Boxoffice-January.2000

'
REVIEWS
THICKER THAN WATER
• ••
Starring: Mack 10, Fat Joe,
CJ Mack, MC Eiltt, Kidada
Jones and Tomya Bowden.
Directed by Richard Cummings
Jr. Written by Ernest Nyle
Brown. Produced by Dairy/ Taja
and Andrew Shack. A Palm
is lengths not to glorify thug far more interested in Oscar
life.
Having rappers and hip hop as a "safe" chaperon for his
artists from the west artist
and east
mistress Amy Post (Neve
coasts working together gives Campbell) than as an architect,
audiences a double dose of a humiliating exercise to which
unity and lets them see both Oscar nonetheless agrees out of
sides of the coin and, in the end, loyalty to Peter. Naturally.
receive the messages the film Oscar winds up falling hopelessly
in love with Amy and finds
is
trying to get across to those in
similar situations. One lesson himself forced to confront the
is
that when drugs and big money age-old dilemma of choosing
are involved, there is no loyalty. between love and money.
The central theme, however, While "Three to Tango" is
is
that one should take care of hardly spectacular, it is nevertheless
pleasantly diverting and
business at home, because blood
is thicker than water. Not every-
consistently entertaining, quickly
finding its footing after some
one is given a second chance,
and it is what DJ and Lonzo do
with theirs that makes this film
worthwhile. Dwaync E. Leslie
THREE TO TANGO * • •
Stalling Matthew Perry, Neve
Campbell, Dyltui McDermott and
Oliver Piatt. Directed by Damon
guage. Running time: 98 min.
A calculated and surprisingly
70 (R-9) BOXOFF1CE
Much like the Kevin Kline
comedy "In and Out," "Three to
Tango" centers on the comedic
travails of a heterosexual man
whose life is turned upsidedown
after an innocent misunderstanding
gives way to the
rumor that he is gay. Unlike "In
and Out," however, the woebegone
hero of "Three to
release. Drama. Rated R for
strong violence and drug content,
Tango"—skittish architect Oscar
nonstop language and some nudity.
Running time: 90 min. no doubts as to his sexuality. He
Novak (Matthew Perry)—has
is This urban drama centers
irreversibly and unapologetically
straight. Unfortunately,
around two gangs in the midst of
a turf war who call a truce
correcting the misunderstanding
in
order to pool resources to make risks jeopardizing a multi-million
dollar contract that he and
"big bank"' (lots of money). As
long the drug money keeps coming
in. all is well with collaboraner
Peter Steinberg (Oliver Piatt)
his genuinely gay business parttors
DJ (Mack 10) and Lonzo have fought hard to secure. As it
(Fat Joe)—that is, until a variety
turns out, their would-be
of rivals plot against patron—egotistical them.
tycoon Charles
This film goes to great Newman (Dylan McDermott)
initial expository clumsiness.
And though many of its components
borrow liberally from
other films (most notably
"Tootsie"), it strays from formula
often enough to engender
a unique charm of its own.
Debut director Damon
Santostefano. Written by Rodney Santostefano delivers a restrained
Vaccaro and Aline Brosh McKenna. and workmanlike product, wisely
Produced by Bobby S'ewmyer, allowing his performers to take
Jeffrey Silver and Bettina Sofia
center stage and do precisely what
Mviano. A Warner Bros, release. audiences expect them to do.
Romantic Comedy. Rated PG-13 Perry, of course, is the real draw
for sex-related situations and lan-
here, doing little more than a variation
on his "Friends" persona.
Chandler, whose own ambiguous
original romantic comedy featuring
three of television's most similar jibes on the show. Here, at
sexuality has been the subject of
popular performers, "Three to
least. Perry has the chance to
Tango" is an endearing, engaging prove the cinematic viability of
farce that bodes well for these
the persona, a task which he
small-screen stars looking to manages more successfully than
translate the power of their personae
to the bigscreen.
in the little-seen "Fools Rush
In." Wade Major
Review Digest
Genre key: (Ac) Action: (Ad) Adx 'ure; (Ani) Animated;
C) Comedy; IDi Drama; (Doc) Docu ntary; (F) Fantasy; (Hor)
Horror I Mi Musical; (My) Mystery; ( R) Romance; (Sat) Satire;
SFi Science Fiction; I Sus) Suspense; ( Fh) Thriller, ( W) Western.
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IB
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