The Cookout (2004)

Don't Believe the Hype

This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

This film is so real. It treats its characters with so much care and sensitivity.

There are moments in this movie where the great movie it could've been peek out... They're fleeting, here, but they're worth savoring, and they happen often enough to make it worth your while.

Generally I always try to look for the best in everything, but this is just one of those movies that have absolutely no redeeming qualities. It doesn't even have a plot, they just make a bunch of repulsive stereotypes attend a barbecue and hope somewhere along the line something funny will happen. Because you know, some of them contrast, the manual said that would be funny. When that fails, they make Danny Glover wear a rapper outfit, which is embarrassing on so many levels. Occasionally the movie also takes a break from being painfully unfunny and becomes painfully moralising. The only problem is, these morals are really messed-up. Apparently our main character (played by some guy) dreads the visit of his childhood friend Becky, but when it turns out she's grown up to be hot (well, actually she's grown up to be rapper Eve, but close enough) he marries her. Now that's a guy you can build on, at least until you get your first wrinkle. This movie is just highly unpleasant to watch.

I once read that if you want to watch a movie and just to be entertained, then take your brain out and relax. I thought this movie would fit into this category. When I first saw the trailers, and bits and pieces of the movie I thought it was worth watching. So I did. To be honest I was disappointed.With all of the big names like Danny Glover, Farrah Fawcett, Jenifer Lewis, Queen Latifah, and Frankie Faison to name a few, I had thought this would be great. At best I felt the movie was slow and the lines delivered as if they were being read.As for the morality of the movie, one could argue it set the tone for being responsible about money. But I also saw a contradiction in moral and racial issues. The first issue is the smoking of marijuana. To see a "judge", Danny Glover smoking it, what does this say about the real world? The movie played on the fears of predominately white segregated, walled communities. At least that part was true.The third item was in regards to the black male and white female role in an interracial marriage. Why in the end was everyone happy to see Danny Glover (Judge Crowley) dominate his white wife, Farrah Fawcett (Mrs. Crowley), yet Frankie Faison (JoJo Anderson) is submissive to his wife Jenifer Lewis (Lady Em)? Does this mean that all black men in an interracial marriage should be "Master and Commander?" Does this state that black men marry outside of their race because the black woman is too strong and dominant? Does this mean that all white females become submissive when dominated by a black man? I don't think so as I am in an interracial marriage and took offense to those messages.With the above aside, I took my brain out and tried to just be entertained. I laughed through a few parts, and the rest of the plot I could see through. Would I see it again? Maybe.I had expected more with all of the big names and maybe this is the problem.

This movie was a disgrace. It was racist towards more than just black people. I mean, seriously, I'm black and I have never seen a black mama behave the way the character was portrayed. She was always going off at the mouth and nothing she said was believable or fully in character. I really just wanted to jump out of my seat and dropkick the screen by the time the cliché "homosexual" chefs made their "dramatic exit". But instead I settled for launching into conversation with my nearest neighbor. All of the white characters were unbelievable, the father was a disgrace, and the entire movie was just pitiful.And I've never been to a cookout where they served chitterlings. It's too dang on hot in the summer to be eating chitterlings or collard greens. I did rather enjoy Queen Latifah though, even in a ridiculously written role she was believable and hilarious. She made it worth my while.

i saw it the first night, for queen's first movie (that she produced) it was OK but i know her talent from previous movies and it could have been better. but i think that the main focus she was going for that family should always stick together. no matter how rich or poor you are your family will always be there for you. don't every let anyone or anything make you change for the worse. money isn't everything, it can't play you happiness. that you find with those you love and those who love you back for you and nothing else. like the character's best friend who always watch his games. his girlfriend was only in it for the money like most females are but his best friend was there before it all started and she loved him for just him.