Customer Reviews

Paid in Full [VHS]

5 star:		(31)
4 star:		(25)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Wood Harris, Mekhi Phifer and Cam`Ron brought eighties back to life for me in this film. This film is almost like watching a documentary. I was sixteen in 86 and living in Harlem. I remember cell phones the size of bricks and beepers with no read outs. This was the age when only doctors and drug dealers carried beepers. I remember when "The Rooftop" was Harlem's hottest club. And if you had the dough Dapper Dan could make you a Gucci or Lois Vuiton jacket or suit. When Timbs were strictly an "uptown" thing. You could go to the club or "The Pro Rucker" (a famous harlem B-ball court where summer league games were held), and see these cats upclose and in person. Ghetto superstars Alpo (Rico), Richie Rich (Mitch) and yes the likable character AZ (Ace). Now remember im only sixteen broke and working at Mickey D's. So I don't know the story behind the glam. Just what I see and ofcourse the ghetto gossip. I say gossip because in the hood by the time the story reaches you, "he had a 38" some how manifests itself into "he had two chrome UZI's". I also remember the late model European whips. The truck jewelry and the wads of cash these dudes carried around as pocket change. I went to school with Alpo's lil sista. She had a gucci bag for every day of the week and wore a mink coat in the winter. It was crazy. In the Seventies Harlem belonged to Nicky Barnes. The eighties belonged to Alpo (Rico), Richie Rich (Mitch) and AZ (Ace). In closing, this movie isn't quite "Scarface". But a great gangster flick none the less, based on a true story as told by AZ.

I can understand many of the bad reviews that I have read surrounding this film. Many have refered to this movie as a typical hood film and it is; but, at a level that captures the realm of economic prosperity (due to the crack-cocaine epidemic) that saturated ghettos everywhere. Unlike New Jack City, it was more realistic. It opened the project doors and windows for America to see.
It was based upon a true story, and presented cameo of each of the 3 actual hustlers (drug-dealers)that conquered Harlem in the mid 80's. Excellent film.

In order to really be able to appreicate the film at a height, I think that it is beneficial to have some knowledge of that time period ... and maybe even some knowledge of the hood.

The one thing I appriciate about this movie, is it's feel to realisim, and the feel of old harlem hood movies. It's not another State Property, Baby Boy or some horsecrap gangsta movie.

This movie is about Ace(Wood Harris) and his best friend Mitch(Mekhi Phifer) who get good buisness going out, but Mitch is put behind bars when he tries to get a nusience off his block. So Ace makes his move, and makes everyone happy becoming the top dog around.

But in the world of Harlem drug dealers, there's always a load of backstabbing snakes filled with envy. They try to get their way by kidnapping, jacking, and murder. And this movie tells that in a very balievable way.

This movie is highly underratted, and should be seen by everyone in the intrest of hood, or gang movies. Even Cam'ron's preformance is nice too. This movie delievers with actors who can act, and not crap like State Property run by rappers.

peace

Ace (Wood Harris) is a young man working in a dry cleaners in 1985 Harlem. His friend Mitch (Mekhi Phifer) sells cocaine, drives flashy cars, and has cash to burn. When Mitch goes to prison and a couple of coincidences leave Ace with a ball of cocaine in his pocket and customers waiting to buy, Ace decides to enter the drug-dealing business that he had previously shunned. He quickly rises to prominence as the cocaine kingpin of Harlem. When Mitch is released from prison, Ace brings him into the business as a partner, along with Mitch's volatile acquaintance from prison, Rico (Cam'ron). When violence erupts, Ace begins to question whether the money that his cocaine business has provided him is worth its cost.

At first look, Paid In Full seems to retread a lot of territory that has already been covered in a slew of films about inner-city drug-dealing since the 1980's. There are a couple of things that set this film apart, however, and make it worth seeing. This film emphasizes the characters' development and inner struggles more, and the trappings of the gangsta lifestyle less, than most films on the same topic. And Paid In Full is based on a true story: the story of AZ, Rich Porter, and Alpo, three young men who controlled the cocaine trade in Harlem in the mid-1980's. (Called Ace, Mitch, and Rico, respectively, in the film.) Azie Faison, who was AZ back then, cooperated with the film and wrote an early version of the screenplay. He has since criticized the film for glamorizing the gangsta lifestyle too much and not being a strong enough cautionary tale. I don't find that Paid In Full glamorizes the lifestyle all that much, but its criticism of gangsta life is not heavy-handed either. Perhaps it is better that the film did not moralize as much as it could have because that tends to alienate the audience. You will have to see it and judge for yourself.

The film's faults are more annoying than serious. I found it slow in parts. And there is a lot of carelessness with accuracy. The film states at the outset that it takes place in 1985-1986. But the Saab sports cars that the drug dealers are so fond of driving are not 1980's models. And someone talks on a cell phone in one scene -a little, modern cell phone, not a huge 1980's model. First-time feature film director Charles Stone should try hard to avoid this sort of sloppiness in the future, as it can ruin a perfectly good movie.

I recommend Paid In Full for its realistic depiction of a particular lifestyle -and its consequences- in a particular time and place in American History. It is especially interesting because the events are seen through the eyes of someone who actually lived them.

This movie was a tribute to the 80's gangsters Alpo, Rich Porter and AZ. THe realness of the movie was attributed to the great acting and real life imagery used by Charles Stone III. The murder scenes, ghetto settings and drug usage was all real life during the 80's and the movie portrayed this thoroughly. I recommend this film to those who enjoy Hip Hop/ Gangsta movies.

This movie is actually really good. The acting is amazing. The direction is good, the script is well done, the dialouge is also very convincing. Although I was young in the mid 80's (I was about seven or eight) I rember from the music videos and from how older kids dressed that this movie captured that era perfectly. This movie is extreemly authentic. Being a drug dealer was a lot easier in the 80s than it is now. Less competation, less attention from the cops, etc. Also Cocaine was not nearly as plentiful and was thus much more expensive....The star of this film plays Avon Barksdale on the HBO series "The Wire". In this movie he is a lot nicer than he is on the wire, more of a buisness man and less of a gangster. Michael Phifer, who plays Mitch, is practaclly a staple now of any movie invovling the hood but he is defintly a good actor. Nither "Avon" or Phifer give their best perfomances in this movie but they are both solid. However, Camron is amazing. I know, I know, he had the juiceist, easiest part, the least complex character, etc. However, no one can say he did not impress in this movie, he blew me away! Wow! And I did not even know that was Camron until the ending credits, the whole movie I was thinking, who is this guy, how come I have never heard of him before, etc. Only when I read the credits did I know who he was, I did not Camron was so big and diseal. He has unbelivable screen presence, the viewer canot take their eyes off of him. He outacts everyone is this movie. Even though he had a less challanging role than everyone else in the film that does not change the fact that his performance was incrediable. Not since Tupac Shakur died have I seen an a rapper act that well. (Dont get me wrong, he does not compare to Tupac, but he is the closest thing we currently have in terms of acting ability)I really cant say enough good things about his perfomance, so convcing as the loudmouth, obnouxious, but incredibly dangerous gangster. His only weakness his overconfidence and love of the spot light. What a character contrast to "Avon" the the guy who played Ace in this movie. Ace was smarter than Rico though and thats why he managed to avoid jail while Rico got played. I liked the ending too, the kidnapping out of nowhere was great, showing that just because these guys are drug dealers does not mean they are the only low lives in the hood. All three main characters paid the price for all the easy money they made, no one gets off unscatheed although justice certainly does not prevail. Ace goes on the be a legitimate entrapuner, although he got his foot in the door with blood soaked drug money, but hey, thats life. If Ace had stayed at the laundry he would have been poor for ever, he did what he had to do to benefit himself, however, he caused untold misery doing it. Life is no fairytale and taking the moral highground will result in poverty and hopelessnes. However, choosing the dark path of narcotics sales results in a parinoid existence of betrayal, murder, and incarceration. Their are no easy choices or clear moral distinctions in this movie, this movie is the truth!

My fascination with gangsters on film continues. In Paid In Full, the most telling scene is the Harlem young people in a movie theatre watching Al Pacino's, Scarface. They love that movie, cheer the crazy, bloodthirsty, self-made, only-in-America bad guy. When poor and black Harlem residents get a handle on the new drugs in the early eighties like cocaine and crack, money rains down. Wood Harris goes from delivery boy to kingpin of the Harlem drug trade. His buddies are more flamboyant than he. That youthful enthusiasm for easy money in the face of "The Man," proves to be our hero's downfall. This is a classic gangster story and it is very suspenseful and true to life.

This movie was shocking, realistic, and that's all that mattered to me. If you enjoyed Empire, then you'll love this one as well!

This indeed has to be the best inner city gangsta flick since Menace II Society, Clockers and New Jack City. The fact that Damon Dash had anything to do with it, makes this even more astonishing. Anyway I've been a big Wood Harris and Mekhi Phifer fan for years so it was good to see these brothers hook up. Cam'ron did well playing his part eventhough I thought his part didn't take a whole lot of skill to do. Anyway, I enjoyed the film very much and would recommend this to anyone who loves inner city gangsta movies. The problems I had with the film were small and minor. Like those up to date cell phones in a pre-minute cell phone era (1985-1986). Man, cell phones then were the size of standard size 900 MHZ cordless telephones. Dem joints were huge back in those days. As far as the convertible SAAB's go, well let's just say that ballers here in DC weren't pushing them joints until 1989-1990. I didn't even know Saab's made them joints that early. And some of the clothes definitely didn't look early 80's to me except for the kicks. However, the music was bangin and to see Doug E. Fresh perform along with hearing Kid Capri, and of course at the very beginning, hearing the GOD of rap, Rakim rap "Paid In Full", well what else is there to say. LL may be the G.O.A.T. in record sales amongst his peers from that day, but we all know Rakim is the G.O.A.T. when it comes to being a lyricist.

This movie is truly excellent! From the gritty, somewhat documentary like, style of cinematography to the understated, convincing acting of the main protagonists, "Paid in Full" is thoughtfully and consistently directed and produced...and is wholly effective. While its production style is more like most independent, "artsy" films, the storyline and its portrayal are riveting, intense and wholly authentic. Unlike most of the overly sensationalized films about the drug culture, the somewhat intrinsic elements of violence and sex take backstage to REAL character development. My litmus test for the true quality of the movie is the degree to which I continue to think and talk about it after I've walked out of the theatre. I can safely predict that I'll be talking about "Paid in Full" for some time.