"Independence Day" actress Vivica A. Fox stars in the breezy, lightweight comedy "Two Can Play That Game" as a sexy but savvy senior advertising executive with a surefire ten-day strategy for manipulating errant boyfriends who step out on their women.
This predictable but hilarious Anne Landers-like war-of-the-sexes situation comedy combines elements of Spike Lee's "She's Gotta Have It" (1986) and Forrest Whitaker's "Waiting to Exhale" (1995). As Shante Smith, Fox often turns to speak directly to the audience, breaking the fourth wall as it is called, to amuse us with insights in much the same way that Matthew Broderick did in John Hughes 1986 teen comedy "Ferris Bueller's Day Off." Shante addresses the camera while her companions appear blithely oblivious to these artificial asides. Although the humor occasionally qualifies as raunchy, first-time director Mark Brown has penned a harmlessly entertaining emotional epic that should keep both sexes laughing out loud at the antics of an exceptional ensemble cast featuring debonair Morris Chestnut and comic genius Anthony Anderson. Incidentally, Brown knows the romantic ropes rather well because he co-scripted director Lionel C. Martin's "How to Be a Player" (1997) about a playboy who gets his comeuppance from all the women who he cheated on at a party.
"The first time your man messes up," Shante advises, "no matter how minor the infraction, punish him. Punish him hard." Our heroine coaches a trio of soul sisters, Diedre (Mo'nique of "3 Strikes"), Karen (Wendy Raquel Robinson of "Miss Congeniality"), and Tracye (Tamala Jones of "Blue Streak") all of whom find themselves at the mercy of their errant men. Meanwhile, Shante endures none of their woes as she woos her boyfriend, Keith Fenton (Morris Chestnut of "The Brothers"), a successful, upscale, white-collar attorney. Moreover, Keith has never cheated on her. Shante's world shatters when Keith breaks a dinner date to work late at the office. Earlier, Shante had warned her friends that a man's most popular excuse for philandering is working late at the office.
Nevertheless, Shante confides to the camera/audience that you never let your friends know if you are having trouble. Instead, Shante and her posse head off to their favorite restaurant nightspot where she catches Keith red-handed in the arms of another woman from his office. Predictably, Keith and his date scram, while an outraged Shante declares war on him with a foolproof ten-day plan to win him back. One of the best jokes here is the lingerie test. Shante tells her gal pals to buy lingerie a couple of sizes larger than their own and wedge it into the cushions of the couch at their boyfriend's apartment then extract the imitate item his presence and see what lies he conjures up on the spot to get himself out a jam.
Shante isn't prepared for Keith's nimble-minded sidekick Tony (Anthony Anderson of "Me, Myself, and Irene") who furnishes shrewd guidance from a player's perspective. Sometimes, Tony manages to outsmart Shante, but he warns Keith that even the Central Intelligence Agency has nothing on a woman with a plan. Keith struggles desperately to maintain his composure, ringing up Shante who refuses to answer his phone calls. When she plays hard to get, rival businesswoman Conny Spalding (foxy Gabrielle Union of "Bring It On"), moves in on Keith, and an exasperated Shante pursues another guy. The irony of "Two Can Play That Game" is that Shante has a solid game plan, but she lacks the control over Keith that her girlfriends exert over their men. Furthermore, by the end of this nonsense, Shante learns a valuable lesson that she cannot control men with her rules.
Nothing about "Two Can Play That Game" is, of course, remotely believable, but the jokes are fast and furious, and the cast looks like they enjoyed themselves to the utmost. Comedian Anthony Anderson steals every scene he has, while Whitney Houston's former husband Bobby Brown appears in a cameo as Karen's buck-toothed boyfriend. Black and white alike can enjoy this pre "Hitch" love comedy.
This predictable but hilarious Anne Landers-like war-of-the-sexes situation comedy combines elements of Spike Lee's "She's Gotta Have It" (1986) and Forrest Whitaker's "Waiting to Exhale" (1995). As Shante Smith, Fox often turns to speak directly to the audience, breaking the fourth wall as it is called, to amuse us with insights in much the same way that Matthew Broderick did in John Hughes 1986 teen comedy "Ferris Bueller's Day Off." Shante addresses the camera while her companions appear blithely oblivious to these artificial asides. Although the humor occasionally qualifies as raunchy, first-time director Mark Brown has penned a harmlessly entertaining emotional epic that should keep both sexes laughing out loud at the antics of an exceptional ensemble cast featuring debonair Morris Chestnut and comic genius Anthony Anderson. Incidentally, Brown knows the romantic ropes rather well because he co-scripted director Lionel C. Martin's "How to Be a Player" (1997) about a playboy who gets his comeuppance from all the women who he cheated on at a party.
"The first time your man messes up," Shante advises, "no matter how minor the infraction, punish him. Punish him hard." Our heroine coaches a trio of soul sisters, Diedre (Mo'nique of "3 Strikes"), Karen (Wendy Raquel Robinson of "Miss Congeniality"), and Tracye (Tamala Jones of "Blue Streak") all of whom find themselves at the mercy of their errant men. Meanwhile, Shante endures none of their woes as she woos her boyfriend, Keith Fenton (Morris Chestnut of "The Brothers"), a successful, upscale, white-collar attorney. Moreover, Keith has never cheated on her. Shante's world shatters when Keith breaks a dinner date to work late at the office. Earlier, Shante had warned her friends that a man's most popular excuse for philandering is working late at the office.
Nevertheless, Shante confides to the camera/audience that you never let your friends know if you are having trouble. Instead, Shante and her posse head off to their favorite restaurant nightspot where she catches Keith red-handed in the arms of another woman from his office. Predictably, Keith and his date scram, while an outraged Shante declares war on him with a foolproof ten-day plan to win him back. One of the best jokes here is the lingerie test. Shante tells her gal pals to buy lingerie a couple of sizes larger than their own and wedge it into the cushions of the couch at their boyfriend's apartment then extract the imitate item his presence and see what lies he conjures up on the spot to get himself out a jam.
Shante isn't prepared for Keith's nimble-minded sidekick Tony (Anthony Anderson of "Me, Myself, and Irene") who furnishes shrewd guidance from a player's perspective. Sometimes, Tony manages to outsmart Shante, but he warns Keith that even the Central Intelligence Agency has nothing on a woman with a plan. Keith struggles desperately to maintain his composure, ringing up Shante who refuses to answer his phone calls. When she plays hard to get, rival businesswoman Conny Spalding (foxy Gabrielle Union of "Bring It On"), moves in on Keith, and an exasperated Shante pursues another guy. The irony of "Two Can Play That Game" is that Shante has a solid game plan, but she lacks the control over Keith that her girlfriends exert over their men. Furthermore, by the end of this nonsense, Shante learns a valuable lesson that she cannot control men with her rules.
Nothing about "Two Can Play That Game" is, of course, remotely believable, but the jokes are fast and furious, and the cast looks like they enjoyed themselves to the utmost. Comedian Anthony Anderson steals every scene he has, while Whitney Houston's former husband Bobby Brown appears in a cameo as Karen's buck-toothed boyfriend. Black and white alike can enjoy this pre "Hitch" love comedy.