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.
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