. In the 1930s, Idlewild was the hottest speakeasy in the South thanks to the impressive showmanship of flamboyant manager/lead performer Rooster (Patton) and the notable talents of introverted pianist Percival (Benjamin). Everything changes, however, when a powerful gangster and his ruthless henchmen move in on the scene with every intention of landing a healthy portion of the club's considerable profits. Ving Rhames, Terrence Howard, Faizon Love, Patti LaBelle, Macy Gray, Ben Vereen, and Cicely Tyson co-star. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- André Benjamin, Antwan Andre Patton, (more)
Two people discover just how true the old adage "lucky in life, unlucky in love" can be in this romantic comedy. Ashley (Lindsay Lohan) has always been the sort of girl fortune smiles upon -- she's pretty, she has a great job, she had good friends, guys fall over themselves to ask her out, and she never has trouble getting a cab. Jake (Chris Pine), on the other hand, is not nearly so lucky -- he's clumsy and accident prone, things never seem to go his way, and he's just lost his job at a bowling alley. However, these two opposites meet one night at a ritzy masquerade ball, and Ashley and Jake exchange an impulsive kiss as two shooting stars cross in the sky. Suddenly, they both find their luck taking a one hundred and eighty degree turn; Jake is befriended by a wealthy musician and suddenly finds himself successful and flush with cash, while Ashley loses her job and her apartment after a major misunderstanding with the police. While Jake's luck with women has also taken a turn for the better, he's become deeply infatuated with Ashley, and tries to help her turn her life back around as he struggles to win her heart. Just My Luck also stars Samaire Armstrong, Faizon Love, and Tovah Feldshuh. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Lindsay Lohan, Chris Pine, (more)
Two Southern California volleyball teams determined to prove their superiority on the court find out that they're not as different as they previously thought after tragedy strikes close to home in director Neema Barnette's affectionate sports drama. The Madonnas and the Phantoms are two volleyball teams with a longstanding grudge. With a bitter rivalry that frequently spills off of the court and into the streets, the Madonnas and the Phantoms appear to have nothing in common until fate forces them to break down the social and cultural barriers that bind them. Now determined to keep it together on the court as they make their way to the championships, these former rivals are about to find out what true sportsmanship is really all about. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Ciara, Faizon Love, (more)
A notorious gangster must reconcile his past in order to make a future for his criminally-minded son in this crime-drama starring football superstar Jim Brown and Pulp Fiction star Ving Rhames. James "Animal" Allen (Rhames) reveled in a life of violent crime until he was placed behind bars. Upon meeting an ageing revolutionary during his stint in the slammer, Allen is guided toward the written word of Malcolm X and offered an illuminating historic document by Machiavellian slave owner Willy Lynch, leading him to conclude that his people are being manipulated into killing one another by a higher force. Soon released on a technicality, Allen returns home to find that his son Darius (Terrence Howard) has taken up a life of crime and seems bent on maintaining his father's legacy. Now imbued with a newfound sense of clarity and purpose, Allen must convince his son to break the cycle of violence while he still has the power to do so by his own will. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
Shelved for almost a full year, the feature-film debut of acclaimed music video director Joseph Kahn, Torque is an action thriller set in the fast-paced, high-adrenaline world of biker gangs. Martin Henderson (The Ring) stars as Cary, a biker who is framed for the murder of a gang leader Trey's (Ice Cube) brother by Henry (Matt Schulze). Now, Cary finds himself on the run from both Trey's gang and the FBI, headed by the wise-cracking Agent McPherson Adam Scott. From Neal H. Moritz, producer of The Fast and the Furious and XXX, Torque co-stars Jaime Pressly and Monet Mazur. ~ Matthew Tobey, Rovi
- Starring:
- Martin Henderson, Ice Cube, (more)
For his sophomore stab at directing, actor/writer/director Jon Favreau (Swingers, Made), took on this holiday comedy starring Saturday Night Live-alum Will Ferrell. Ferrell stars as Buddy, a regular-sized man who was raised as an elf by Santa Claus (Edward Asner). When the news is finally broken to Buddy that he's not a real elf, he decides to head back to his place of birth, New York City, in search of his biological family. Elf also stars James Caan, Mary Steenburgen, Zooey Deschanel, and Bob Newhart. ~ Matthew Tobey, Rovi
- Starring:
- Will Ferrell, Ed Asner, (more)
James Cox directs the sleazy Hollywood murder tale Wonderland, starring Val Kilmer as legendary porn star John Holmes. Using a non-linear plot structure, the film explores different perspectives of the quadruple homicide that occurred on July 1, 1981, in the Hollywood Hills. At the lowest point of his career and the height of his drug addiction, Holmes was implicated in the murders of the Wonderland gang: Ron Launius (Josh Lucas), Billy Deverell (Tim Blake Nelson), Barbara Richardson (Natasha Gregson Wagner), and Joy Miller (Janeane Garofalo). Launius' wife, Susan (Christina Applegate), was the only survivor. Led by Detective Sam Nico (Ted Levine), the police investigation reveals a dark criminal underworld surrounding Holmes, his disapproving wife, Sharon (Lisa Kudrow), and his innocent teenage girlfriend, Dawn Schiller (Kate Bosworth). Eric Bogosian stars as notorious Hollywood nightclub owner Eddie Nash. Wonderland premiered at the 2003 Toronto Film Festival. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, Rovi
- Starring:
- Val Kilmer, Kate Bosworth, (more)
The intense and often deadly "rap wars" between the East and West Coast hip-hop artists of the 1990s was the inspiration for this made-for-cable feature. Rashaan Nall stars as rising East Coast rap star Jaxx, who has formed a musical partnership with longtime buddy Mayhem (Merlin Santana). Enter Domino Breed (Faizon Love), ruthless CEO of Da Block Records, a West Coast label. Filling Jaxx's head with promises of solo stardom and innumerable creature comforts (not all of them legal), Domino lures the young performer to California. As he becomes immersed in the gangster lifestyle common to so many of Domino's disciples, Jaxx grows distant from his friends and loved ones, especially his wife Shonda (Toni Braxton), who had originally been in favor of her husband's career move. Inevitably, the greed-dictated rivalry between Jaxx and his former partner Mayhem culminates in tragedy. Boasting an impressive wall-to-wall musical score by a number of top rappers, Play'd: A Hip Hop Story debuted June 26, 2002 on the VH1 cable network. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Rashaan Nall
Move over, Gidget -- a new breed of female surfers with style, guts and attitude hit the screen in this feature, which combines romance with a sports drama. Anne Marie (Kate Bosworth) is a young woman living in Hawaii who has been surfing since she was a little girl, and over the past year has been training for the prestigious Pipe Masters surfing competition. But Anne Marie is still dealing with emotional baggage that's holding her back -- her mother abandoned her years ago, leaving her to raise her younger sister Penny (Mika Boorem) while having to guide herself through adolescence, and Anne Marie nearly drowned while trying to surf the famous Maui Pipeline three years ago, and has yet to shake the anxieties of this traumatic event. Anne Marie and Penny share a house with Anne Marie's friends Lena (Sanoe Lake) and Eden (Michelle Rodriguez), both fellow surf enthusiasts, and the three friends work as maids at a hotel, a job which offers them flexible hours for riding the waves. When a pro football team checks into the hotel, Anne Marie meets Matt (Matthew Davis), a promising quarterback who has his eye on her. Anne Marie is just as attracted to Matt as he is to her, but will Anne Marie have to choose between the man of her dreams and the recognition as a surfer she's worked for years to receive? Kate Bosworth, Michelle Rodriguez, and Sanoe Lake did all their own surfing in Blue Crush; Bosworth and Rodriguez went into training to learn the sport before shooting began, while Lake, a native Hawaiian, was already a confirmed surf enthusiast. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Kate Bosworth, Matthew Davis, (more)
In this reunion of Swingers co-stars Jon Favreau (making his feature directorial debut) and Vince Vaughn, the two star in a new Mob comedy set in the underbelly of New York City. Favreau plays Bobby, an aspiring boxer who has a lackluster record but refuses to give up his lifelong dream. Ricky (Vaughn) is a loose cannon hanger-on who dreams of breaking into the mob. When Bobby begins to get close to old-time Mob boss Max (Peter Falk), Ricky believes it is a way into organized crime. Max is more interested in Bobby carrying out orders, but he allows the two to perform a job In New York under the supervision of a smooth crime lord (music mogul Sean Combs). Ricky then is powered by the idea that he and Bobby are bigwigs in their new community of acquaintances and begins to assume the role of a high roller -- at the expense of his friend. Made, also written by Favreau, also features Sopranos regular Vincent Pastore, Famke Janssen, and Faizon Love in supporting roles. ~ Jason Clark, Rovi
- Starring:
- Vince Vaughn, Jon Favreau, (more)
An upscale cookout leads to lots of comic misadventures in this raucous urban comedy. Having just lost his job at a soul food take-out joint, Cedric (Brian Hooks) gets the bad news that a local female crime kingpin has picked the wrong time to call in a large IOU he racked up some time back. Needing a fast buck, Cedric and some friends decide to stage a Hawaiian luau, and charge people for the privilege of enjoying the feast. However, what was to be a small, exclusive party becomes a massive neighborhood blowout, and everyone who is owed money by Cedric (a sizable list in itself) shows up expecting free food and entertainment. The Luau also features Maia Campbell, Faizon Love, and Troy Winbush. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Brian Hooks, Maia Campbell, (more)
- 2001
What would happen if a white child with a couple of odd talents -- one prophetic and one malodorous -- was found and raised by an appreciative, yet hapless African tribe? South African director Gray Hofmeyr attempts to find out in his 2002 family-oriented comedy entitled Mr. Bones. Shortly after surviving a plane accident, a mysterious youngster is discovered by the Kuvuki tribe just as the babe is fending off a hungry lion with explosive flatulence. This deed duly noted, the tribesmen adopt the child as one of their own and sometime later discover the boy also has great skill in divining the future from reading bones -- something the tribe considers a greatly respected skill. Henceforth, the boy is dubbed Bones (as an adult, played by Leon Schuster) and some years later is ordered by the tribal king Tsonga to seek a previously unknown heir Bones predicted to exist. Bones sets out to locate the heir, and decides that touring golf pro Vince Lee (David Ramsey) is the man, much to the consternation and protestations of Lee's agent, as well as a gambler with a lot of money at stake in Vince's victorious appearance at a local tournament. Mr. Bones was selected for inclusion into the African Horizons program at the 2002 Montreal World Film Festival. ~ Ryan Shriver, Rovi
- Starring:
- Leon Schuster, David Ramsey, (more)
The 1987 National Football League players' strike inspired this sports-themed comedy. The Washington Sentinels are one of the strongest teams in pro football -- until contract negotiations break down and the Sentinels go on strike. Determined to play the team's schedule, owner Edward O'Neil (Jack Warden) recruits a ragtag band of scab players, to be headed up and whipped into shape by the retired veteran coach Jimmy McGinty (Gene Hackman). At the top of the recruitment list is quarterback Shane Falco (Keanu Reeves), a promising athlete until a catastrophic defeat in the Sugar Bowl dashed his confidence. Joining Falco on the team are Clifford Franklin (Orlando Jones), a receiver who can't catch the ball; Nigel Gruff (Rhys Ifans), a chain-smoking Welsh soccer player; Bateman (Jon Favreau), a former cop with anger management problems; Fumiko (Ace Yonamine), a sumo wrestler new to football; and Wilkinson (Michael Jace), a convict on parole to the Sentinels. Can McGinty mold his new squad of misfits and no-hopers (who truly love the game) into a winning team? Brooke Langton plays Annabelle, head of the Sentinels' cheerleading squad (who has to contend with replacements of her own), and football commentators John Madden and Pat Summerall appear as themselves. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Keanu Reeves, Gene Hackman, (more)
Noted hip-hop producer DJ Pooh, who co-wrote the urban comedy Friday, makes his directorial debut with this comedy-drama. A young African-American man is enjoying his freedom after his second stretch in prison. Under the "three strikes and you're out" law, another brush with the police could mean life behind bars, so he's determined to stay out of trouble. He quickly learns, however, that trouble has a way of finding him, no matter where he goes. DJ Pooh also stars in 3 Strikes, alongside N'Bushe Wright and Brian Hooks. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Brian Hooks, N'Bushe Wright, (more)
Rapper/ actor Ice Cube directed this urban comedy-drama about African-American single mother Diana (Lisa Raye), who aims for a career as a broadcast journalist. To finance her education, she works as a stripper at the raucous Players Club, run by hustler Dollar Bill (Bernie Mac). When naive Ebony (Monica Calhoun), Diana's young cousin, also signs on at the club, Ronnie (Chrystale Wilson) attempts to lead Ebony into prostitution, creating conflicts, while club deejay Blue (Jamie Foxx) begins dating Diana. This film is Ice Cube's feature directorial debut; he also scripted and appears in a supporting role. ~ Bhob Stewart, Rovi
- Starring:
- LisaRaye, Bernie Mac, (more)
In this broad fish-out-of-water comedy, Nisi (Halle Berry) and Mickey (Natalie Desselle) are African-American women with two ambitions -- marry rich men who will give them lots of money, and open the world's first combination hair salon and soul food restaurant. However, eligible bachelors and business opportunities are in short supply in Decatur, Georgia, so when Nisi hears rapper Heavy D is auditioning dancers in Los Angeles for an upcoming video and concert tour, the pair hit the road for California. They fail the audition but are approached by a man named Antonio (Luigi Amodeo) with a business proposition. Antonio is the chauffeur for Mr. Blakemore (Martin Landau), a millionaire in poor health. As a young man, Mr. Blakemore was in love with a black maid who worked in his household; Antonio and Blakemore's nephew Isaac (Jonathan Fried) think Nisi bears a resemblance to the girl Blakemore once loved, so they offer her a hefty payment plus room and board to pose as the granddaughter of Blakemore's lost love. Nisi and Mickey believe that this ruse is intended to make Blakemore feel better, but in fact Isaac wants to get his hands on his uncle's fortune, and he hopes that Nisi's presence will make him easier to manipulate. Meanwhile, Nisi and Mickey look like a hurricane that hit a cut-rate clothing store, so manservant Manley (Ian Richardson) teaches them social graces and gives them advice on how to dress. In time, Manley and Mr. Blakemore become friends with Nisi and Mickey; the men learn to be less stuffy and enjoy life, while the ladies become more respectable. B.A.P.S. stands for "Black American Princesses." ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Halle Berry, Martin Landau, (more)
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