Dennis Keefer Movies
R&B star Usher Raymond plays his first starring role in this story which blends crime with romantic comedy. Darrell (Usher Raymond) is a successful club DJ who one night unexpectedly rescues a woman from a dangerous situation. It turns out the woman in question is the wife of Frank Pacelli (Chazz Palminteri), one of New York City's most powerful mobsters. To show his appreciation, Pacelli gives Darrell a job -- serving as bodyguard for this beautiful daughter, Dolly (Emmanuelle Chriqui). A short-lived romance blooms between Darrell and Dolly, but it isn't long before the couple are quarreling, which makes Pacelli more than a bit unhappy with his new hire. However, Pacelli also has a mob war and a disloyal and ambitious young lieutenant to deal with, and Darrell soon finds Pacelli's problems become his problems too. Also starring Kevin Hart and Robert Davi, In the Mix was produced under the title Dying for Dolly. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Usher Raymond, Emmanuelle Chriqui, (more)
Tim Allen and Chiwetel Ejiofor co-star in writer/director David Mamet's martial arts drama Redbelt. Ejiofor plays Mike Terry, a jujitsu master who co-runs a very modest martial arts studio in Los Angeles with his bossy wife, Sondra (Alice Braga). Mike demonstrates an unwavering commitment to his craft and draws a cadre of defiantly loyal pupils including Joe (Max Martini), an LAPD cop. All told, it appears that he has chosen a peaceful and conflict-free path in life. The dedicated martial artist's fate takes an unanticipated turn, however, one evening when a young woman named Laura (Emily Mortimer) bursts into the academy in a state of near hysteria, and reaches for a policeman's gun when he tries to restrain her. One thing leads to another, and before long, Laura is regularly receiving martial arts lessons from Mike. As master begins to teach pupil and his martial arts philosophies emerge, his path also crisscrosses with that of a Hollywood movie star, Chet Frank (Tim Allen), when he saves the fellow from a beating at a local club and gets invited (along with Sondra) to Chet's house for dinner. Chet extends gestures of friendship, and Mike's guard breaks down; he speaks openly and candidly of a special martial arts method he employs that requires one of the participants to "assume a handicap." In time, the association with Chet leads to involvement in the motion-picture industry, and relations with a bevy of characters who aren't exactly what they seem -- including a pay-per-view fight mogul (Ricky Jay) and Chet's slimy and manipulative manager (Joe Mantegna). ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Chiwetel Ejiofor, Emily Mortimer, (more)
