Two Can Play That Game (2001)

It was OK. I don't see why everyone loves it so much. It wasn't very smart or deep or well-directed.

The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

For me, I didn't see anyone or anything here but the delicious Gabrielle M. Union. It's not the idea that this movie is entirely not my taste, also it wasn't basically an entire movie for God's sake! I believe it was some TV flick, or TV 2 episodes with No attraction at all. Not to mention its stars as well. Suffice it to say the magical 2 names : (Morris Chestnut) and (Vivica A. Fox)…Feel the pain already ??!! Now here you are 2 leads that can play indeed (play Hell cleverly !). The first one is too unbearable like someone heavy setting happily on your chest, and the second just sucking out the remaining air in the same time ! Specifically whenever (Chestnut) is on-screen, in here or at any other work, I feel a waterfall of silliness bursts into my house to sink me and anyone watching! Did you see his photo on the movie's poster : DISASTROUS !Plus, this script wasn't as different as it wanted. The comedy was nonexistent or rather DEAD ! And the direction made it really tasteless. Actually the whole deal fails to make you interested (I left the movie at its first half hour then forced myself to rerun the rented videotape to complete it !). I hated the most a scene in which the classy businesswoman (played by Vivica A. Fox) walks at poor apartments and complains – to the screen ! – about how all the black people raise their voice in inappropriate way !?? Aside from Fox's too ridiculous, too provocative way at delivering those lines, I got extremely bugged out of this scene's message; I mean was it a gentle satire so the black people must keep their voices down (in their homes!?), or was it just a way to make clear how Arrogant character like Fox's is ?! To tell you the truth; for most of the time I felt that the movie's makers are the actual arrogant ones!Simply the success of (Waiting to Exhale) in (1995) launched a long series of black movies after (mostly romantic comedies or movies with social commentary) that deal with black people, having a cast of black actors. Few were good, and many were horrible. I don't need to clarify to what category (2 Can Play That Game) may belong ! These movies deal with the problems or the concerns of the American black community's middle or upper class ONLY. Perhaps as a late reaction to the way the black character always has been portrayed for years and years in Hollywood, or a way to make these movies in the contemporary Hollywood anyhow ?! So for a Blaxploitation fan this is maybe the closest you can get to The Anti-Blaxploitation ! Or maybe the most "white" black movie, and I do mean it in a bad way. My Love (Morris Chestnut) did another crime to humanity in the same year, from the same trend, named (The Brothers) which was like a manly version of (Waiting to Exhale) yet awful and unwatchable.Still the only watchable, amusing, and meaningful thing in this short dud is one hell of an intro for the SEXY Gabrielle Union walking unforgettably in tight outrageous red dress (she's the one who makes it outrageous I can tell you that !) while the dear camera is shooting her – in slow motion – from toes to head to observe how hot she is and how naked her navel too ! At that point I, of course with all the male viewers that got the chance to watch the movie on video; woke up, rejoiced, then pressed "rewind" to enjoy this rare moment again AND to assure that IT'S the same movie that I was watching ! Anyhow, Nothing of this heat wave continued, while Nothing of the whole movie eventually was as very good as it. Damn, even Gabrielle Union herself wasn't given fair screen time either ! All in all I think that one of the Board's messages, here on the IMDb, said it right : "Did anyone like this movie???" Enough commenting !

Is it me, or do the writers of some comedic shows and movies, try too hard to get a laugh? I found a lot of fault with this movie. Early in the movie, Shante says that if men acted right, women would give them all the love and respect they deserved. Please! Now we all know that this is not always true, on either side. A person could be as compassionate, considerate, loving, loyal, faithful and respectful as ever, and in return they get nothing but hate, disrespect, and a barrage of blows, physical, verbal and psychological.There is more stupidity throughout the film. There is the scene where her friend has a man who is cheating. This is where Shante advises women to plant an underwear somewhere and confront the man with this "evidence". Now, don't you think I ought to remember who I slept with last night, and what color underwear she was wearing? If she wore any at all? The fool in this movie falls for this "trick" and makes up a lie about the underwear being his sister's. That part was ridiculous.Now, are most men still this stupid? Are they still stupid enough to bring other women into their homes, which they may share with their wives or girlfriends? Have they not seen "How to be a player"? Did they not all learn that you do NOT bring the sidepiece to the home? Did they not learn that you have to be discreet? The fool apparently didn't.The other thing is, why confront me about something I didn't do? That whole part was pretty absurd, just like some women's habit of destroying property when a man does wrong.The only parts I enjoyed are when Keith starts playing some games of his own. Oh, and this disgusted me. Shante slept with Keith on the first night. Very slutty and tacky indeed.The movie makes Shante seem too full of herself. Does she really believe that her man would call her that many times after she breaks up with him? Does she really think that he would that depressed? Like Keith was in this movie?

Come On People, This movie was fun for me. I'm not for girlie movies but Vivica Fox happens to be one of my favourite Black Actresses and she "SHONE" in this simple but classy role!For the brothers out there dissing her, don't you wish you were the one slamming your girlfriend on your desk during lunch. She did what some smart women don't do, she planned and we(hate)her for being that smart.Hey the babe didn't want to lose and her boyfriend was beginning to cheat on her, when you've got it all like THAT!! what more do you need? like Shante says men are like dogs, "you need to leash them" and her boyfriend proves her right.Remember nice girls & boyz finish last.Shante went overboard in her planning but in real life, her boyfriend when they get back together would respect her for it!! All of us guys like a woman who knows what she is doing and who can work around us so all we really have to is bring home the bacon.Well! Wake Up Y'all!!!This movies sizzles with excellent chemistry, laidback humor and on the spot comic delivery.Fox, Chestnut and Anthony Anderson deliver standout performances !!! Not Oscar worthy but classic and enduring.I'll be watching this movie 10 years from now and still having a swell time. 7/10...

This movie had the potential to do something great, but failed. Vivica Fox was decent in her first starring role (was it a starring role?) as Shante. She is a great actress who doesn't get great roles (like most black actresses) but she put accurate effort into the character. The problem was that the movie relied too heavily on Shante's in-your-face-dialogue. And the game itself was a bit too farfetched. Of course women play games, but the lengths Shante went to just to teach Keith a lesson wasn't realistic. And is it just me or was practically everybody from The Brothers in this movie? (Morris Chestnut, Tamala Jones, Gabrielle Union). Good note - Monique was hilarious in her role as she should be. I did like this movie, but it would be nice to see a black movie that doesn't always rely on humor and battle of the sexes-type themes. What I would give to see a serious movie about African-Americans again. Another Soul Food-esque film would be excellent.