April 2002 For Da Love of Money

(Apr: Main Page * Features * Reviews * Gallery * Teen Current Issue * Archive

Reviewed by Wilson Morales For Da Love of Money Distributor: Urbanworld Films Director: Pierre Writer: Pierre Producers: Taj Lewis and Pee-Air Productions Executive Producers: Stacy Spikes & Peter Golden Cast: Pierre, Renaldo Rey, Sacha, Tanya Boyd, Maurice Patton & Sean Anderson What happens if you were able to win the lotto? As the public gets wind of this, it's only a matter of time before family members and friends come out of the woods asking for money. Any excuse would do. Money for rent, bills, or medical expenses would do the trick. Now if it wasn't the lotto that you won, and the money came from shady and criminal way, then you got problems; especially the same the family and friends still want a piece of the action. In FOR DA LOVE OF THE MONEY, writer-director-star Pierre manages to make a monotonous take of an interesting story. As low budgeted as it is, a few more dollars could have bought some laughs. Dre (Pierre) is single and living in the hood. Locals hang around the corner drinking and snapping on each other. On one day when a thief is being chased by the cops, he drops the money he stole from an armored truck in Dre's backyard. When the neighborhood gets word that Dre, unbeknownst to him, has some money, every Tom, Dick, and Harry comes crawling looking for a handout. Every woman from an ex-girlfriend to his very adult neighbor (Tanya Boyd) wants to give Dre a little something for some change. It's only matter of time before the thieves comeback looking for their loot and Dre gets wind as to what's going on. For a film that was made for less than $100,000, a lot of credit must be given to Pierre for getting it off the ground. At the same time, he could have given a lot more effort in polishing thescript. This is a cheap comedy that is crass and unoriginal. Many of the scenes start to feel repetitive and sitcom-like. With the exception of Pierre, who displays some wit and flair, the rest of the cast can't wrestle a smile from you. In time, with a lot more money and produced by studio, Pierre will come up with something more exciting, and more funny. In some ways, you can say that "For da love of money" means that you may get less, as you want more.