3 Strikes

A hilarious movie, full of sexual themes and innuendo. The movie is centered around a community of African-Americans in LA, one of whom has been arrested for felonies twice, one away from a long jail term. Unfortunately, he gets picked up from jail by his "friend" in a stolen car. The strikes keep piling up! It's nothing that you wouldn't expect from a film of this kind. Just something to see on a Friday night.

I first watched this movie after it was released. I thought it was hilarious from the start & well thought out. If you enjoyed Friday, Next Friday or Friday After Next, you will love this movie. You have to have an open mind to watch this movie, as it is full of coarse language, drug use & sexual innuendos. Heaps of good r&b music to add to the overall feel of the movie. Brian Hooks stars as the hapless ex-con who is trying to make a clean break & avoid going to jail for life if he gets another strike, i.e. 3 strikes. He doesn't try too hard to stay out of trouble as it seems to find him at every turn & with the so-called friends he has, they will surely help him back to jail quickly. A few cameo appearances by famous actors such as Monique, hilarious as usual,George Wallace & Antonio Fargas. Overall the movie is a riot & the out-takes at the end are as funny as the movie. It was made to poke fun at the '3 strikes' ruling, so sit back & enjoy.

I would never have gone to see this movie, but the multiplex I was in got their films mixed up and started showing "3 Strikes" instead of the film I'd come to see, "Topsy Turvy" (which, BTW, I saw a few years later and found pretty boring). I lasted through about 20 minutes of this film before I walked out in disgust.

First of all, it simply isn't funny. But more importantly, I'll bet if this had been produced, written and direct by *white* men, there would have been massive protests against "3 Strikes" as representative of the worst kind of stereotyping of African-Americans. The Af-Am characters in this film are comprised of drug dealers, ex-cons, hookers and morons. I mean, I'm *white* and *I* was offended by the portrayals. Why the Al Sharptons and Jessie Jacksons of America didn't denounce this piece of cr*p is beyond me.

3 Strikes is a flick that had potential in terms of its main theme. But it sank into very low humor very quickly. There were aspects of 3 Strikes that merited further exploration...how the law affects families, and how many Blacks and other people of color are sent upstream disproportionately and unfairly. It was an opportunity to make a serious statement...and the opportunity was wasted. The trials and tribulations of one potential victim cannot speak for the whole. And...there is nothing funny about getting a third strike. It's the gateway to a life of hell...endless incarceration. This was a chance to "scare straight" some younger folks who might have been headed to the prison farm. Instead, the movie delivers a strictly ghetto-ish and highly comedic message that falls flat. Nothing is wrong with ghetto humor, but in this instance it was not used to full effect. The acting and the script could have been much tighter. I really wanted to like this movie...but around halfway through I was wishing it was over, and was somewhat ashamed to see some fine black talent nearly reduced to Minstrel show status...and there was no clear IN YOUR FACE message to stay out of jail and to stay away from the situations that can result in one...two...or three strikes. I hope someone picks up on the subject again and puts it in a somewhat more focused perspective.

I liked this movie. It was fun and enjoyable. I have watched it several times, and so have my kids. The soundtrack has some good beats & rhythm. I like it when movies show you some of the neighborhoods and surrounding areas while filming. It was amusing to watch and listen to the character Mike (played by rapper E-40). I had a "helluva" time just trying to understand what he was saying. The News Anchor with the thick glasses was funny to watch, as well as David Alan Grier.

Now don't get me wrong, the whole movie wasn't hilarious, but I did not find it unpleasant as some of the others described.

As for those who criticize, let's keep it in perspective - "different strokes for different folks". Remember, some of you think the Olsen Twins and Lindsay Lohan are entertaining! But maybe it's a cultural thing.