Don't Play Us Cheap

Wow what an odd film. This is one of those films that only a mother could love. And then 30 years later a whole new audience sees it. What may have looked too strange then can now be seen with new eyes. This movie is thick. The colors and aesthetic,the textures and flow are so different from other movies that if you watch it like you would another movie you might miss it. Watch this movie without any of your existing experience filters and let it present itself to you and then you might see the genius of it. That's all I have to say.

I started watching Don't Play Us Cheap and after just ten minutes I had to start fast forwarding. And even with that and occasional pauses along the way, there was nothing, and I mean nothing, that I found enjoyable or even engaging in this film's ninety minutes or so run time. The set I'll give them credit for creating a realistic, if somewhat stage like, setting of a Harlem apartment. Yet the plot, the cheap graphics, the bad acting and the awful - awful! - singing just made this film absolutely unwatchable. I don't know how some reviewers are giving Don't Play Us Cheap ten stars and nine stars, other than to say that even bad movies have their fans.

Some people will complain about the acting, as if it had hollywood budget for retakes and such, but that would be an idiotic thing to assume or even want in a play about two little devils wanting to crash and end a Saturday night party. The singing is top notch, the wtf moments are wonderful, and some of the shotty filming is most likely due to post production. I had fun watching it, and it does have replay value. Ester Rolle acting was good as you would expect, Jay Van Leer's voice will leave you in awe, Mabel king embracing her body shape, and George McCurn's Quitting time left me with chills. So impressed, I have spent the last 20-30 minutes deep diving online to find out more about this guy. I don't know how to explain it, but he makes me feel like he's someone we all know. I'm a grown man who hasn't cried more than twice in 25 years hold back tears(unsuccessfully) even though the song Quitting Time doesn't feel like a sad song. I rate it 10 because I felt like a 10 after watching it.

After months of this being listed as "long wait" on Netflix, I finally got the disc of this movie from them just today. It was the fact this was Melvin Van Peebles' follow-up to his hit Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song that got me wanting to watch this as well as the fact it was originally a stage musical he wrote. What a thrill to see future TV stars like Esther "Good Times" Rolle and Mabel "What's Happening?!" King here though my favorite of the singing cast was Joshie Armstead when she warbled "You Cut Up the Clothes in the Closet of My Dreams". All those songs and some of the loud dialogue can be exhausting but this was never boring, let me tell you! I was also thrilled to find out the musical director was Harold Wheeler who I know as the conductor of the band and singers on "Dancing with the Stars", at least he was until last season. So on that note, I recommend Don't Play Us Cheap.

If you enjoy avant-garde films and/or cult and/or low budget black (afro-american)comedy, then you are probably already a fan of Melvin Van Peebles. I love telling people about this film because it's so simple yet profound and a whole lot of fun! It feels like this film was originally a stage play cause it all takes place in one flat. The music is bluesy, gospel and folk and yes chile it's low budget, but that's the point. It's great to see black actors like Mabel King and Esther Rolle doing work that you can tell they actually enjoyed doing for a change!!!! Not only did Melvin Van Peebles write the script, but he also composed all of the music. With the exception of Esther Rolle the cast has great, soulful voices, but even the monotoned throaty voice of Rolle adds great character to the film. It's the rawness and honesty of this movie that makes it so great...Besides I'm sure Miss Rolle knows she can't sing!