Allen Payne Movies
A twenty-seven year old professional basketball player about to sign a lucrative endorsement contract that will set him up for life sees his entire future begin to crumble by the greed of a woman he swears never to have met in a revealing study of the ultra-materialistic "playa" culture starring Allen Payne, Anthony "Treach" Criss, and Elise Neal. Cedrick Tinsley (Payne) has it all: a successful career on the court, a beautiful fiancée he is preparing to propose to, and enough cash to live life in style. As Cedric prepares to enter into an endorsement contract that could propel his career to the next level, a woman who claims to bear his child emerges from the woodwork intending to sue him for paternity. The only problem is that Cedric claims never to have even met the litigious woman currently threatening to bleed him dry. Now determined to keep his career on track and allow let the "playas" that be to drag him down, Cedric prepares to fight for his future in a world where money equals power and everyone is just trying to make a buck. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Allen Payne, Elise Neal, (more)
Director Je'Caryous Johnson adapts author Michael Baisden's best-selling novel exploring the African-American male perspective on fatherhood, gold-diggers, and interracial romance in this release of a stage performance starring Allen Payne, Richard Roundtree, Rhona Bennett, and Levell Crawford. As four lifelong friends attempt to navigate their way through life-altering decisions while fending off temptation and searching for love in the most unlikely of places, what emerges is an insightful snapshot of life in an era where love is fickle and materialism has replaced emotional fulfillment as the driving force in choosing a mate. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
A woman taking a long hard look at her life finds love along the way in this romantic drama. Fox Giovanni (Victoria Dillard) is a stockbroker who has focused on her career at the expense of her personal relationships and her ties to her family. Fox's high-stress lifestyle eventually leads to her to a near-fatal heart attack, and at the advice of her doctor, Fox travels to Slumber, North Carolina to visit her foster mother, one of the few people with whom she's ever been especially close. While resting up and trying to decide what she should do with her life, Fox meets Van Compton (Allen Payne), a good looking and charming man, and as sparks being to fly between them, Fox has to ask herself if she's willing to give up the life she's known for the right man. Produced for the BET cable network, Commitments also features Michael Greene and Fredo Starr. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
A handful of close friends, due to turn 30, discover that their dreams for the future are running headfirst into the realities of adulthood in this character-driven comedy-drama. Natalie (Melissa De Sousa) is a banker who is happy with her job, but is tired of being single, and her pursuit of a husband is taking her down several blind alleys in the world of dating. Joy (Erika Alexander) has developed a similar desire to settle down and get married, but while she has a long-term boyfriend, Leland (T.E. Russell), he isn't so sure he wants to make a lifetime commitment. Troy (Tracy Morgan) is a comic who has been on the verge of a career breakthrough for years, but he's started to wonder if his big break is ever going to arrive. Maleek (Allen Payne) is a white-collar executive who thinks life is passing him by, and is pondering giving up a stable career to start over as a male model. And Stephanie (Paula Jai Parker) is comfortable with her job in real estate, but she's not so comfortable with herself as she struggles with a weight problem she's had since childhood. 30 Years for Life marked the directorial debut for Vanessa Middleton, who previously distinguished herself as a television writer for such series as Cosby and Hangin' With Mr. Cooper. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Erika Alexander, Melissa DeSousa, (more)
Winner of the Grand Jury Prize for Best Director at the 2001 Urbanworld Film Festival, Blue Hill Avenue focuses on the rise of the drug trade in Boston, as seen through the eyes of three childhood friends. The time is the late '70s, and Tristan (Allen Payne), Money (Aaron D. Spears), E-Bone (William Johnson), and Simon (Michael Taliferro) are all high-school pals and petty thieves on the mean streets of the city's South Side. Their antics bring them to the attention of Benny (Clarence Williams III), a charismatic drug dealer who takes the four friends under his wing. The most straight-and-narrow of the bunch, Tristan manages to keep his nefarious trade under the radar of his parents. As the years pass, however, the dealers introduce crack to their line of narcotics, and Tristan's sense of guilt over his neighborhood's demise leads to an inevitable betrayal of Benny, followed by a grisly showdown. ~ Michael Hastings, Rovi
- Starring:
- Allen Payne, William Forsythe, (more)
In October 1991, a dying tropical hurricane from Bermuda collided with a cold front from the Great Lakes, resulting in a "perfect storm" of previously unknown destructive impact that resulted in 100-foot waves; tragically, the crew of a fishing boat was lost in the midst of the fearsome storm. Based on the best-selling book by Sebastian Junger, The Perfect Storm tells the story of the ship's brave and hard-working crew. Billy Tyne (George Clooney), captain of the Andrea Gail, hasn't had much luck finding catch on his most recent trips to sea, and with money short, he and his crew -- Bob Shatford (Mark Wahlberg), Dale Murphy (John C. Reilly), and David Sullivan (William Fichtner) set out again when they hear that the fish are running. Billy's hunch proves correct, but when the ship's refrigeration system goes haywire, they have to return to shore as quickly as possible before the fish spoil, sending them into the middle of the worst storm in history. The supporting cast includes Mary Elziabeth Mastrantonio, Diane Lane, Bob Gunton, and Karen Allen; Wolfgang Petersen, whose breakthrough film was the aquatic wartime drama Das Boot, directed. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg, (more)
Two generations of R&B superstars -- legendary Motown diva Diana Ross and teen hitmaker (and star of the TV series Moesha) Brandy -- share top billing in this made-for-TV drama about the troubled relationship between a mother and daughter. Olivia King (played by Diana Ross) is an aspiring vocalist who gives up her only child in the pursuit of her career. Years later, Olivia is a major star in pop music, and the daughter she left behind, Kayla (Brandy), is a gifted young singer on the rise. Can Olivia win back the daughter she left behind years ago, and can Kayla find it in her heart to forgive her mother? The supporting cast includes Allen Payne, Christine Ebersole and former Yo! MTV Raps host Ed Lover. Produced for ABC Television, Double Platinum was first aired in May of 1999, and was released on home video two months later. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Diana Ross, Brandy, (more)
Boaz Yakin (a Sundance winner for Fresh) wrote and directed this drama, set in Brooklyn's Orthodox Jewish community, about a young woman who harbors doubts about continuing to follow the path of her religion. Sonia (Renee Zellweger) gives birth to her first child. She wants to name the boy after her dead brother, but after an argument over the name, she resentfully defers to her husband, scholarly zaddik (holy man) Mendel (Glenn Fitzgerald). Both are apprehensive over the child's circumcision. Hasidic traditions dictate their life, including aspects of making love which leave Sonia sexually frustrated. This leads her into an affair with Mendel's older brother, the materialistic Sender (Christopher Eccleston), who offers her an opportunity to manage his neighborhood jewelry store. Against the wishes of Mendel, she accepts, displaying her flair for the jewelry business and establishing herself as a very good businesswoman. However, after she befriends sensitive Hispanic artist Ramon (Allen Payne), a sculptor and jewelry designer, she upsets everyone, especially Sender, who bars her from the store. Forbidden to see her child, Sonia begins a confused, downward spiral. Shown at the 1998 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, Rovi
- Starring:
- Renée Zellweger, Christopher Eccleston, (more)
Based on a true story, The Tuskegee Airmen chronicles the experiences of the first African-American fighter pilots in the U.S. Army Air Corps. Using Hannibal Lee (Laurence Fishburne) as a focal point, the movie follows the airmen from their initial training at Tuskegee, Alabama, through their combat assignments during World War II. Featuring fascinating vintage military planes and exciting air-combat footage, the film also depicts the racism encountered by the pilots. In one example, the airmen are forced to give their seats on a crowded train to German prisoners of war. Even after the airmen complete their training, the military brass is reluctant to trust them in battle. But First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt publicizes their plight by going to Tuskegee and having one of the African-American pilots take her for a plane ride, and shortly thereafter the airmen are assigned a combat role. Eventually they join with other African-American pilots in the 332nd Fighter Group where their skill in protecting bombers from enemy fighters finally earns them the respect they deserve. The screen story was co-authored by Robert Williams, one of the pilots trained at Tuskegee. ~ Rovi
- 1995
- R
Using relatively unknown actors, first-time screenwriter-director Preston A. Whitmore II examines the effects of the Vietnam War on four black Marines sent on a doomed prisoner-of-war rescue mission. The four men are what's left of a platoon that's been decimated after landing behind enemy lines. In charge is Sergeant Barkley (Joe Morton), a no-nonsense, Bible-quoting preacher who is leading three privates to find a POW camp in an abandoned temple. Cole Evans (Allen Payne) is an intellectual who is highly political, racially proud, and a devoted family man. Joe Brooks (Vonte Sweet) is a cheerful, naïve, and brave young soldier. Hoover Branche (Eddie Griffin) is a dope-smoking, foul-mouthed rebel who hates the war and fights the sergeant constantly. They eventually are joined by a crazy, bloodthirsty white soldier, Pippins (Roger Floyd). Flashbacks reveal why each character joined the Marines. Pippins entered the recruiting office to escape rival gang members who were trying to kill him. Brooks enlisted to impress his girlfriend. Branche signed up after being fired from a meat-packing plant for stealing a ham that he used as admission to a party where he wanted to woo a girl. Evans enlisted because bigoted real estate agents prevented him from buying a decent home for his family in L.A. -- he intended to become a Marine officer so that he can get free housing. ~ Michael Betzold, Rovi
- Starring:
- Allen Payne, Eddie Griffin, (more)
Comedian Eddie Murphy tried something different with this 1995 film that he produced and co-wrote, enlisting veteran horror director Wes Craven to give the story some chills. The uneven comedy-horror tale features Murphy as a vampire named Maximillian who arrives in Brooklyn on a ship full of people who have been brutally murdered. One of the corpses on board closely resembles that of Rita (Angela Bassett), one of the detectives assigned to the case. Maximillian targets Rita, hoping to get a dance with her that will bring her under his control. He enlists the help of a worker named Julius (Kadeem Hardison), biting his neck and turning him into a slowly decaying ghoul. Also seeking to romance Rita, though in a less sinister way, is her longtime detective partner Justice (Allen Payne). Maximillian uses his supernatural powers to interfere with the budding romance. Murphy also plays a preacher and an Italian gangster in this bizarre film. ~ Michael Betzold, Rovi
- Starring:
- Eddie Murphy, Angela Bassett, (more)
This drama, set in a gritty part of Houston's outskirts, pits brother against brother as the two men try to cope with their childhood family tragedy. Jason and Joshua are opposites. Jason, an ambitious young TV salesman, is the straight arrow. Joshua, an aimless coke-head and frequently jailed petty criminal, is the black sheep. Their father, Maddog was a bitter and maimed Vietnam vet with a penchant for battering his wife, Gloria. To protect herself and her sons from Maddog, she throws him out of the house. In the ensuing fight one of the brothers fatally shoots Maddog. Jason is in love with Lyric, a feisty waitress. As he courts her, his brother Josh plans a bank robbery with his gang. In the end both brothers must face their past and do so in a violent shoot-out. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Allen Payne, Jada Pinkett Smith, (more)
Comedian Chris Rock stars in this scattershot satire of rap music in the vein of This Is Spinal Tap. This film within a film begins with A. White (Chris Elliot) screening a rough cut of a documentary he has made of the notorious CB4 rap group -- consisting of group leader Albert, also know as MC Gusto (Chris Rock); Otis, also known as Stab Master Arson (Deezer D); and Euripides, also know as Dead Mike (Allen Payne). White charts the course of CB4's success, their superstar status a result of the fact that they are the only gangsta rap group who are, in fact, actual gangsters, coming direct from rap sheets to rap music. They are considered so bad that they even give rapper Ice-T pause: "I thought I was hardcore. But these guys are serious! What am I supposed to do now?" Unfortunately, at the height of their fame, their gangster pose is revealed to be a sham. Albert, Otis, and Euripides turn out to be a bunch of middle-class blacks striking a gangsta facade to look cool. But now they are in trouble. The real Gusto (Charlie Murphy), a neighborhood thug who went to prison on a drug bust, has broken out of jail and is coming for CB4. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi
- Starring:
- Chris Rock, Allen Payne, (more)
- 1992
Will (Will Smith), star player of the Bel-Air Prep basketball team, squares off against Marcus Stokes (Allen Payne), leading player on the Malibu Prep team. Both Will and his opponent are determined to win at all costs--but it means lot more to Marcus, a fellow "homeboy" who may very well lose an athletic scholarship if Bel-Air wins the game. Will Will do the wrong thing at the right time to help the other guy? A surprise ending caps this neat little lesson on values and priorities. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1992
While on a shopping excursion with her former babysitter Mrs. Whitaker (Leila Danette), Pam (Erika Alexander) is shocked to discover that the chain supermarket in Mrs. Whitaker's neighborhood charges higher prices for lower-quality items than the store owned by the same chain in the Huxtable's neighborhood.. After sharing her outrage with her friends Lance (Allen Payne) and Charmaine (Karen Malina White), Pam sets up a "penny plan" whereby Mrs. Whitaker and her friends can shop at the supermarket with the more reasonable prices. This strategy proves both rewarding and exhausting for Pam and her pals, who are now committed to shuttling the little old ladies back and forth--nonstop! ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1992
Now that she is a teenager, it is perhaps inevitable that Rudy (Keshia Knight Pulliam) is going through some rather dramatic mood swings--and that she now considers her parents to be the two most boring people on earth. Having been here before, Cliff (Bill Cosby) commits himself to getting rid of the "moody Rudy blues." Elsewhere, Sondra (Sandra LeBeauf) and Elvin (Geoffrey Owens) want to make her parents the twins' legal guardians in case of emergency, but Cliff and Clair (Phylicia Rashad) would rather shift the burden over to Theo (Malcolm-Jamal Warner)--who has his own ideas on the subject. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1992
In the conclusion of a three-part story, Whitley (Jasmine Guy) adamantly tries to convince everyone (especially herself) that she has fallen out of love with Dwayne (Kadeem Hardison), and IN love with handsome political candidate Byron Douglas (Joe Morton). Elsewhere, Ron (Darryl M. Bell) promises to give up his womanizing for the sake of Kim (Charnele Brown), or at least that's what he says. And Cosby Show regular Charmaine Brown (Karen Malina White) shows up at Hillman with plans of enrolling--and, possibly, breaking off her long-standing relationship with Lance Rodman (Allen Payne). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1991
Despite her less than stellar performance in high school, Pam (Erika Alexander) is determined to go to college. Both her friend Charmaine (Karen Malina White) and her guidance counselor Mr. Bostic (Richard Lawson) gently try to persuade Pam that her chances of being accepted by the same college that will take Charmaine are within the "slim to none" range, but our heroine is not about to be confused by the facts. Meanwhile, Cliff (Bill Cosby) suffers yet another home-repair mishap, while Olivia (Raven-Symone) is continually sidetracked from her school show-and-tell project. This is one of a handful of episodes in which none of the Huxtable children appear. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1991
In order to attend a "sixteen or over" club where rapper JT Freeze (Special Ed) is performing, Rudy (Keshia Knight Pulliam) and her friends persuade Cliff and Clair that they're actually going to a "cultural center." Once the truth is known, Lance (Allen Payne), Pam (Erika Alexander) and Charmaine (Karen Malina White) appoint themselves as Rudy's protectors, bound and determined to keep her from being hit upon by lecherous older males (aka "Old Heads"). To accomplish this, the terrific trio don a variety of bizarre disguises--with remarkable results. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
The ruthless leader of a New York City drug syndicate battles to maintain his power and avoid imprisonment in this fast-moving action drama. While the film's heroes are Scotty (Ice-T) and Nick (Judd Nelson), a pair of tough, streetwise cops, the main focus is their target, drug lord Nino Brown (Wesley Snipes). A criminal businessman with no room for pity or emotion, the flashy but severe Brown has built an empire and transformed an abandoned Harlem apartment building into a well-defended fortress. He begins to consider himself invincible, but his lust for power and the unpredictable actions of a former client turned police informer threaten to bring about his potential downfall. First-time director Mario Van Peebles keeps the traditional plot moving at an appropriately rapid pace, with stylish action sequences and energetic performances. The film's violence was somewhat controversial on its initial release, especially after shooting incidents marred showings in several theaters. However, the film's moral message is clearly anti-drug and anti-crime, its main intent to provide a high-powered, modern take on the gangster movie. ~ Judd Blaise, Rovi
- Starring:
- Wesley Snipes, Ice-T, (more)
- 1991
Pam (Erika Alexander) is working extremely hard in school, in hopes of attending college. Alas, her cynical boyfriend Slide (Mushond Lee) puts a damper on her plans by reminding her that she'll never be able to afford higher education. Upon hearing this, Pam's teacher Miss Hobbs (Shellye Broughton) surprisingly sides with Slide, agreeing that Pam really doesn't need college--and then itemizes the difficulties the girl will face if she tries entering the "real world" without a degree. Meanwhile, Cliff (Bill Cosby) braces himself for the inevitable moment that Pam will hit him up for a loan! ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1991
Olivia (Raven-Symone) comes down with a bad case of laryngitis just before she is to sing for her grandparents' 55th anniversary. When none of the family's exotic "home remedies" prove successful, Olivia retreats to her bedroom, refusing to attend the anniversary party because she feels she's let everyone down. At the last moment, Cliff (Bill Cosby) and Rudy (Keshia Knight Pulliam) come up with a solution to Olivia's plight--a solution involving a spirited lip-synch rendition of Koko Taylor's "I'm a Woman". ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1990
In the first episode of a two-part story (originally telecast as a single one-hour special), Slide (Mushond Lee) is pressuring Pam (Erika Alexander) to prove her love by having sex with him: "We both know how we feel about each other, now's the time we did something about it." In his efforts to prove that "everybody's doing it," Slide gets his friend Lance (Allen Payne) in hot water; it seems that Lance has been bragging about sleeping with his own girlfriend Charmaine (Karen Malina White)--which is news to her! Back at the Huxtable household, Cliff (Bill Cosby) and Clair (Phylicia Rashad) try to keep their cool while counseling Pam, but are unable to hide their shock and dismay when she asks permission to take birth-control pills. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1990
Erika Alexander joins the cast as Pam Tucker, the 17-year-old second cousin of Clair Huxtable (Phylicia Rashad). Hailing from a poor Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood, Pam is rather awestruck by the suburban poshness of the Huxtable household, where she will be staying while her mom is off caring for her sick grandmother. However, Pam is not used to having a curfew, and has trouble adjusting to this new limitation on her social life--especially when her boyfriend Slide (Mushond Lee) invites her to a party in the Bronx. In addition to Tucker and Lee, Allen Payne and Karen Malina White make their first series appearances as Pam's Bronx-dwelling friends Lance and Charmaine. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
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