Rotten
While the line-readings are often dead-on, Fishburne's movie suffers from the usual one-room claustrophobia and Mametian repetitions.
Michael Atkinson, Village Voice
Once in the Life
2000 · 1h 47m · R
Action, Crime, Drama
Directed by
Laurence Fishburne
Overview
Two estranged half-brothers, Billy and Torch, reconnect during a brief jail stay. 20/20 Mike concocts a scheme in which the two of them will steal dope from some young couriers. The heist goes wrong when Billy shoots the couriers dead. They hole up in an abandoned building, and 20/20 Mike seeks help from an old cell mate, Tony.
Director and cast
- Laurence Fishburne Director
- Laurence Fishburne as 20 / 20 Mike
- Titus Welliver as Torch
- Eamonn Walker as Tony
- Annabella Sciorra as Maxine
- Gregory Hines as Ruffhouse
- Michael Paul Chan as Buddha
- Dominic Chianese Jr. as Freddie Nine Lives
- Justin Pierre Edmund as Little Mikey
- Paul Calderon as Manny Rivera
- Nick Chinlund as Mike Murphy
Critics on Rotten Tomatoes
Top critics, in their words
28%
Tomatometer
Fresh
While this cautionary tale of brotherhood gone wrong doesn't exactly break new ground, it certainly shows off its writer-director-star's triple-threat filmmaking potency.
Kevin Maynard, Mr. Showbiz
Fresh
Talky in the best sense.
Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly
Fresh
Would easily qualify for an Oscar nomination if it were in a movie that was a bit less like canned theater and more cinematic.
Lou Lumenick, New York Post
Rotten
A hit-and-miss effort.
Gary Dowell, Dallas Morning News
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