Joe Torry Movies

A Detroit pawn shop owner and his son incur the wrath of the city's most feared gangster in this comedy starring Garrett Morris, and featuring Reynaldo Rey. Rey (Morris) has been working in the same pan shop for nearly 30 years. In all that time, he's refused to let his adult son Mike (Foolish) become his own man. These days, Mike earns his keep working in the shop, where he's constantly bickering with his cheapskate dad and his eccentric co-worker Tony Cool Aide). But trouble starts to brew when someone swipes local thug Pierre's jewelry right out from under his nose, and police accuse Mike of dealing in stolen property. Now, with the law closing in on one side and Pierre (Joe Torry) looking for blood on the other, Mike is about to discover why doing the best thing isn't always the easiest thing. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Amidst claims that the African-American family unit is slowly deteriorating, filmmaker Leslie Small sets out to explore how the role of black women in the family has evolved as the population of black males continues to diminish. Inspired by the musical stage play of the same name, Small's film follows three women as they battle temptation and contend with their personal demons while waging a valiant battle to maintain happy, healthy relationships. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

The couple that slays together stays together in this satirical suspense comedy about a bored husband and wife who accidentally discover that they're natural born killers. Brian and Tanya Diggs have always been the timid couple that is too self-conscious to cut loose and have fun. When therapy fails and all the passion in their relationship withers away, Brian and Tanya become convinced that they are destined to lead a life of stale repetition. But one night, when Brian becomes locked into a confrontation that calls for him to kill or be killed, he is shocked to discover that he takes great pleasure in murder. When Brian confesses his murderous crime in Tanya, the mousy housewife isn't quite sure how to react. Soon Brian is feeling better than ever, and eager to kill again. But the second murder doesn't go quite as smooth as the first, and when it begins to look as if Brian will end up on the wrong end of the knife Tanya rushes to her husband's aid. Now having officially claimed her first victim, Tanya realizes that she too has a taste for killing. Now, as the newly invigorated couple embarks on a murderous mission to rid the world of the worst that society has to offer, they realize that there's no problem a few butchers knives and a screaming victim or two can't make right. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

The biggest franchise in comedy brings home the best stand up acts to hit the stage in a side splitting collection of clips that keeps the laughs coming. From larger than life Queen of Comedy Mo'Nique to the hilarious Bruce Bruce, Joe Torry and Original King of Comedy Cedric the Entertainer, this release offers all the laughs and entertainment of an all-star night at the comedy club at just a fraction of the price. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

A man is forced to deal with the dire consequences of his actions in this drama. Emery Simms (Shemar Moore) is a guy who seemingly has it all: a successful business, the respect of his friends, and a beautiful wife, Constance (Vivica A. Fox); however, beneath the surface not all is well in Emery's world. He's been cheating on his wife with a woman named Allannah (Golden Brooks), and he's become unwittingly involved in a murder. Between a talkative witness to the killing and Allannah's former boyfriend who holds a grudge, Emery sees his world is starting to fall apart now that he has trouble he can't solve by throwing around some money. Motives also features Joe Torry, Mel Jackson, and Keshia Knight Pulliam. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Roasting Emmitt Smith: Sha's All Star Comedy Roast 2 features the basketball big man and other famous sports and entertainment figures poking fun at the man who would retire from the NFL as the game's all-time leading rusher. Among the personalities who appear are comedians Dick Gregory and Jeff Ross, Smith's teammates Daryl Johnston and Michael Irvin, and sportscaster tuart Scott. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi

Some of the best known comedians on the entertainment scene today got their first big break on Russell Simmons' groundbreaking HBO series Def Comedy Jam, and this home video collects raw and uninhibited performances from top-shelf funnymen who've gone on to become headlines on TV and in the movies. Def Comedy Jam: More All Stars, Vol. 1 features sets by Martin Lawrence, Cedric the Entertainer, Joe Torry, Robin Montague, Bruce Bruce, and more. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

A prison drama centering on the travails of three friends unjustly imprisoned for a crime they didn't commit, Lockdown opens with Avery (Richard T. Jones), a talented young swimmer who desperately wants to free himself, his wife Krista (Melissa De Sousa), and their infant son from life in the projects of Albuquerque, NM. Avery's future seems bright when, after winning a regional swimming competition, he is approached by Charles Pierce (Bill Nunn), a talent scout who takes an interest in the young man's athletic promise. Unfortunately, Avery's dreams quickly disintegrate when he and his pals Cashmere (Gabriel Casseus) and Dre (De'Aundre Bonds) are pulled over by cops one night and framed for a robbery/murder they didn't commit. Faster than you can say "blatant miscarriage of justice," Avery, Cashmere, and Dre land in the slammer, where they are separated and forced to fend for themselves. Avery ends by getting a valuable prison education from his Ralph Ellison-quoting cellmate Malachi (Clifton Powell), while Cashmere quickly becomes part of the African-American gang network operating under the leadership of Clean Up (rapper Master P, whose No Limit Films produced the film). Dre, meanwhile, meets the worst fate of the three, resorting to heroin after he's gang-raped by a group of Nazi thugs. On the outside, Krista and Pierce work tirelessly to free the trio from prison. ~ Rebecca Flint Marx, Rovi

The recently demoted Dornan (Richard Gant) returns to the 15th in search of a stash of illegal weapons. This leads to a racial-political crisis, culminating in interdepartmental ill will and a gunshot wound for Lt. Fancy (James McDaniel). On another front, a mother positively identifies the body of her daughter, found in a ditch -- but this turns out to be part of an elaborate scam when the "dead" girl shows up very much alive. And, in her continuing efforts to console herself to Bobby Simone's death, Diane (Kim Delaney) pays a visit to Henry (Willie Garson), unofficial caretaker of Bobby's pigeons. Former recurring actor Bill Brochtrup becomes a regular in the role of gay Anti-Crime Unit assistant John Irvin. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

The trajectories of two opposing romantic relationships are fodder for this African-American screwball comedy from co-writer, star, and director Rusty Cundieff. Montel (Cundieff) and Clyde (Joe Torry) stars as friends who couldn't be less alike. An introverted photographer, Montel wants to meet the one right girl for him and settle down to build a family, while Clyde is a flamboyant womanizer just out for a good time. At a party, they meet Adina (Paula Jai Parker), a sexy golddigger seeking a wealthy husband with robotic determination, and her shy law clerk friend Brandy (Tisha Campbell). The couples pair off in predictable combinations, but while the brief encounter between Clyde and Adina quickly implodes when she discovers that Clyde's success is an act and his Porsche is borrowed, the relationship between Montel and Brandy blooms into a true romance. Eventually, they decide to marry, leaving Clyde and Adina to reunite in a selfish scheme to break their best friends up using whatever treacherous means they can employ. ~ Karl Williams, Rovi

After seven weeks of reruns and pre-emptions, ER resumed its third season on April 10, 1997, with a steady string of new episodes. In this one, Greene (Anthony Edwards) is accused of favoring a white patient over a black one when both teenagers arrive at the same time in the ER with gunshot wounds. Elsewhere, Jeanie (Gloria Reuben) discovers by accident that Carla (Lisa Nicole Carson) is pregnant with Benson's (Eriq La Salle) baby; Carol (Julianna Margulies) suspects that an 18-year-old patient was drugged and date-raped; and Carter (Noah Wyle) devotes his entire shift to a case that has already been written off as hopeless. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

When a blind homeless man abruptly regains his sight, Benton (Eriq La Salle) is hailed as a miracle worker -- and now dozens of other patients want to be anointed by "Saint Peter." Greene (Anthony Edwards) takes an important step toward getting his life back together during his treatment of 67-year-old rape victim. And Jeanie (Gloria Reuben) and Weaver (Laura Innes) temporarily bury the hatchet during a major crisis in one of their lives. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Though serving a prison sentence for using his computer to embezzle from an international corporation, Dodge (Stephen Baldwin) still thinks of himself as an ordinary criminal. His fellow convict, Piper (Lawrence Fishburne), whose basic decency leads him to protect Dodge from an assault by another prisoner, thinks the same. Neither Piper nor Dodge particularly like each other; matters are not improved when they are chained together. When a prison riot transforms into a break-out opportunity, they get to know one another better on the run, and neither is any too thrilled about it. The action soon grows fast and furious when they realize that they are not only on the run from the usual police authorities, but from several different kinds of police and a gang of mobsters, whom Dodge has unknowingly endangered. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi