All About the Benjamins (2002)

Though it may appear as a Friday style film, All About the Benjamins is far from the comedy franchise as possible. Instead of being a slacker, buddy comedy, it's an action cop film similar to 48 Hours or Beverly Hills Cop. It isn't necessarily bad, but it takes a path I didn't expect. How could you blame me for mistaking it was a straight forward comedy? It's in a four pack that includes all Ice Cube movies, and it stars Mike Epps as well. The same characters that portrayed Craig and Dey Dey are in a movie that is included in a Friday four pack. Can't be that far off.Sadly, it takes the path and cliché of every cop movie out there. There's explosions, swearing, two friends, etc. It gets old very fast. There's not much new or fresh utilized here. If there is a low six star movie rating, this is the one. It's not a five star film, but it's not a seven or eight star film. It's kind of tilting on the edge.Bucum (Cube) is a bounty hunter who's goal is to get money to open his own investigation firm. Reggie (Epps) is a con artist that somehow escaped Bucum's clutches three times. After winning big on the lottery, but losing the ticket in the back of a van with diamonds thieves, Bucum and Reggie have no choice but to work together to get the thieves and retrieve the lottery ticket so Reggie can claim his riches.It reminds me of a film I watched not too long ago called Lottery Ticket that also stars Cube, about a young man trying to survive a weekend with a $370 million lottery ticket the whole neighborhood is aware of. The only difference is the ticket never leaves the man's possession. In this one they need to get it back.The film has frequent chases and action moments, but I find them unappealing and just a little much. I would have liked less of the over exaggerated, played out action sequences and more of the witty dialog. Ice Cube and Mike Epps made a great duo in Next Friday and Friday After Next, and had numerous dialog scenes in the film that were utterly hilarious and clever. This film relies too much on action movie clichés, and a drawn out plot. You know they'll retrieve the ticket, and most likely fight towards the end. The suspense is none.You may say it's my fault for comparing the film too much to Friday, but I'm not analyzing the film based on my first impression. I'm grading on behalf of the film's plot, characters action scenes, and suspense. The film had everyone of those in decent context. But so decent they were forgettable.Starring: Ice Cube, Mike Epps, Eva Mendes, Tommy Flanagan, Carmen Chaplin, Valarie Rae Miller, Roger Guenveur Smith, and Anthony Michael Hall. Directed by: Kevin Bray.

I enjoyed this film about a bounty hunter (Ice T) who chases a con man who keeps eluding him. When the con man wins the mega lottery and then loses his ticket (in the boat of a nasty villain) he tries to enlist the aid of Ice T to get it back. Unfortunately for him, Ice T does not believe him about the ticket and is not only interested in collecting the bounty for the con man and also recovering several million in diamonds that a bad guy has.Eventually, Ice T starts to believe the con man and they somewhat work together but Ice T maintains a short leash on him until he can beat the villain and get the diamonds.There are some really hilarious scenes and both Ice T and the con man put in excellent performances.An overlooked gem that is as good as any of the Lethal Weapon films!

Ice Cube is entertaining in this movie. There was nothing original about the plot, but the 2 main characters do keep your interests. And the title refers to money, as in $100 bills. It's all about the Benjamins (Franklin). Ice Cube is a bounty hunter out to get his man for some money, while the guy he's after just won the lottery. Only problem is he lost his wallet that had the winning ticket. To get it back, they have to deal with diamond thieves. One of the funnier scenes is in the beginning when Ice Cube uses a shock gun on a guy in a place you wouldn't want it to be used! FINAL VERDICT: I thought it was OK. I recommend it you are wanting to see some light hearted action comedy.

yep, that was one loud yawn. in this horrid little piece of celluoid i can see the beginning of a new generation of blaxploitation movies. only instead of people with huge afros going on about "jive turkeys" we hear from people with cornrows (Ice Cube's wearing really bad extentions in this flop) bouncing around saying things like "bling bling" and it's well..."all about the bengamins". looking for a plot are you? why would this movie need one, it had money, flashy cars, flashy apartments, flashy slang, flashy women (only acessories of course), sports endourcements, guns guns and more guns, that guy cicero from gladiator, and rap stars out the ying yang. mike epps once again plays the loud mouth "brotha" from the streets who's a con man...suprised. his "antics" get so annoying by the end of the movie you have to fight yourself to keep from throwing your television out the window. i'm suprised that a movie about nothing more than deep unfettered avarice could be taken very seriously. there was some schlock about a lotto ticket and diamonds but who really cares, pass this one up and go read a book instead.