Paid in Full (2002)

I was looking forward to this film..the debut of one of the 3 geniuses of music video who released films this year...Michel Gondry (Human Nature), Kevin Bray (All About the Benjamins) and Charles Stone (Paid In Full). Stone's videos for Public Enemy (911 Is A Joke), The Roots (The Next Movement, You Got Me) and Living Colour (Elvis Is Dead, Funny Vibe) are some of the most vibrant, clever, adventurous and colorful promos to ever be seen, as well as his commercial work and other videos. The answer to why I was so disappointed in Paid In Full's averageness came when I realized that one of the producers was NYU hack Brett Ratner; famous for his generic hits such as Rush Hour as well as his proclamation that "I know what black people want" (in reference to filmmaking and attracting a black audience). Therefore Ratner probably used his clout to smother Stone's genius. The performances and story are fine but it could have been a TV movie. So I'll look for Stone's true genius when Drumline is released later this year.