First Sunday
Encyclopedia
First Sunday is a 2008 American comedy film
from Screen Gems
, written, produced and directed by David E. Talbert
, and is his first feature film.
) and LeeJohn (Tracy Morgan
) in Baltimore, Maryland, who are best friends and bumbling petty criminals. At the beginning of the film the two have just began working in a store that repairs electronic goods and the manager is impressed by Durell's skillful ability to fix things. LeeJohn gets both men fired when he attempts to steal a TV from the store. Durrel attempts to find another honest job but no one he asks is willing to hire him and he has stated a criminal record on his application form. LeeJohn gets them a one-off job for a local criminal or con man Blahka who will pay them $2000. While attempting to deliver the ten stolen wheelchairs worth $1200 each, they lose the merchandise in a police chase. They are sentenced to 5000 hours of community services. Then they are told they have 24 hours to pay $12,000 to cover the loss or they will be shot dead. Simultaneously, Durell's son will move to Atlanta unless he gives his ex some money to pay her lease. First they try to get a loan from a guy named Mordecai at a massage parlor. LeeJohn goes to get a massage first but is scared away when his massuse is Mordecai (a man). They come up with a desperate scheme to rob their neighborhood church. Instead, they are forced to deal with much more than they bargained for.
When they try to steal the money they find that the money has already been stolen. Enraged they both hold the church hostage until the money turns up. Durell then goes to fix the broken air conditioner while LeeJohn watches over the hostages. He expresses his sadness, and is comforted by Sister Doris.
Meanwhile, Durell and Tianna go to fix the air conditioner. After an awkward conversation, they finally get the air going, and Durell orders everyone back to the lobby. Then the blind, deaf janitor finds the missing money. Durell receives a phone call from his son, which he is ashamed to answer. Momma T then asks for Durell's purpose for what he is doing. Durell answers that he is doing it for his son. Momma T then says that Durell is doing it for himself, as he is blaming everyone but the person responsible, himself.
He says that he will not lose his son and leaves the money. Unfortunately, cops have surrounded the church, blocking their way out. The pastor tells them to escape out the back, which leads to a chase which gets the two of them caught. At the trial, which the entire church is attending, The Deacon says that they have been accused of stealing 64,000 dollars. Although the amount of said money collected was half of what the Deacon claimed was stolen, which puts the deacon at question. Since none of the people stand when witnesses are called, the case is dropped. He goes back to Omunique's apartment where he is confronted by the men who gave them the wheelchairs.
After he explains his situation, the two men allow him to go and get his son. Omunique opens the door yelling at Durell asking him where did the money come from. The money was left at her doorstep and Durell tells her it was a gift and to please don't take his son away. Saying his son is all he has. she tells him that yes we will stay. In the end LeeJohn and Durrel appear much happier and it is implied Durrel is closer to his ex-wife and son while LeeJohn remains close to Doris and Timothy.
The remaining money is used to restore the community and Tianna is seen painting a community centre.
reported that the film has received 14% positive reviews, based on 73 reviews. Metacritic
reported the film had an average score of 41 out of 100, based on 21 reviews.
, with $17,714,821 with an average of $8,004 from 2,213 theaters. When First Sunday closed on February 24, 2008, the film has grossed $37,931,869 from the North American box office and $844,216 in the foreign box office adding to $38,776,085 worldwide. It grossed more than $100,000 in only four regions outside of the United States, including South Africa
($189,960), the United Kingdom
and Ireland
($152,372), Kuwait
($129,332) and the United Arab Emirates
($101,412).
The film was released on DVD May 6, 2008. It will also be released on Blu-ray, UMD
and will have an "Exclusive Edition" with a CD at Walmart.
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
from Screen Gems
Screen Gems
Screen Gems is an American movie production company and subsidiary company of Sony Pictures Entertainment's Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group that has served several different purposes for its parent companies over the decades since its incorporation....
, written, produced and directed by David E. Talbert
David E. Talbert
David E. Talbert is an American playwright.. Talbert is a graduate of Morgan State University and attended the New York University film program....
, and is his first feature film.
Synopsis
The film follows Durell (Ice CubeIce Cube
O'Shea Jackson , better known by his stage name Ice Cube, is an American rapper and actor. He began his career as a member of the hip-hop group C.I.A. and later joined the rap group N.W.A. After leaving N.W.A in December 1989, he built a successful solo career in music, and also as a writer,...
) and LeeJohn (Tracy Morgan
Tracy Morgan
Tracy Morgan is an American comedian who is best known for his eight seasons as a cast member on Saturday Night Live and currently known for playing the role of Tracy Jordan on the NBC series 30 Rock.-Early life:...
) in Baltimore, Maryland, who are best friends and bumbling petty criminals. At the beginning of the film the two have just began working in a store that repairs electronic goods and the manager is impressed by Durell's skillful ability to fix things. LeeJohn gets both men fired when he attempts to steal a TV from the store. Durrel attempts to find another honest job but no one he asks is willing to hire him and he has stated a criminal record on his application form. LeeJohn gets them a one-off job for a local criminal or con man Blahka who will pay them $2000. While attempting to deliver the ten stolen wheelchairs worth $1200 each, they lose the merchandise in a police chase. They are sentenced to 5000 hours of community services. Then they are told they have 24 hours to pay $12,000 to cover the loss or they will be shot dead. Simultaneously, Durell's son will move to Atlanta unless he gives his ex some money to pay her lease. First they try to get a loan from a guy named Mordecai at a massage parlor. LeeJohn goes to get a massage first but is scared away when his massuse is Mordecai (a man). They come up with a desperate scheme to rob their neighborhood church. Instead, they are forced to deal with much more than they bargained for.
When they try to steal the money they find that the money has already been stolen. Enraged they both hold the church hostage until the money turns up. Durell then goes to fix the broken air conditioner while LeeJohn watches over the hostages. He expresses his sadness, and is comforted by Sister Doris.
Meanwhile, Durell and Tianna go to fix the air conditioner. After an awkward conversation, they finally get the air going, and Durell orders everyone back to the lobby. Then the blind, deaf janitor finds the missing money. Durell receives a phone call from his son, which he is ashamed to answer. Momma T then asks for Durell's purpose for what he is doing. Durell answers that he is doing it for his son. Momma T then says that Durell is doing it for himself, as he is blaming everyone but the person responsible, himself.
He says that he will not lose his son and leaves the money. Unfortunately, cops have surrounded the church, blocking their way out. The pastor tells them to escape out the back, which leads to a chase which gets the two of them caught. At the trial, which the entire church is attending, The Deacon says that they have been accused of stealing 64,000 dollars. Although the amount of said money collected was half of what the Deacon claimed was stolen, which puts the deacon at question. Since none of the people stand when witnesses are called, the case is dropped. He goes back to Omunique's apartment where he is confronted by the men who gave them the wheelchairs.
After he explains his situation, the two men allow him to go and get his son. Omunique opens the door yelling at Durell asking him where did the money come from. The money was left at her doorstep and Durell tells her it was a gift and to please don't take his son away. Saying his son is all he has. she tells him that yes we will stay. In the end LeeJohn and Durrel appear much happier and it is implied Durrel is closer to his ex-wife and son while LeeJohn remains close to Doris and Timothy.
The remaining money is used to restore the community and Tianna is seen painting a community centre.
Cast
- Ice CubeIce CubeO'Shea Jackson , better known by his stage name Ice Cube, is an American rapper and actor. He began his career as a member of the hip-hop group C.I.A. and later joined the rap group N.W.A. After leaving N.W.A in December 1989, he built a successful solo career in music, and also as a writer,...
as Durell - Katt WilliamsKatt WilliamsMicah S. Katt Williams is a U.S. comedian, rapper, and actor. He is best known for his role as Money Mike in Friday After Next...
as Rickey - Tracy MorganTracy MorganTracy Morgan is an American comedian who is best known for his eight seasons as a cast member on Saturday Night Live and currently known for playing the role of Tracy Jordan on the NBC series 30 Rock.-Early life:...
as LeeJohn - Loretta DevineLoretta DevineLoretta Devine is an American stage, film and television actress known for her roles on Boston Public, Grey's Anatomy, and Eli Stone. She also provided her voice for the stop motion animated television series The PJs. Devine is a NAACP Image Award and Emmy award winning actress.-Early life:Devine...
as Sister Doris - Michael BeachMichael Beach-Biography:Beach was born in Roxbury, Massachusetts, of Cape Verdean descent. He attended the prestigious Noble & Greenough School in Dedham, Massachusetts on scholarship from ABC . He was introduced to acting when he was sidelined by a lacrosse injury during high school by a classmate...
as the Deacon - Keith DavidKeith DavidKeith David Williams , better known as Keith David, is an American film, television, voice actor, and singer. He is perhaps most known for his live-action roles in such films as Crash, There's Something About Mary, Barbershop and Men at Work...
as Judge B. Bennet Galloway - Regina HallRegina HallRegina Hall is an American film and television actress known for her lead role of Brenda Meeks in the Scary Movie films and as Corretta Lipp in the FOX comedy-drama Ally McBeal.-Personal life:...
as Omunique - Retta as Roberta
- Malinda Williams as Tianna
- Chi McBrideChi McBrideKenneth "Chi" McBride is an American actor. He starred as Steven Harper on the series Boston Public, as Emerson Cod on Pushing Daisies, and recently appeared in Fox's drama Human Target.-Early life:...
as Pastor Arthur Mitchell - Clifton PowellClifton Powell-Movie career:Powell is known for playing the role of Pinky in the 2000 comedy film, Next Friday and its 2002 sequel, Friday After Next. Powell stars also in the Indie thriller Chain Letter.In 2009 he played "Bowman" in the film Just Another Day...
as Officer Eddie King - Nicholas TurturroNicholas TurturroNicholas Turturro, Jr. is an American film, television and prolific on-stage character actor, perhaps best known for his role as James Martinez, on NYPD Blue from 1993 to 2000.-Early life:...
as Officer D'Agostino - Olivia ColeOlivia ColeOlivia Cole is an American actress.-Biography:Cole was born in Memphis, Tennessee, the daughter of Arvelia and William Cole. She was the first African-American actress to be nominated for and subsequently win an Emmy Award...
as Momma T - C. J. Sanders as Durell Jr.
- Rickey SmileyRickey SmileyRickey Smiley is a standup comedian, television host, actor, and radio personality best known for his prank phone calls. The calls feature Smiley disguising his voice and carrying on a conversation with the recipient of the call....
as Bernice Jenkins - Arjay SmithArjay SmithArjay L. Smith is an American actor. He is perhaps best known for his teenage role portraying the titular character of the Nickelodeon children's television series, The Journey of Allen Strange. Most recently, he portrayed terrorist Laurent Dubaku during Season 7 of the Fox thriller/drama 24...
as Preston - P. J. ByrneP. J. ByrnePaul Jeffrey "P. J." Byrne is an American television actor, most known for his recurring role of Irv Smiff Sachs on the sitcom The Game....
as Assistant D.A. - Paul Campbell as Blahka
- Tiffany PollardTiffany PollardTiffany Pollard is an American reality television personality and actress. She is best known as New York and for her participation in VH1's Flavor of Love and I Love New York television series. Pollard was given the nickname by rapper Flavor Flav, whom she dated on both season 1 and season 2 of...
as Omunique's Client
Critical reception
The film received negative reviews from critics. As of February 19, 2008, the review aggregator Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
reported that the film has received 14% positive reviews, based on 73 reviews. Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
reported the film had an average score of 41 out of 100, based on 21 reviews.
Box office
The film opened at #2 at the box office, behind The Bucket ListThe Bucket List
The Bucket List is a 2007 comedy-drama film directed by Rob Reiner, written by Justin Zackham, and starring Academy Award-winners Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman...
, with $17,714,821 with an average of $8,004 from 2,213 theaters. When First Sunday closed on February 24, 2008, the film has grossed $37,931,869 from the North American box office and $844,216 in the foreign box office adding to $38,776,085 worldwide. It grossed more than $100,000 in only four regions outside of the United States, including South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
($189,960), the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
($152,372), Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
($129,332) and the United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
($101,412).
Releases
It was released January 11, 2008 in the United States and Canada and was released throughout Europe in April 2008.The film was released on DVD May 6, 2008. It will also be released on Blu-ray, UMD
Universal Media Disc
The Universal Media Disc is an optical disc medium developed by Sony for use on their PlayStation Portable handheld gaming and multimedia platform...
and will have an "Exclusive Edition" with a CD at Walmart.