I was definitely looking forward to this movie, which is not hard to imagine for a John Singleton movie, especially with the cast its got. I love Mark Wahlburg, and couldn't wait to see Andre Benjamin's big screen debut, bla, bla, bla, BUT what a total disappointment! Actually those two were good, Tyrese too, but the story and dialogue were weak at best. I spent most of the movie wondering why people were doing what they were doing, why I should care about these thinly drawn, backgroundless and insubstantial characters, and who wrote that weak and chiche' dialogue that started out bad, oversimplified, and patronizing, and stayed that way. I kept wanting it to get better, and that was all that kept me from walking out before it was over.
This movie is sloppy...for example...
The opening scene in the store, does anyone find the mother's scolding words to the shoplifter believable at all? As if he'd be in there stealing one Tootsie Roll! What kid from Detroit that age would be duped by that "I'm on hold with the police" act? Why do they continue to allude to the youngest brother's "bad things in his past" but never resolve it. And for that matter they make it seem like it was some sort of sexual abuse but the guy is comfortable enough to shower in the open bathroom with people walking in and out? And if all four of them were such "lost causes" and "bad kids" and whatnot, don't they all have big issues in their pasts, why just make us aware of the one and none of the others? Where did the gun go when Tyrese goes to the cop's house, he answers the door with a gun behind his back and then when they get into the fight, he never even raises the hand where the gun is. Why? Where did it go? At the end when they're on the frozen river, driving on fresh snow in one shot and then following multiple car tracks in the next. AND when they're all standing around and the camera goes to a wide shot, WHY do you see all of those rectangular melted spots in the ice where there were obviously other vehicles parked. (production vehicles perhaps?) WHY SO THOUGHTLESS AND SLOPPY from such an otherwise quality filmmaker?
This movie is sloppy...for example...
The opening scene in the store, does anyone find the mother's scolding words to the shoplifter believable at all? As if he'd be in there stealing one Tootsie Roll! What kid from Detroit that age would be duped by that "I'm on hold with the police" act? Why do they continue to allude to the youngest brother's "bad things in his past" but never resolve it. And for that matter they make it seem like it was some sort of sexual abuse but the guy is comfortable enough to shower in the open bathroom with people walking in and out? And if all four of them were such "lost causes" and "bad kids" and whatnot, don't they all have big issues in their pasts, why just make us aware of the one and none of the others? Where did the gun go when Tyrese goes to the cop's house, he answers the door with a gun behind his back and then when they get into the fight, he never even raises the hand where the gun is. Why? Where did it go? At the end when they're on the frozen river, driving on fresh snow in one shot and then following multiple car tracks in the next. AND when they're all standing around and the camera goes to a wide shot, WHY do you see all of those rectangular melted spots in the ice where there were obviously other vehicles parked. (production vehicles perhaps?) WHY SO THOUGHTLESS AND SLOPPY from such an otherwise quality filmmaker?