MO' MONEY (1992)

Directed By: Peter MacDonald 
Written By: Damon Wayans 
Cinematography By: Don Burgess 
Editor: Hubert de la Bouillerie 

 Cast: Damon Wayans, Marlon Wayans, John Diehl, Stacey Dash, Joe Santos, Harry Lennix, Salli Richardson, Jackie Hoffman, Bernie Mac

Trying to get his act together, a con artist gets a job in a credit card company. He falls in love with a fellow employee, he steals a couple of cards, everything is going great. But soon, the chief of security drags him into the big leagues of criminals...

I remember seeing this film in he theater about 3 times. The last two times I discovered why. It's not that funny. It has plenty of set-up's to be funny, but doesn't follow through on them.

The first time I saw this, I went with the crowd and laughed where i was supposed to, but each time after that the crowd ate it up, but I didn't. I enjoyed seeing the audience enjoy themselves. I just began to wonder if I was on a different wavelength or maybe I saw it enough to know what To expect as it was more of a disposable film. It's more meant to watch once enjoy and forget.

Bernie Mac's film debut.

The film' stone also after a certain point becomes serious and violent. Not in a lite way like the way the tone of the film has been for the most part. That make the violence seem a little too cruel.

The film did introduce Marlon Wayans and he makes a good hilarious debut. Kadeem Hardison was the original choice to play Seymour Stewart. Damon Wayans revealed on The Arsenio Hall Show that his mother told him to cast his younger brother Marlon Wayans. The film rode on the success of Damon Wayans being the breakout star from IN LIVING COLOUR. He also co-wrote the film. He can be very funny and I think here was a honest attempt being made for him to become a leading man, unfortunately it didn't work-out that way. Which maybe who nowadays the Wayans clan all make their films together directing, co-writing and producing each other's projects.

Damon Wayans even looks either too comfortable or bored as the film relies heavily on the audiences knowledge of his career on IN LIVING COLOR.

This is a energetic movie that moves quickly, before it makes you. Ache and shows it's scars.

The film has a good memorable soundtrack. That is what I remember most from he film. It had a bit single with the Janet Jackson and Luther Vandross duet THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE ARE FREE. I even bought he soundtrack right after I saw the film can't say I still lists to it that often but represents a time period of music to a degree.

This film is the equivalent of fast food enjoyable while your watching it and passing the time, but once your done. Not very memorable there is nothing really to sink your teeth into here, because of that feeling films like these are usually put on networks on the weekends because it will take 2 or 3 of them to get your fill and feel like you actually spent your time on something worth while and not wasted your time.

The film does have a good jamming new jack swing soundtrack that bring back memories as makes the film a bit more bearable. Though doesn't make the film memorable. At least not in a great way.

It's a film purely of it's time that is meant more to create situations for the comedic talent involved rather the. For the film-making and plot. The title and movie seemed to be inspired more from a saying that was used on the show Damon Wayans used to be a cast member on IN LIVING COLOUR

The plot line here is Damon Wayans plays, A con man who is guilted into going straight and once he does falls in love, but has to compete for her. To romance her he makes him return to his old ways for money in cahoots with the corrupt security chief of the credit card company he works at. When he wants tiger out of the whole situation, he learns it's not that easy.

The story leaves Wayans with plenty of room to play his con's that feel like run off it unused skit ideas.

Though strangely the film takes a turn that does match up to the story though is strange for the genre when it becomes more of a thriller during it's third act and has little to no comedy until it's final minutes.

 Grade: C-