Chocolate City

I was both surprised and happy to see 'Chocolate City' name drop 'Magic Mike' right off the bat. It was a smart move because you know it was the direct comparison viewers were gonna make. This tale aptly takes place in Atlanta and of course features the African American side to male strippers. A formula plot, but with likable characters & delivers the visuals females will enjoy.

Michael (Robert Ri'chard) has a partial scholarship to college, minimum wage job, attends church and a family strapped for cash. A chance meeting with Princeton (Michael Jai White) lands him a job that of course turns out to be stripping. Michael in shape and a good dancer takes to the money as he plays a balancing act of secrecy from both his mom (Vivica A. Fox) and girlfriend Carmen (Imani Hakim).

Notable cast includes Carmen Electra as the club DJ, singer Ginuwine & male model Tyson Beckford as fellow strippers while writer/director Jean-Claude La Marre plays the local church pastor. It's really Ri'chard's likability and the screen presence of White that stood out for me in rehashed drama. You have to accept how quickly Michael's reluctance for this line of work goes away. Then the speed at which he becomes a star and lies to everyone around him.

The rest offers no surprises. Failing school grades. A concerned mother wondering where all the money is coming from. A barely developed feud with an a-hole stripper. A girlfriend who finds out the truth and the fallout. I'm obviously not the right demographic, but for a dtv flick about male strippers this could have been 10X worse.

This movie was complete, utter, crap! I hate when movies are advertised, and sold, on the sex appeal. Yet, when you watch the film, it feels like you're watching the God damn Disney Channel. There was practically NO NUDITY! what so ever in Chocolate City. Which really frustrates me (if you couldn't tell). Because in all the advertisements for this freaking movie there were tag-lines like: "Better than Magic Mike" "Come see the real magic" BLAH BLAH BLAH!

This movie was supposed to be better than Magic Mike? I think not. Both films had shitty plot lines, shitty actors (except for few), but at least Magic Mike had nudity! Every actor in Magic Mike got nude. MULTIPLE TIMES.

In Chocolate City? Well, only Tyson Beckford got naked-for a fraction of a millisecond. Like, God damn, I saw Tyson more nude on his freaking Instagram. Ugh, I am so angry! This movie is like 50 Shades of Grey; sold on the sex appeal, but doesn't deliver. And Chocolate City actually had real-life strippers stripping in the movie. Yet, they don't get naked either? What in the actual hell! You can Google these strippers and see more nudity than what was shown in this damn movie. NONE!

And it's not like I was looking for porn when I went to see Chocolate City. I was just looking for what the advertisements promised: magic. Yet, I got a Sesame Street take on Magic Mike? Yawn....

I figure the greedy Director is saving all the good shots for the DVD (which, honestly, I'll buy, but I won't be happy about it). This movie just doesn't seem finished. And I, literally, wanted to blow my brains out trying to get through the corny church scenes. Sweet baby Jesus!

With movies like this, I can put up with all the shortcomings, IF there is a payoff. There was none. And I want my money back!

People, just wait for the unrated DVD. I'm sure that'll be better.

Was this supposed to be a parody? I have it 2/10 only for their hot bodies. Might have gotten more if they'd shown their junk.

This film tells the story of a young man in college, who lives with his mother and elder brother. They go completely broke, and hence he chooses to make some quick money by exotic dancing in a club for the ladies.

The plot is very predictable and thin, but it's OK because people watch "Chocolate City" for something other than the plot. One thing that it does well is the portrayal of interpersonal relationships, especially the mother and son relationship, and the relationship with the girlfriend. The tension and competition between dancers get portrayed nicely as well. I enjoyed watching the dancing and listening to the songs. I think "Chocolate City" is entertaining.

I usually don't post, but before I bought the movie I read reviews, and they were scathing. They condemned this movie to hell, but it wasn't that bad.

I try to support African American and Indie films, and I have seen some bad ones... like really bad. I think it was a happy medium for those who want to watch independent films, but aren't extremely raunchy. I feel like they were still trying to catch some of the AA church patrons who buy indie films and help blow up Tyler Perry, so there is only so far that they could go. I like Robert Ri'chard as an actor, I think he did an excellent job. In my opinion, the script was predictable, but so is everything else now days. When was the last original horror film, and isn't everything coming out a remake or sequel just about. If you want to see black actors, who you otherwise don't get to see regularly in major motion pictures or on television, tell a familiar story with some music you can groove to while grinding their super sexy bodies, this will do it. No, it is not a major Hollywood production. Yes, it made me smile. Yes, it made me chuckle a little, and hell yes it made me want to go grab my man.

The movie was 3.99 on amazon to watch, I spend more than that on a burger. Why not support the AA movie movement and have a little fun in the process?

I just wanted to write to show some love for the work that these people did.