Seriously, I can’t believe I am giving this film a good grade. The only reason I went to see it was so there would be a new review posted for this weekend. Never in a million years did I think they would finally get an Ice Cube comedy right, and while there are a few problems with the film and some of the performances, for the most part this flick is a lot of fun.
The film features Durell (Ice Cube) and LeeJohn (Tracy Morgan) as a couple of friends that have never managed to lose each other, be it thick or thin. Durell is the smart one of the two that has never really lived up to his potential after testing the highest out of his high school graduating class only to suffer run-ins with the law and now be out of a job. LeeJohn, however, is the loser hoodlum you think he is from word one. A series of misfortunes involving 10 tricked out wheelchairs and the threat that Durell’s baby mama is going to take his son to Atlanta set things in motion as the two plan on robbing a church of the $30,000 they need to get back on the right track.
Where First Sunday succeeds and other films like it don’t is in the fact that both Tracy Morgan and Ice Cube play to their strengths. With Cube we see a little bit of that hard edged character many of his fans have come to know and appreciate, and with Morgan we get … well… we get Tracy Morgan on full tilt and it is funny as hell because you are never quite sure if what he is saying makes any sense, but you find yourself laughing. Fans of “30 Rock” know what I am talking about and trust me, with this role he takes Tracy Jordan and multiplies it ten times over.
The majority of the film takes place inside the church where Chi McBride plays the role of the church father, Michael Beach plays the church treasurer, Deacon, and Malinda Williams plays a tasty little lady named Tianna. These are your straight players that help move the storyline, but inside the church the majority of the added laughs come from the sometimes off, sometimes on, Katt Williams whom I have never actually seen and only heard on the Howard Stern Show on occasion. Williams plays Rickey, the church choir leader, and he is as animated and chatty as you would expect. Sometimes his jokes hit and sometimes they miss, but for the most part he is a pleasant addition.
I feel I should also mention the inclusion of Keith David as Judge B. Bennet Galloway. David is typically some kick ass character in a film, but for some reason as a judge it seemed so out of place it worked in adding comedy and a sense of authority. Finally, just keep an eye out for the one word wizard, a wheelchair thieving thug intent on saying only a few words and it goes like this, “Gun. Shot. Bwah!” Hilarious.
First Sunday only fails in a meandering story toward the middle of the film. The film has a great opening and manages to wrap itself up well, but in the middle it struggles a little maintaining its foot hold, but since this is a comedy you should just look past that and have fun with it.
I am not saying you should rush out to see this film, but I am saying you won’t hate yourself if you do. I don’t think it is worth watching more than once so whether you catch it in theaters or on DVD I recommend you do one or the other if you are looking for a good laugh, because this one will supply just that.
