It seems like there's a lot of Tyler Perrys out there. Just like Perry, writer-director David E. Talbert got his start doing plays that reflect urban culture and religious themes. Now he's trying to follow Perry by breaking into movies, and if his theatrical release debut is any indication, he's already got a leg up on the competition in that he doesn't lay down the melodrama as thick.
First Sunday has a lot of problems. It meanders and lags, when it should be spirited and uplifting. It may never quite get off the ground, but its not for lack of trying. The cast is spirited, and there is the rare mild chuckle scattered few and far between. At the very least, Talbert spares us the sight of seeing him dressed in drag and a fat suit. Can I get a hallelujah for that?
Life-long best friends, Durell (Ice Cube) and LeeJohn (Tracy Morgan), always seem to be in trouble with the law, and their latest scheme has landed them 5,000 hours of community service. Durell has even bigger problems at hand, as his ex-wife Omunique (Regina Hall) can't afford to live in Baltimore anymore, and is threatening to take their young son (C.J. Sanders) with her when she moves to Atlanta in a couple weeks. Not wanting to lose contact with the one thing that still matters to him anymore, Durell is desperate for money. That's why he agrees to LeeJohn's plan to rob a local church that is earning money for some much needed repairs. LeeJohn needs the money as well, as he's run afoul of some dangerous criminals who deal in underground wheelchair theft. (The way the movie treats wheelchair smugglers as a serious threat is funnier than just about any joke in the script.) The two men break into the church, only to find it's a lot more occupied than they would like. They're forced to stage a hostage situation, and before the night is done, they will both be forced to face the path that has brought them to this point and begin to question not just their recent action, but their lives.
First Sunday is a movie full of noble intentions and messages, but not a lot of common sense. It exists mainly to preach virtues, but at least unlike the heavy-handed approach of Perry, it takes its time before it gets to that point, and tries to actually tell a story. Maybe it takes a bit too much time, as it takes a good 40 minutes or so before the church actually becomes part of the plot. The movie spends too much time dealing with Durell's personal problems, and far too much time on deadly wheelchair smugglers, that it starts to test our patience. There's even a pointless stop at a massage parlor that exists simply to throw in some dated homophobic humor. The fact that Cube and Morgan don't have very good chemistry together doesn't help matters. They seem to struggle with Talbert's amateurish dialogue and humor. They at least put on game faces. Ice Cube is pretty much playing the same gruff exterior, but a softie at heart, guy he's played in many other films. He does the part well, but it's about time he learned to play a different character type. Tracy Morgan as the more dim-witted of the duo seems to exist mainly for comic relief, but most of his humor (which basically resorts to him acting like a man-child) falls flat. Cube's character at least seems to contribute to the plot and has scenes that have emotion. Morgan just seems to be here to set things in motion, and stand in the background.
It's not until the movie actually arrives at the church that things become a bit more tolerable, thanks to a lively and strong supporting cast including Chi McBride as the patient pastor, Katt Williams as the somewhat off-kilter choir director, and Malinda Williams as the strong-headed and beautiful daughter of the pastor. They tackle their roles with much more ambition than the two starring leads, and most of them come the closest to earning some genuine laughs, especially stand-up comic Katt Williams. I also smiled at the blind and deaf janitor who kept on interrupting scenes, completely oblivious to the hostage crisis going on around him. Though most of these characters do exist to deliver the film's message of forgiveness and finding religion, the screenplay gives them enough personality to make them not come across as completely preachy. They're not enough to save the movie or make it worth spending your money on, but they at least help liven things up. Maybe if the movie had gotten to these characters faster, I would have left with a slightly more positive impression.
First Sunday is far from a success, but I'll gladly take it over any of Perry's efforts. David E. Talbert can get comic energy out of his cast, he just needs to strengthen the screenplay and storytelling. His method of getting his message across could also be more subtle, but at least he doesn't fall back on cheap over the top melodramatics. In the end, the movie does little to truly offend, and will certainly reach its intended audience. You should already know wether or not you fall within that audience.
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It seems like there's a lot of Tyler Perrys out there. Just like Perry, writer-director David E. Talbert got his start doing plays that reflect urban culture and religious themes. Now he's trying to follow Perry by breaking into movies, and if his theatrical release debut is any indication, he's already got a leg up on the competition in that he doesn't lay down the melodrama as thick. First Sunday has a lot of problems. It meanders and lags, when it should be spirited and uplifting. It may never quite get off the ground, but its not for lack of trying. The cast is spirited, and there is the rare mild chuckle scattered few and far between. At the very least, Talbert spares us the sight of seeing him dressed in drag and a fat suit. Can I get a hallelujah for that?
Life-long best friends, Durell (Ice Cube) and LeeJohn (Tracy Morgan), always seem to be in trouble with the law, and their latest scheme has landed them 5,000 hours of community service. Durell has even bigger problems at hand, as his ex-wife Omunique (Regina Hall) can't afford to live in Baltimore anymore, and is threatening to take their young son (C.J. Sanders) with her when she moves to Atlanta in a couple weeks. Not wanting to lose contact with the one thing that still matters to him anymore, Durell is desperate for money. That's why he agrees to LeeJohn's plan to rob a local church that is earning money for some much needed repairs. LeeJohn needs the money as well, as he's run afoul of some dangerous criminals who deal in underground wheelchair theft. (The way the movie treats wheelchair smugglers as a serious threat is funnier than just about any joke in the script.) The two men break into the church, only to find it's a lot more occupied than they would like. They're forced to stage a hostage situation, and before the night is done, they will both be forced to face the path that has brought them to this point and begin to question not just their recent action, but their lives.
First Sunday is a movie full of noble intentions and messages, but not a lot of common sense. It exists mainly to preach virtues, but at least unlike the heavy-handed approach of Perry, it takes its time before it gets to that point, and tries to actually tell a story. Maybe it takes a bit too much time, as it takes a good 40 minutes or so before the church actually becomes part of the plot. The movie spends too much time dealing with Durell's personal problems, and far too much time on deadly wheelchair smugglers, that it starts to test our patience. There's even a pointless stop at a massage parlor that exists simply to throw in some dated homophobic humor. The fact that Cube and Morgan don't have very good chemistry together doesn't help matters. They seem to struggle with Talbert's amateurish dialogue and humor. They at least put on game faces. Ice Cube is pretty much playing the same gruff exterior, but a softie at heart, guy he's played in many other films. He does the part well, but it's about time he learned to play a different character type. Tracy Morgan as the more dim-witted of the duo seems to exist mainly for comic relief, but most of his humor (which basically resorts to him acting like a man-child) falls flat. Cube's character at least seems to contribute to the plot and has scenes that have emotion. Morgan just seems to be here to set things in motion, and stand in the background.
It's not until the movie actually arrives at the church that things become a bit more tolerable, thanks to a lively and strong supporting cast including Chi McBride as the patient pastor, Katt Williams as the somewhat off-kilter choir director, and Malinda Williams as the strong-headed and beautiful daughter of the pastor. They tackle their roles with much more ambition than the two starring leads, and most of them come the closest to earning some genuine laughs, especially stand-up comic Katt Williams. I also smiled at the blind and deaf janitor who kept on interrupting scenes, completely oblivious to the hostage crisis going on around him. Though most of these characters do exist to deliver the film's message of forgiveness and finding religion, the screenplay gives them enough personality to make them not come across as completely preachy. They're not enough to save the movie or make it worth spending your money on, but they at least help liven things up. Maybe if the movie had gotten to these characters faster, I would have left with a slightly more positive impression.
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