Hav Plenty

I was offended, bored and annoyed while watching this. I don't usually agree with many of Maltin's summaries but his take on this one is right on the money (except I'd only give it 1/2 a star - just for being able to get distributed and those celebrity cameos - terrible waste of connections). As well as being smug, the movie was colorist, classist and disturbingly close-minded.

Besides the fact that this quasi-movie could have gotten funded and distributed, when quality projects are struggling to get produced, the most disturbing thing is that there are people who have watched this and thought it was anything more than horrid.

Sorry, but no thanks!

Lee Plenty is house sitting for his friend Hav Savage. The pair have a frosty relationship but also have slight crushes on each other. When Hav invites Lee down to her parent's house in Washington for New Years eve he travels down but finds himself involved in the lives of all the women under that roof. Every time he tries to leave something comes up.

The plot of this film is a little vague to say the least – it is really based on real life so the rambling story can be excused. It even has a story within a story and finishes with a point that's hard to understand in context of the true story context. However that's not to say that it is without charm, despite not moving in one clear direction it is quite nice. The relationships between all the main characters are quite witty and involving – making the story good despite it's weakness.

The cats are generally good. I felt that Cherot did well as a writer and director but as an actor his performance wasn't good enough to carry the film. His mugging is quite irritating at times and makes it hard to believe that anyone would fall for his `charms'. In fairness he's not terrible but someone else could have done it better. Maxwell is frosty, sexy and vulnerable all at the same time and is really good in an initially unlikable character. Similarly her sister Leigh (played by Lee) is cute and does well with a complex role. The cameos in the movie within the movie are also quality but only really for laughs – Nia Long, Lauryn Hill, Mekhi Phiffer and TLC's Chilli.

Overall this struggles from a narrative that lacks direction and a lead star who maybe thinks he's funnier than he is. But the overall film is witty and charming, the cast are young and sexy and interesting and it's nice to see a black comedy that doesn't have the terrible Master P in it!

I saw Hav Plenty on cable one night. I thought the movie was good. The characters were interesting and Lee was a very likable person to me. He had an off-wit charm yet caring demeanor that I could see different types of women falling for. I appreciated the fact the movie was different and introduced more middle-class African-Americans, which are often neglected.

The plot was a bit fuzzy and had the makings of a first time director but overall entertaining.

I really wanted to see this movie in the theaters. I had just seen Lovejones and I thought Hav Plenty was going to be on the same level. Instead, I rented the video and I was so happy I didn't waste my money. Don't get me wrong, I give Mr. Cherot his props as a first time director, actor, editor and writer. I just thought the movie needed more character development and more of a plot. Maybe if this movie had been released before Lovejones, I wouldn't have had high expectations.

I didn't get a chance to see this movie when it came out but when I saw it I was really impressed. The movie had class and it was refreshing to see normal black folk. As a film maker my self I thought the guy did an excellent job for the money. It just proves you can do a quality film without a bunch of stars. But where is Chebot, I am waiting for his next project.