Back in the Day (2005 film)

Back in the Day
Back in the Day
Directed by	James Hunter
Written by	James Hunter; Michael Raffanello
Produced by	Kip Konwiser, Stephen Baldwin, Donald A. Barton, Van Burrows
Starring	Ja Rule; Ving Rhames
Cinematography	Donald M. Morgan
Edited by	Chris Holmes
Music by	Robert Folk
Distributed by	First Look Home Entertainment
Release date	May 13, 2005;
Running time	103 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

Back in the Day is a 2005 crime drama^[1] starring Ja Rule and Ving Rhames and directed by James Hunter.^[2]^[3]^[4] The film premiered on BET on May 13, 2005.

Plot

Reggie Cooper is a young man who lives with his father in order to avoid the violent gang activity that almost claimed his life when he was a teenager. However, when his recently paroled mentor, J-Bone reconnects with Reggie, and when his father is murdered, Reggie slips back into a life of crime. Reggie murders a local preacher, whose daughter later develops a relationship with him.

Cast

Ja Rule as Reggie Cooper
Ving Rhames as Joseph "J-Bone" Brown
Tatyana Ali as Alicia Packer
Giancarlo Esposito as Benson Cooper
Joe Morton as Reverend James Packer
Pam Grier as Mrs. Cooper
Frank Langella as Lieutenant Bill Hudson
Lahmard Tate as Jamal
Tia Carrere as Loot
Al Sapienza as Detective Kline
Davetta Sherwood as Tasha
Kaly Cordova as Police Officer

Production and reception

In early 2003 Ja Rule announced that he was to act in a film alongside Ving Rhames.^[5] Filming was slated to take place in Puerto Rico during September of the same year.^[6] The film was written by James Hunter and Michael Raffanello, directed by Hunter, and scored by composer Robert Folk.^[7] The film was primarily produced by DEJ Productions, at the time its most expensive to date, with budget estimates of $5 to $10 million to over $10 million.^[8]^[9] Filming ended in 2004,^[10]^[11] and by April DEJ was preparing a potential theatrical release.^[9] Back in the Day premiered on BET on May 13, 2005, and was released to DVD on May 24.^[12]

Reviewer Ed Huls called it conceptually similar to several other urban crime dramas, but noted the cast and production values made it a high-end release in the genre, and compared it to classic gangster films: "one could easily picture Cagney or Bogart in the Rhames role."^[13]

David Kronke of the Los Angeles Daily News wrote: "No original gangstas in this movie, but plenty of unoriginal ones... How did such a ridiculous script lure so many talented actors?"^[14]

References

^ Gates, Anita (May 13, 2005). "What's on Tonight". The New York Times.
^ "Ja Rule Joins Rhames' Film Gang". Billboard. August 28, 2003. Archived from the original on October 3, 2014.
^ Film Review. W.H. Allen. 2006. p. 151. ISBN 978-1-905287-28-4.
^ "Hard Work Pays Off: Meet Successful Entrepreneur James Hunter (press release)". AP News. Accesswire. September 18, 2020.
^ "Ja Rule to star in films alongside feisty actresses". The Springfield News-Leader. February 1, 2003.
^ "Short Cuts". The News Journal. August 31, 2003.
^ Berry, S. Torriano; Berry, Venise T. (2015). Historical Dictionary of African American Cinema. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. p. 40. ISBN 978-1-4422-4702-4.
^ Netherby, Jennifer (March 26, 2004). "Blockbuster eyeing big score on 'Monster' DVD". Daily Variety. Vol. 282, no. 65.
^ ^a ^b Kipnis, Jill (April 17, 2004). "'Monster' deal". Billboard. Vol. 116, no. 16. p. 54.
^ Reid, Shaheem (January 5, 2005). "Ja Rule Learns From Fish, Gets To Do His First Sex Scene In Latest Film Projects". MTV News. Archived from the original on November 15, 2014.
^ Reid, Shaheem (April 1, 2004). "Ja Rule Getting Pointers From Ving Rhames, Laurence Fishburne". MTV News. Archived from the original on February 10, 2021.
^ "Stars Ving Rhames and Ja Rule Put New Spin on Classic Tale With Explosive Urban Drama 'Back In The Day' (Press release)". Top40-Charts.com. PR Newswire. May 7, 2005.
^ Huls, Ed (April 18, 2005). "Back in the Day". Video Business. Vol. 25, no. 16. Reed Business Information. p. 16. ISSN 0279-571X – via Gale General OneFile.
^ Kronke, David (May 14, 2005). "BET Fills The 'Hood With Unoriginal Gangstas". Sun-Sentinel.

External links

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[1] Gates, Anita (May 13, 2005). "What's on Tonight". The New York Times.

[2] "Ja Rule Joins Rhames' Film Gang". Billboard. August 28, 2003. Archived from the original on October 3, 2014.

[3] Film Review. W.H. Allen. 2006. p. 151. ISBN 978-1-905287-28-4.

[4] "Hard Work Pays Off: Meet Successful Entrepreneur James Hunter (press release)". AP News. Accesswire. September 18, 2020.

[5] "Ja Rule to star in films alongside feisty actresses". The Springfield News-Leader. February 1, 2003.

[6] "Short Cuts". The News Journal. August 31, 2003.

[BerryBerry2015-7] Berry, S. Torriano; Berry, Venise T. (2015). Historical Dictionary of African American Cinema. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. p. 40. ISBN 978-1-4422-4702-4.

[8] Netherby, Jennifer (March 26, 2004). "Blockbuster eyeing big score on 'Monster' DVD". Daily Variety. Vol. 282, no. 65.

[Kipnis-9] Kipnis, Jill (April 17, 2004). "'Monster' deal". Billboard. Vol. 116, no. 16. p. 54.

[10] Reid, Shaheem (January 5, 2005). "Ja Rule Learns From Fish, Gets To Do His First Sex Scene In Latest Film Projects". MTV News. Archived from the original on November 15, 2014.

[11] Reid, Shaheem (April 1, 2004). "Ja Rule Getting Pointers From Ving Rhames, Laurence Fishburne". MTV News. Archived from the original on February 10, 2021.

[PR_Newswire-12] "Stars Ving Rhames and Ja Rule Put New Spin on Classic Tale With Explosive Urban Drama 'Back In The Day' (Press release)". Top40-Charts.com. PR Newswire. May 7, 2005.

[13] Huls, Ed (April 18, 2005). "Back in the Day". Video Business. Vol. 25, no. 16. Reed Business Information. p. 16. ISSN 0279-571X – via Gale General OneFile.

[Kronke-14] Kronke, David (May 14, 2005). "BET Fills The 'Hood With Unoriginal Gangstas". Sun-Sentinel.

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