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| First Sunday | 
 enlarge | Actors: Chi Mcbride, Tracy Morgan
Studio: Sony Pictures
Category: DVD
List Price: $19.94
Buy Used: $2.15
You Save: $17.79 (89%)
New (46) Used (54) Collectible (1) from $2.15
Avg. Customer Rating:  20 reviews
Sales Rank: 6266
Format: Ac-3, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, Dvd-video, Subtitled, Widescreen, Ntsc
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Subtitled), French (Subtitled), French (Dubbed)
Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Number Of Items: 1
Running Time: 94
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.3
Dimensions (in): 7.5 x 5.4 x 0.7
MPN: COLD22636D
UPC: 043396226364
EAN: 0043396226364
ASIN: B0014QLEI6
Release Date: May 6, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: Ships Within 24 Hours - Satisfaction Guaranteed!
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Product Description
FIRST SUNDAY (DVD MOVIE)
Amazon.com
Ice Cube continues his winning streak as a likeable everyman in family movies with First Sunday, an initially silly, disposable comedy that picks up emotional power and authenticity by the second act. Cube plays ne'er-do-well Durell, an out-of-work Baltimore dad who needs over $17,000 to keep his ex from taking their son with her to Atlanta for good. Desperate to raise the cash but hamstrung by his self-defeating attitude and the criminal antics of his goofy sidekick, LeeJohn (Tracy Morgan), Durell gives in to temptation and decides he and LeeJohn should rob a church. The crime goes badly when it turns out a number of parishioners are in the building at the time, and a hostage situation develops. Events take a twist when the would-be thieves become the beneficiaries of Christian charity and forgiveness from the men and women they've kidnapped, and a bigger criminal is revealed in the congregation's mix. A terrific supporting cast including Michael Beach, Chi McBride, Keith David, Malinda Williams, Loretta Devine, and Katt Williams bring strong humor and dignity to the film's latter half, compensating for some unpleasant missteps (a pointless scene at a massage parlor) earlier in the story. Writer-director David E. Talbert is especially sharp during a spirited, gospel performance scene, which simply crackles on screen. --Tom Keogh
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| Customer Reviews: Read 15 more reviews...
 God dont like ugly movies May 19, 2008
4 out of 7 found this review helpful
Ice Cube's movies are getting weaker and weaker. I can only stand two movies that Ice Cube was in: Friday(the first one) and Higher Learning. Next Friday, Friday After Next, XXX- State Of The Union, Are We There Yet and Are We Done Yet are straight garbage. First Sunday is just as weak.
Premise: Durell(Ice Cube) and Leejon(Tracy Morgan) are two crooks who decide to rob a church after Durell runs out of options. You see Durell's baby mother is planning to take his son with her to Atlanta and Durrel doesnt want that. Things go from bad to worse when they cant find the money and parishioners are coming in so Durell and Leejohn decide to take them hostage till they find the money.
Opinion: The biggest problem with this movie besides the weak script is that its not funny! Every joke falls on its face with a resounding thud. Tracey Morgan? Was he ever funny? And Katt Williams is as dry as sandpaper here. There are some touching moments in this movie: When Durell interacts with his son, when Loretta Devine's character sings happy birthday to Leejon who never had that experience and when the elder scolded Durell for what he was doing and he saw himself in the mirror. Those scenes are not bad but they still are not a good enough reason to see this movie. The movie is still as bland as an episode of Saturday Night Live and for a movie to stretch at 95 minutes its an hour and 35 minutes longer than it needs to be. Another thing, do black baby mothers have to be portrayed so negatively in these flicks? Durell's baby mother is such a raging (fill in the blank) that if she got belted nobody would feel sympathy for her. It's just a movie right? Please. After an hour into the movie you already can predict the ending. Its just that predictable. First Sunday should be treated like Jehovah's Witnesses when you see them. With avoidance. Amen to that!
 Forgivably Funny May 11, 2008
3 out of 7 found this review helpful
I go into this review on the defensive. Looking up some information on the movie, I peeked and saw it is not highly esteemed by professionals or amateurs. Sporting a likable Tracy Morgan and the natural presence of Ice Cube, I found `First Sunday' to be flawed, but funny. There's an undeniable sit-com presence in its making, and there's a whole lot of suspension of disbelief that doesn't get off the ground, yet 'First Sunday' did get me chuckling fairly often once it got going and made me a little misty eyed when they went for the message and feeling.
The hijinx begins with Durell (Ice Cube) and Lee John (Tracy Morgan) two long-suffering buddies staying in trouble. I can't say I could figure out the starting circumstances even after rewinding, but I think they're delivering drugs by transporting wheelchairs. They aren't very good criminals. Most criminals aren't, but they aren't all that effective, either. Let's just say they get quickly caught and don't have the cool to slip out of the knot. Facing court, their trial is held by a judge (Keith David) who has seen them many times before. Perhaps out of compassion or out of disgust, he trades their time for 5,000 hours of community service. Immediately, their outbursts indicate they aren't too grateful, but service they do.
It's a hard break for Durell's estranged lady love (Regina Hall) who doesn't have enough money for her beauty salon which requires back pay. Durell brings over forty dollars, but she announces she will have to leave and take their son (C.J. Sanders), to Atlanta where her livelihood will be more affordable. He doesn't want to lose him, and it doesn't help that her new lover, Ralph, is built like a gym rat, so he`s determined to do something.
We get a lot of random scenes on the community service circuit and in a massage parlor, but one day Durrell is inspired. Distracted by the bottom of an attractive woman, Durell finds his way to her church. He and Lee John join them on a Sunday, but are no closer to converting as much as following up on Durell's lustful interest in Tianna (Melinda Willams). It is after the financial reports are read at church that they get an idea: After hours they will come and rob the church.
I won't give up the core of the bumbling adventure, but they end up being caught on a night the Deacon (Michael Keith David) checks the safe, a financial meeting takes place with the pastor (Chi McBride of `Boston Public') and Rickey, the choir director (Katt Williams) is engaged in singing practice. The confrontation turns to a hostage situation that brings most of the movies heart and humor.
It must be conceded that this movie is dumb. However, if one considers the premise of 'Some Like It Hot,' an AFI comedy classic, where the characters escape witnessing a mob massacre by dressing in drag and going to Florida, then dumb can count. It's how you do dumb that matters. Don't get me wrong, by no means am I saying this is the next 'Some Like It Hot,' but I found it more entertaining than `Liar Liar,' and it exceeds the reputation of `Big Momma's House 2'.
As someone who liked watching 'The Tracy Morgan Show,' a Cosby inspired sitcom, I felt that Morgan was likable, but somewhat limited here. He was shrill, but I enjoyed Ice Cube's collected and believable performance. The supporting cast, especially the church personnel, give natural performances, but Katt Williams steals the show as Rickey, the choir director.
I can forgive 'First Sunday''s failings. Despite the temptation to dismiss the film as just another stupid comedy adventure, `First Sunday' is forgivably funny. It is entertaining with a moving message and a supporting cast that helps bridge the credibility gap.
 LAUGH OUT LOUD FUNNY!!!! A MUST SEE!!! May 15, 2008
2 out of 4 found this review helpful
This movie is definitely going in the comedy classic section. The Ice Cube and Tracy Morgan pairing reminded me of the comedy days of Richard Pryor, Bill Cosby, and Sydney Poitier. I highly recommend it. It also had a great message about single fathers. David E. Talbert hit a home run in my book.
 fun performances can't quite overcome uneven script July 17, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
**1/2
A very appealing cast is left with little to work with in "First Sunday," a manufactured comedy whose script fails to rise to the level of its actors. Desperate for some quick cash, Durell and LeeJohn come up with a scheme to break into a local church and carry off the fund earmarked for construction of a new building. Unfortunately, this seemingly simple robbery quickly turns into a complicated hostage situation when a dozen or so of the most prominent church members unexpectedly show up on the scene.
"First Friday" does elicit a few hearty laughs, due, in large part, to its game cast and the occasional funny line scattered in and amongst the numerous clunkers. Ice Cube effectively plays straight man to Tracy Morgan`s endearingly bumbling sidekick, and they, together with the other actors, help to comprise a fine comic ensemble. The problem lies in a screenplay which often goes for the obvious joke over something truly original or clever, and which pours on the syrup to alarming proportions near the end just to ensure the movie its status as a morally upright, "feel-good" comedy.
It's a harmless enough little diversion if you have some time to kill, but the company is far more appetizing than what it is they`re dishing up.
Horrible Sunday May 20, 2008
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
Sometimes you rent a film like this in hopes that however much it may lack in an actual storyline or moral values, it makes up in downright hilarious slapstick humor. You see the problem here is that "First Sunday" is not even funny. I can forgive a comedy of this sort for wandering off the storyline from time to time in order to up the laughs, but Ice Cube's, "First Sunday", wanders off far too many times and doesn't even make up for it with any funny parts (or at least no memorable parts).
Tracey Morgan and the hilarious stand-up artist, Katt Williams, do their best to try and salavge the film with one or two knee slappers but the problem is the writers. The writers don't give the actors half enough of the comedic material that they need to pull everything off. I also have quite a bit of respect for Ice Cube as an actor, and I don't blame him for this (I blame the creators), but his lead character in "First Sunday" is just about as bland and boring as they come. If your planning on making a film full of laughs my first suggestion is to give your main character a sense of humor. Ice Cube does not smile one time throughout the film so while all of his supporting characters are running around trying to pull some funnies, he is angrily pointing a gun at a 70 year old woman and a pastor. It's awkward.
If you want to see a good movie of this type I suggest going out and renting one of Tyler Perry's films.
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