Aside from Jim Carrey, none of "In Living Color"'s cast members have really made a mark on the big screen, which is fairly surprising given their considerable talent. Keenan Ivory Wayans ("A Low Down Dirty Shame"), Damon Wayans "Bulletproof"), David Alan Grier ("Boomerang") and Marlon and Shawn Wayans ("Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood") have all been featured in major unsuccessful motion pictures.
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Booty Call At Showcase |
Foxx and Davidson star as Bunz and Rushon, two friends with very little in common. Bunz is a boisterous, crude, irresponsible womanizer, while his pal is sensitive and refined.
Rushon has been dating a girl named Nikki (Tamala Jones) for seven weeks, and they are getting pretty serious. However, they have not slept together because Nikki wants to be sure that her man is committed. In an attempt to please his girlfriend, Rushon sets up her friend Lysterine (Vivica Fox) with Bunz, and all four of them go out together.
Although the double date starts off rocky, it quickly heats up, and soon Rushon and Nikki are ready to make love, while Bunz and Lysterine get set to do their thing. There's only one problem. The guys don't have any condoms, and the women have a "no glove, no love" policy. Finding protection turns out to be a little more complicated than Bunz and Rushon imagined, as the pair are willing to do just about anything to satisfy their dates.
The humor in "Booty Call" is derived from the men's tunnel vision in their willingness to jump through all of the necessary hoops to seduce Nikki and Lysterine. This premise is not very original, but the film takes the idea to absurd, amusing extremes.
To the movie's credit, the female characters are quite strong and up to the task of battling Bunz's and Rushon's raging egos and hormones. Despite what the males might think, it is obvious that Nikki and Lysterine are the ones in charge. Nikki has been able to make Rushon move at a pace that she's comfortable with, while Lysterine seems to be toying with Bunz, who is used to the more predatory role.
Still, Bunz and Rushon are the focus of the film, and Foxx and Davidson play the parts well and have excellent chemistry together. As the more obnoxious of the pair, Foxx perfects an unconventional delivery that reeks of sincerity no matter what he says or does. He also displays a wide variety of comic skills, including imitations, dry wit and physical humor.
As the straight man, Davidson exhibits a subtlety that is missing from any of his other performances (such as in "Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls"). By restraining himself throughout most of the film, the few instances where he does revert to the persona he developed on "In Living Color" become even more funny.
Given everything that "Booty Call" has going for it, the most disappointing aspect of the film is that it just does not generate consistent laughs. Although there are a few truly hilarious sequences, the movie, believe it or not, is not outrageous enough.
The film takes its insight on the relationships between men and women too seriously, causing "Booty Call" to go limp at times. Moreover, when the writers can't think of anything else funny for their characters to do or say, they resort to cheap racial and sexual stereotypes. The humor is not malicious, and is meant in good fun, but it still manages to be offensive.
Unfortunately, the dull intervals and the occasional tasteless characterization amount to suicide for "Booty Call." Sharper editing and a more thoughtful comic touch would have served the film and its actors better. Instead, Foxx and Davidson are forced to show off their skill in a movie that isn't worthy of their talents.
Vivica Fox, Jamie Foxx, Tamala Jones and Tommy Davidson all have mad sex in "Booty Call."