BB
(out of 5)
Theresa Randle plays a struggling actress who takes a job at a phone sex company to help pay her rent. Eventually getting so engrossed in her work that it threatens to stunt her career, she quits the business and begins to do it privately out of her home until it becomes too dangerous. The film aims to be a story of personal growth and confidence building, but Spike Lee’s direction fails to find anything overly interesting in the screenplay beyond the odd cameo by famous faces. Debi Mazar has a great supporting role as one of Randle’s co-workers, but Madonna‘s hilarious cameo as a phone sex operation madam is probably the best reason to watch this dull comedy.
Fox Searchlight Pictures, 40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks
USA, 1996
Directed by Spike Lee
Screenplay by Suzan-Lori Parks
Cinematography by Malik Hassan Sayeed
Produced by Spike Lee
Music by Alex Steyermark
Production Design by Ina Mayhew
Costume Design by Sandra Hernandez
Film Editing by Samuel D. Pollard
Cast Tags: Al Palagonia, Andrea Navedo, Andy Duppin, Anne Ok, Anthony Nocerino, Arthur J. Nascarella, Billie Neal, Bray Poor, Brian Konowal, Carlo Vogel, Carol Jenkins, Chuck Jeffreys, Coati Mundi, David S. Lomax, Debi Mazar, Debra Wilson, Delilah Cotto, Desi Moreno, Dina Pearlman, Genevieve Yraola, Gretchen Mol, Halle Berry, Isaiah Washington, Jacqueline McAllister, Jalil Jay Lynch, Jeff Ward, Jenifer Lewis, Jennifer Ceballos, Jennifer Lee, Jennifer Ramos, Jim Jensen, John Cameron Mitchell, John Turturro, Joie Lee, Joseph Lyle Taylor, K Funk, Keith Randolph Smith, Kristen Wilson, Larry Pine, Leonard L. Thomas, Lesley-Camille Troy, Madonna, Maggie Rush, Mica Hughes, Michael Imperioli, Michele Kelly, Naomi Campbell, Nelson Vasquez, Novella Nelson, Peter Berg, Quentin Tarantino, Ranjit Chowdhry, Richard Belzer, Rita Wolf, Rolonda Watts, Ron Silver, Shari Freels, Spike Lee, Susan Batson, Theresa Randle, Thomas Jefferson Byrd, Tomoko Hagane, Yohan Lim
Independent Spirit Award Nomination
Best First Screenplay
