What About Your Friends: Weekend Getaway

This film was RIGHT ON. I was so impressed with the writing and the performance by all but especially Angell Conwell. Her acting is so real and believable. Every film or show she does she draws you into her character. Her acting range is from street to classy - she can play them all. The first thing I saw her in years ago was Sabrina The Teenage Witch and even with that small guest role she was an actress you remember. She should have her own show. But getting back to the movie - it was definitely a good movie of the week for UPN. They should make that a series. You can tell that Keshia has been out for a while but she was good and the other actress Monica was just a little over the top but believable as well, they made a good trio. My sister who's 16 cried, laughed and throughly enjoyed it. UPN needs more of that type of show. I'm suprised it's not a series, because that definitely made a good 1st showing.

I remember the hype surrounding this before it premiered on UPN. Part of the reason I watched it was due to Keshia Knight Pulliam's presence. I wanted to see little Rudy all grown up.

Of course, if you're expecting Rudy Huxtable, you'll be sorely disappointed. Keshia plays a very different character, the conflicted Temple, who goes along with her best friends Alex (Angell Conwell) and Breena (Monica McSwain) on a weekend college scholarship retreat. Here, the girls slowly but surely begin to learn how tough it is in college, which is no joke.

Keshia's role as Temple was pretty well done. The character's spaciness during some key moments was a little annoying but Keshia worked with what she had. Ironically, it's Angell Conwell as Alex that takes the cake as the street-smart, tough, and pretty girl in the trio. Monica McSwain plays Breena, though I'm not sure if it's her or her character that's a little emotionally over the top. But hey, I've known people like that.

Also part of the cast is Riley Weston, who plays Sydney, a girl that pretends and assimilates the over the top personality of the stereotypical "black girl from the hood" in order to fit in, which eventually puts her at odds with Alex. Alexis Fields is once again playing the Bad Girl and takes the role of Doreen, the personal nemesis of Temple.

This made-for-TV movie is pretty simplistic, teaches life lessons, is pretty light overall, and is something the whole family can sit down and enjoy. It is by no means a dramatic masterpiece, but it still gives you one of those feel-good moments near the end of the movie when each of the girls overcome their personal troubles and stick together as friends. This could have worked as a TV show. Perhaps even the successor to Moesha. No idea why UPN didn't convert it into a series, but at least it makes a good TV movie.

The only real reason I watched this hackneyed tripe was because I wanted to see if Rudy (Keishia Knight Pullium)from the Cosby Show could still act. I was surprised to find that the answer is,eh...sort of. What About Your Friends: Weekend Getaway is basically a modern day take on the 95' movie of the same name (minus the getaway), but this time Lisa from Saved by the Bell is not here to save it. Just like the original, three high school friends, one shy-one insecure-one thuggish, are approaching their graduation and are worrying about how they will pay for college. Luckily, this time around there is the "California Scholarship Retreat," where the girls are able to display their "talents" in order to win college scholarships. The overall quality of the movie is mediocre, which is all that can be excepted from it's lackluster cast and utterly predictable story line. But don't worry about the friends, everything turns out just fine.

I love the different roles of parenting that were portrayed. The various personalities in the friendship were awesome. Most of all I applauded the many issues that were presented in the movie: from peer pressure, family relations, to accountability and maturity. I would love to see this in a weekly episode. Our youth need more down to earth (real) - positive sitcoms/movies before their eyes. Great Job!!!!!

Okay, first off, I'm so relieved to find that this was one of those "ABC AfterSchool Movies" and wasn't like a 'real' movie, because it was awful. I mean, not awful enough to make you vomit or something cool like that, not ridiculous enough to laugh at it's myriad of shortcomings and not over-the-top enough to laugh with the performers just trying to have some fun.

But it is awful enough to lament despite the grace one might otherwise bestow on a proverbially bland 'made-for-tv' movie.

Sadly, the worst problem of the movie may be it's primary attraction (at first glance, anyway): former 'Cosby Show' child actor all-grown-up Keisha Knight Pulliam anchors this pathetic cinematic offering, but one co-star (Angell Cowell) is better looking and the other main co-star (Monica McSwain) dances circles around the other two in terms of performance.

My wife didn't like it and she normally loves this kind of thing..and I didn't care for it either.