Cinnamon

I recently watched Cinnamon (2023) on Tubi. The film follows a young couple eager to make it big and resorting to creating their own opportunities. The young woman's job is a tool for money laundering, prompting them to steal the cash with dreams of heading to Los Angeles. However, their journey turns out to be much tougher than they anticipated.

This picture is both written and directed by Bryian Keith Montgomery Jr. (Lori Sheedy: F You). The cast includes Damon Wayans (In Living Color), Pam Grier (Coffy), David Iacono (The Summer I Turned Pretty), Hailey Kilgore (Respect) and Lauren Buglioli (Florida Man).

Damon Wayans stands out as the highlight of the movie, with his commercial being my favorite scene from this picture. The dialogue is generally well-written, but the storyline falls short of expectations. I found the acting of Iacono and Kilgore, as well as the direction of their characters, lacking. It's also puzzling why Pam Grier chose this role, as it doesn't make the best use of her talents. The film concludes with a worthwhile showdown that's fun to watch unfold, even if the end is predictable.

In summary, Cinnamon had the potential to be a solid film but falls short when all its elements come together. I would rate it 3/10 and suggest skipping it.

The story was a basic: boy meets girl, boy looses girl, boy gets girl in the end, that leaves you with, and like that I'm stopping. You'll have to watch. The story was well written, it stayed to the point, and never left you: bored, wondering, shaking your head, or feeling like, "Hollywood must think I'm stupid".

The acting was beyond believable & even though it's a, Bonnie & Clyde, film you still find yourself hoping for the best. The Actors (Director, Editor, Lighting, Wardrobe, Etc, Etc, Etc...capped to replace the roles) kept you engaged & I like the, Sweetheart Chemistry, between the main characters & how it was portrayed. The comedy was where it needed to be, & stopped when it needed to stop.

The Continuity was another great aspect of the film. There's nothing I hate more than when, the protagonist of the story, is running through a mud filled jungle, to come out with white socks. One, was does that say how the stories going, and two, about the detailed passion of The Director? Everyone did their part to make this movie what it was. An excellent film to watch.

I've sat through bad features on my screen (Scorpion King, True Blood, any Jurassic Park after the original, Watchmen...which I was really excited for) and this was NOT one of them. It's a shame an independent film like this can't get a, For Your Consideration, billboard. I don't understand (and would love to hear why) anything under a 8 star rating would be given. Like I said in my title, " Maybe I need Film Schooling".

This is a piece of a review from Tribeca Capsule Reviews - by Mike McGranaghan. "Here's yet another crime movie that unsuccessfully tries to emulate the style of Quentin Tarantino." This bs comment is getting so old already, it's like every time a film is made, particularly the ones that have Black lead actors they're accused of trying to emulate the thief himself, Quentin Tarantino.

They said the same thing about, "The Harder They Fall". But they never mention how the biggest thief of all time had admitted to stealing in a 1994 interview with Empire magazine by saying, "I steal from every single movie ever made." And his visual references to other movies have become his trademark. But "they" don't have anything negative to say about that.

So, if any other filmmaker does anything similar to what he has done, they have to be emulating after him. His style? Give me a break already with that bs! "Almost all of Tarantino's eight films have a main source for his thievery. For "Jackie Brown," it was the 1974 film "Foxy Brown." For "Kill Bill," the 1973 Japanese film "Lady Snowblood." And his "Inglourious Basterds" is, in a lot of ways, similar to the 1967 war film "The Dirty Dozen." So, who the hell would want to emulate after him!

This is an entertaining film and it has nothing to do with, or was even made with the thief Tarantino in mind.

In fresh & twisty small-town crime thriller "Cinnamon" Hailey Kilgore & David Iacono are down-beat young lovers with a dream who get mixed up in a deadly gas station robbery that unbeknownst to them (or is it?) also involves a wider web of drugs, murder & double-cross through the station's co-owners including Damon Wayans (in his first film in 15yrs), Pam Grier, Jeremie Harris (terrific) & Jay DeVon Johnson. The budget may be limited but third-time writer / director Bryian Keith Montgomery Jr draws terrific performances from his cast (also inc Racael Castillo & Nicole Sky) and applies a crisp, pacy, engaging (if not altogether original) style. Good 'n' entertaining fare.

I thoroughly enjoyed the movie! Damon Wayans delivered hilarious performances, while Pam Grier was flawless and truly terrifying. Jeremie Harris portrayed the perfect antagonist, and his handsome presence added to the film's appeal. Hailey Kilgore's acting and character were both believable and engaging.

The film's comedic elements help to overlook some noticeable plot holes, creating an overall lighthearted energy that made it perfect for a relaxing weekend watch. In a world that can often be heavy, seeing it through a comedic lens was therapeutic and enjoyable.

However, I felt that Harris's character's catchphrase, which included the n-word, was a bit excessive and casual. While it was used less frequently than in movies like Django, the unoriginality of the catchphrase reminded me of black exploitation films, as did the cover art.