Review of In The Mix

Introduction

Usher is a huge name in the world of music. Selling over 30 million records and winning 5 Grammy awards, there`s not much to touch him musically. Acting is a slightly different game though and this 2005 film that`s just getting a DVD release here highlights just why.

Darrell Williams (Usher) is an aspiring DJ with a dream of running his own record label called Ultimate Records with his partner and co-DJ is Busta (Kevin Hart). Hanging around with them is Frankie Junior (Anthony Fazio), an Italian Ali G-type character, son of a mob boss but with aspirations of being street. Frankie Junior and Darrell go back a ways, as does Frankie`s sister Dolly (Emmanuelle Chriqui). SO how did Darrell, Frankie Junior and Dolly grow up together? Well, it turns out that Darrell`s dad used to be the barman in Frank`s club and gave Frank (Chazz Palminteri) a lot of support when his wife died.

Anyways, seeing as they all get along so well, Frank asks Darrell to DJ at the surprise birthday party that he`s throwing for Dolly at said club. What isn`t counted on though is that someone tries to rub out Frank, who is saved by the clear and instant thinking of Darrell who throws himself in front of the bullet meant for Frank despite the nearby presence of three `family guys` in Fish (Robert Davi), Fat Tony (Robert Costanzo) and the cold Jackie (Matt Gerard).

Jackie instantly thinks that local rival Salvatore (Nick Mancuso) is behind the attempted hit, something the other mob boss denies. Frank is suitably worried to try to put a bodyguard on his daughter, something she tries to resist. As a compromise, she agrees to take Darrell on as her bodyguard, partly because she thinks he`ll help her by disappearing, reminding her father that he`s already taken a bullet for her.

The private lives of both Darrell and Dolly are a bit chaotic, with Darrell being chased by materialistic Cherise (K.D Aubert) and Dolly being pushed to marry the rather dull lawyer Chad (Geoff Stults). Despite this, the two are drawn closer together as they get to understand how the other thinks by being exposed to their lives and the clash between the Italian and black worlds is on…

Video

Modern clear and warm soft picture in a 1.78:1 aspect ratio, family friendly definitely.

Audio

Dolby Digital 5.1 mix that only really works when the music kicks in. What does surprise me is that there appears to be no Usher music on the soundtrack. Not that I`d necessarily recognise any, just that none is listed. Subtitled as well, but with mistakes.

Features

Deleted Scenes - not subtle, not missed.

Usher: Singer, Dancer, Actor

Beyond Black and White: Bridging the Gaps

25 Days and Not A Minute More

The Maestros

All four of the above featurettes are typical EPK stuff that lasts on average for five minutes or so. One is Usher (oddly enough), one is about the differences between the Italian and Black worlds, one about the extremely short shooting schedule and the last is about the main Italian actors. None are that great, but short enough for those with ADD.

Conclusion

Oh goody, another `fish out of water` type movie but this time with gangsters instead of Camelot as with Black Knight (Martin Lawrence) and A Knight In Camelot (Whoopi Goldberg). OK, it`s not quite the same thing as there`s no time travel involved but it`s just as funny. A more realistic comparison might well be Mickey Blue Eyes (Hugh Grant), but that was posh English bloke meets the Wise Guys instead of smooth black bloke meets the mob.

This film bombed by all accounts and is at 33 in iMDB`s worst 100 films, which might explain why it`s taken so long to release it. It`s not that bad, but then that also doesn`t mean it`s that great either. Usher is not that bad an actor really, and the style of this whole thing kind of reminds me of any number of TV sitcom`s brought to the world by the Wayans brothers. I`m also assuming that Chazz Palminteri, Robert Davi and Robert Constanzo had nothing better to do during the 25 days it took to shoot this, as this film is so far beneath them it`s unreal.

Still it is what it is. Clearly designed to be very family friendly, although it has conflicting messages regarding guns, the script is quite weak as I had already mapped out 90% of the story within the first 20 minutes. It`s definitely not one for anyone with a penchant for gangster films, it`s way too light hearted and stereotypical for that. However, same as my mum really loved Mickey Blue Eyes, I`m guessing my 19 year old daughter would probably love this.

It`s a generational thing, so I`ll just go find something else to watch…