Life in the ghetto: dangerous pranks and the pursuit of dreams In not so long ago, when our country was not yet bombarded with vulgar films, scruffy sketch shows and other Camedi, but took part in the political attraction Vote or Lose, an ordinary Russian viewer became acquainted with the “black” American comedy. “Don’t threaten the southern central, drinking juice in your neighborhood” is not only a movie with a kilometer name, but also a kind of propaganda of a new type of humor: parody, and also authored by black guys. Thousands of Russian teenagers met the Wayans acting family, but unlike many of my peers, I already knew Marlon, one of the main actors of South Central. A few years before the release of this famous comedy, another product of the gifted dynasty - "Money, money, more money" (in the translation of Alexei Mikhalev, this name is rooted). This is a much less well-known movie, but, dare I say it, no less fascinating than the jagged “South Central”.
Johnny and Simur Stewart are two black homeless brothers. From an early age, left without a father and without institutions, they are forced to earn their daily bread by small scams, thefts and other frauds. After another fraudulent action, the eldest of the brothers, Jonathan, flies into the prison. And he would sit there with a good heel of years, but the negligent young man is entrusted to the police Lieutenant Walsh - an old friend and partner of the deceased father of the grievous brothers. Johnny and Simur willy-nilly have to join honest work, which comes out of them, of course, creaking. However, the very fate of the black Amber gives a chance to his older brother. While selling books, Johnny fell in love with a sexy girl and chased her all the way to her job. A large financial corporation just needed a freight forwarder, and a desperate black guy with the tenacity of a bulldog jumped at the opportunity.
People, because of their age, who have captured the legendary era of video salons, do not need to explain who Alexei Mikhalev is. One of the brightest Soviet translators, with an inimitable playful intonation, he was the guarantor of an exciting viewing of even the coolest film. “Money, money, more money” is not a benefit, but a sample of highly professional work by Alexei Mikhailovich, with the help of which, the passing American comedy gained a special charm. Thanks to the voice of Mikhalev, there is a clear feeling that there are not so many mentally healthy and simply adequate people in the picture of Peter McDonald. The number of, to put it mildly, idiotic personalities per square kilometer is off the scale. Moderately or excessively, but everyone seems to be laughing. Starting with the brothers themselves and ending with the staff of a solid financial organization. Even a seemingly serious Lieutenant Walsh at the crime scene is more interested in the technology of baking doughnuts and jam than the circumstances of the murder itself. The humor in the film has its limits. And as the purposeful Johnny Stewart will seek the favor of beauty Amber, the tight ring of crime will increasingly squeeze both brothers.
Started as a hilarious comedy about bad guys from the ghetto, “Money, money, more money” mimics a serious crime scene where human lives are at stake, and all the humor is left behind glass doors. In the tape, McDonald answers many questions about the nature of unfair earnings and the inevitable consequences. Unlike his brother, Johnny is no longer a boy and would really like to quit. However, the desire to conquer the spoiled Amber involves serious expenses, for which the salary of an ordinary freight forwarder is hardly enough. Therefore, the game with the law will continue, but at a higher level, where the danger comes not from the clumsy police, but from the cunning and cruel Keith Heading. The head of the security service quickly takes the crooked guy into circulation and involves him in a completely different scale of fraud, to which he is accustomed. Charisma sworn colleagues do not occupy, and soon the constant skirmishes of Johnny and Keith will become a bright detail of the painting by Peter McDonald. However, such details will be in abundance, so this film is good.
Despite its low popularity, "Money, money, more money" is a good example of the author's project. The performer of the role of Johnny - Damon Wayans - was also the author of the script. One of the older brothers of a large family, a professional comedian himself, he managed to hide a completely life story behind a cartoon, in which there is a place not only for boundless humor, but also for real courage. As for Marlon Wayans, who debuted in the movie role of Simur Stewart, his finest hour will strike a little later: in the same “South Central”. In “Money” also noted Harry Lennix – world-famous as Commander Locke from the cult “Matrix”. But the charming John Deal, who played the unclean “security” on the hand, only flashed in one of the episodes of “The X-Files” (a prisoner who walked through walls in the nude), but now completely forgotten.
A similar story with Deal befell the whole film. If “Do not threaten the southern central, drinking juice in your neighborhood” and to this day enjoys a certain popularity, then the tape “Money, money, more money” this can not be said. What to say, even on the page of this film published the wrong summary! That's not entirely fair, in my opinion. As a child, I was very lucky: among the pile of others was an old VHS tape with a tape that introduced not only to the great translator Alexei Mikhalev, but also to an instructive story that you will not tire of laughing at many years later. This is an extremely light, funny and completely exciting picture, which has absolutely no place in the dump of cinema. I recommend Peter McDonald to anyone who wants to spend an hour and a half of his life watching a really funny and at the same time absolutely not vulgar movie.
8 out of 10
P.S. Dedicated to Linnan - the main expert before the author's translation and my dear friend.