Next Day Air (2009)

Good story, Not enough for a whole film

good back-story, and good acting

To all those who have watched it: I hope you enjoyed it as much as I do.

Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

Brody (Mike Epps), Guch (Wood Harris) and Hassie are incompetent bank robbers. Leo (Donald Faison) is a weed-smoking incompetent delivery man who has to beg his mother to keep his job. He delivers a box to the wrong apartment. It turns out to be a box filled with bricks of cocaine. They try to sell them to cousin Shavoo and he promises to come back with the money. Meanwhile Jesus is trying to find his package and assumes that Leo stole it. Jesus and Chita track down the wrong delivery guy Eric (Yasiin Bey).Everybody is idiotic. Everybody is annoying. Everybody is arrogant. The problem is that I hate a lot of these characters. The biggest problem is Donald Faison because he is the most annoying of them all. He is the one character who shouldn't be the arrogant annoying idiot. He should be the innocent in the lot. The comedy comes from him getting caught up in a situation beyond his control. I want Leo to get killed in the most horrific way possible. Yasiin Bey would have been infinitely more likable as Leo. Mike Epps and Wood Harris are a fun duo. Their part is watchable but I hate most of the rest.

If this had not been played so broad, it could be a Sam Rami, A SIMPLE PLAN, or even a Cohen Bros. film, NO COUNTRY, or even FARGO! It even has a little Hitchcock in the script, but the acting is so very broad there is almost no other way to take it. It is a pretty good script that was taken specific way. Strange, I wouldn't mind seeing a remake same director, same actors, but a totally different take on the same material, and this time straight. Anyway I think the film is fun to watch because some of the actors are really good and the productions values are descent. You got to wonder if the studio as opposed the director had the last word on this one.

Hey what can I say I like stuff you don't have to think about! I was surprised how good this flick is; simple and well-paced with genuinely funny moments and actors. There is also some eye candy(as well as nose candy!) but hey, what do you expect from the film directing debut of the guy who makes videos for 50 Cent? It looks and feels like a Guy Richie movie so if you liked those you'll enjoy the 'American version' replete with slow motion shotgun blasted dude flying through the air in slow motion in the apartment. But if you think it's all about violence think again, this film is pure jokes and cameos(cassidy, mos def, debbie allen etc.)with lots of herb smoking and hard hip-hop backdrops. And besides, who hasn't fantasized about hog-tying and slapping the UPS guy? I know I have. Did I mention the dude from Family Matters is in it and totally kicks @##!?

I have seen "Lost In Transit" and I have seen this film (Next Day Air) in a screening and it is funny, face paced and well put together. I did notice the similarities to "Lost In Transit" with the gold watch and the employee's rough housing with the packages but I think that's all in the spirit of what we think shipping companies are doing with our stuff! "Lost In Transit" is more of a Satire film with over the top characters much like a cartoon or comic book that actually works for that particular comedy. "Next Day Air" seems to be a bit more real life or day in the life of the characters whereas "Lost In Transit" the characters are in their own word.