David E. Talbert makes his directorial debut with this comedy about Durell (Ice Cube) and LeeJohn (Tracy Morgan), childhood friends with a knack for getting into trouble. Despite his continual bad decisions, Durell gets one thing right: he's a good father to his adolescent son. When he learns that the boy's mother, his ex-girlfriend, Omunique (Regina Hall), needs $17,000 to buy her beauty shop or she'll leave Baltimore and move to Atlanta, he's determined to get her the money to keep his son in his life. Meanwhile, LeeJohn needs big money fast to pay off some bad guys. Durell and LeeJohn decide that the collection plate of their local church holds the answer to their money woes. But their attempt to rob the church is foiled in progress: the money is already missing, and the would-be burglars didn't realize there would be people at the church. Finding themselves with a group of parishioners and choir members at their mercy, Durell and LeeJohn have to make some decisions about exactly what kind of men they want to be.
FIRST SUNDAY also makes a statement about the role of the church in urban areas and its importance within the community. Keith David is Deacon Randy, who has grandiose plans for moving the church to a "less urban" neighborhood. Chi McBride stars as Pastor Mitchell, and Malinda Williams is his strong-willed daughter, Tianna, who wants First Hope Community Church to stay right where it is and expand its services. Loretta Devine is Sister Doris, the parish secretary and foster mother with a heart of gold. Ice Cube and Morgan have good rapport as the bickering buddies, with Morgan's silliness providing loads of comic relief, but Katt Williams is the scene-stealer as Rickey, the flamboyant choir director with something to say about everything and everyone.
UMD Features:
Anamorphic Widescreen - 1.85
Audio:
Dolby Digital 5.1 - English, French
Subtitles - English, French - Optional
Distributor Notes: Ice Cube and Tracy Morgan are two thieves who haven't got a prayer in FIRST SUNDAY, a sinfully, funny comedy co-starring Katt Williams and Chi McBride. Sentenced to 5,000 hours of community service, Durell Jefferson's (Cube) life quickly goes from bad to worse. Realizing that the Lord helps those who help themselves, he eventually decides to help himself to the neighborhood church's building fund. Accompanied by his dimwitted partner-in-crime LeeJohn (Morgan), the two down-on-their-luck men are dismayed to discover the cash has already been stolen, so they hold the congregation hostage in a Hail Mary attempt to learn who amongst the righteous has already run away with their loot! Also starring Tiffany New York Pollard, Rickey Smiley, Loretta Devine and Malinda Williams.
Source: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Stars
Ice Cube: Rapper, Actor, Director
Katt Williams:
Tracy Morgan: Comedian, SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE
Loretta Devine: Actress
Michael Beach: Supporting Actor
Keith David: American character actor/voice actor, PITCH BLACK/SPAWN
Regina Hall: Actress
Malinda Williams: Actress/"Laurel Avenue"
Chi McBride: Television actor, PUSHING DAISIES
Director
David E. Talbert: Director, MR. RIGHT NOW
Producer
David E. Talbert: Director, MR. RIGHT NOW
David McIlvain: Producer
Tim Story: Director, FANTASTIC FOUR (2005)
Ice Cube: Rapper, Actor, Director
Matt Alvarez: Producer
Screenwriter
David E. Talbert: Director, MR. RIGHT NOW
Composer
Stanley Clarke: Composer
Executive Producer
Julie Yorn: ANIMAL FACTORY
Executive Producer
Neil A. Machlis: PRODUCER/EXECUTIVE
Executive Producer
Stacy Kolker Cramer: Executive producer
Director of Photography
Alan Caso:
Review 1:
"There's something endearing about these characters....Talbert has done something unexpected and unusual: He's made a nearly violence-free, pointedly hopeful movie that actually touches on a few of the big issues facing American cities."
Source: Los Angeles Times
01/11/2008
Review 2:
"[The film] fuses social observation and raucous, clean humor with a message of redemption."
Source: New York Times
01/10/2008