Two Can Play That Game (2001)

Director:

Mark Brown

Writer (WGA):

Mark Brown (written by)

Release Date:

7 September 2001 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

The Rules are Simple. There are No Rules.

Plot:

An arrogant career woman plays a series of heartless mind-games with her boyfriend to "put him in line," only to discover that he has a few tricks up his own sleeve.

Plot Keywords:

Advice | Battle Of The Sexes | Rule | Lingerie | Cheating On One's Girlfriend

Awards:

7 nominations

Cast

Vivica A. Fox	...	Shanté Smith
Morris Chestnut	...	Keith Fenton
Anthony Anderson	...	Tony
Gabrielle Union	...	Conny Spalding
Wendy Raquel Robinson	...	Karen
Tamala Jones	...	Tracey Johnson
Mo'Nique	...	Diedre
Ray Wise	...	Bill Parker
Bobby Brown	...	Michael
Dondre Whitfield	...	Dwain (as Dondré T. Whitfield)
David Krumholtz	...	Jason
Colby Kane	...	Calvin
Amy Hunter	...	Nita
Lee Anthony	...	Attorney in Elevator
Ian 'Blaze' Kelly	...	Tyrone
Mark Brown	...	Lying Man #1
Chris Spencer	...	Lying Man #2
Pierre Burgess	...	Lying Man #3
Mark Christopher Lawrence	...	Lying Man #4
Jeff Markey	...	Phil the Attorney
Natashia Williams	...	Sexy Young Girl
Jason Singleton	...	Waiter
Yul L. Spencer	...	Trent (as Spencer)
Alex Thomas	...	Eddie
Zatella Beatty	...	Cynthia
Darrell 'Silver' Hughes	...	Patrick
Darrel Heath	...	Dinner Guy #1
Wesley Thompson	...	Dinner Guy #2
Caleb LeConte	...	Dinner Guy #3
Michael Massengale	...	Dinner Guy #4
Mark Taborn	...	Dinner Guy #5
Kelvin Brown	...	Dinner Guy #6
La La Anthony	...	Bobby the DJ (as La La Vazquez)
Kristin Herold	...	Miller Girl #1
Cherise Bangs	...	Miller Girl #2 (as Cherise Leana Bangs)
Libbey Genaro	...	Miller girl#3 (as Libby Genaro)
Mark Swenson	...	Help Guy #1
Doran Reed	...	Help Guy #2 (as A. Doran Reed)
Brian Nakauchi	...	Delivery Man
Tony Wilkins	...	Church choir
Debra Byrd	...	Church choir
Nicoe Potts	...	Church choir
G. Janee	...	Church choir
Jacquelyn Gouche-Farris	...	Church choir
M. Kevin Milburn	...	Church choir
Terrence Grant	...	Church choir
Shirell Ferguson-Coleman	...	Church choir (as Shirell Ferguson)
Taneka Beard	...	Church choir
Rachel Lankford	...	Church choir
Nick Cooper	...	Church choir
Sybil Harris	...	Church choir
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Michael Calder	...	Guest at Party (uncredited)
Rodney A. Copeland	...	Office Emplyee / background (uncredited)

Directed by
Mark Brown

Writing credits (WGA)
Mark Brown		(written by)

Produced by
Mark Brown	....	producer
Lana Campbell	....	associate producer
Paddy Cullen	....	producer
Robert N. Fried	....	executive producer
Larry Kennar	....	executive producer
Doug McHenry	....	producer
Scott Wynne	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Marcus Miller

Cinematography by
Alexander Gruszynski

Film Editing by
Earl Watson

Casting by
Robi Reed		(as Robi Reed-Humes)

Production Design by
Amy B. Ancona

Art Direction by
Chase Harlan

Set Decoration by
Susan Emshwiller

Costume Design by
Debrae Little

Makeup Department
Tysuela Hill-Scott	....	makeup department head
Jasmine Kimble	....	hair stylist
Kimberly Kimble	....	hair department head
Sean Smith	....	key hair stylist

Production Management
Paddy Cullen	....	unit production manager
Kevin Halloran	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Todd Amateau	....	first assistant director
Dan Katzman	....	second assistant director
Handel Whitmore	....	second second assistant director

Art Department
Scott Buckwald	....	property master
Barbara Lange	....	assistant production designer
Mark Swenson	....	art department coordinator
Julie Witherington	....	on-set dresser (as Julie Sexsmith)
Will Alovis	....	assistant property master (uncredited)
David Pirinelli	....	art department gofer boy (uncredited)

Sound Department
Javier Bennassar	....	sound effects editor
Susan Cahill	....	assistant sound editor
Alan Freedman	....	adr mixer
Jason George	....	sound designer
George Haddad	....	sound re-recording mixer
Michael Kamper	....	sound effects editor
C. Darin Knight	....	production sound mixer
Carrie Lisonbee	....	assistant sound editor (as Carrie Tippets)
Michael Mullane	....	sound effects editor
Bryan Pennington	....	stereo sound consultant: Dolby

Visual Effects by
Mike Leben	....	motion control operator

Stunts
Henry Kingi Jr.	....	stunt coordinator
Diana R. Lupo	....	stunts
April Weeden	....	stunt double: Gabrielle Union (as April Weeden-Washington)

Camera and Electrical Department
Faith Brewer	....	first assistant camera
Ted Chu	....	camera operator: "a" camera
Bill Daimant	....	dolly grip
Michael Dronge	....	rigging key grip
Daniel Kauahi	....	grip
Rick Lamb	....	assistant camera
Andrew Parke	....	assistant camera
Andrew Parke	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Christopher Prampin	....	additional gaffer
D. Stevens	....	still photographer
Hootly Weedn	....	lighting technician
Michael J. Walker	....	additional camera operator (uncredited)

Casting Department
Chris Bustard	....	extras casting
Doran Reed	....	casting associate

Editorial Department
Dennis McNeill	....	color timer
Chris Mistorni	....	first assistant editor

Music Department
Michele Aristy	....	score assistant
Michael Boustead	....	music editor
Kieran Kiely	....	musician
Rashad Liston	....	music supervisor
Pilar McCurry	....	executive soundtrack producer

Transportation Department
Christian G. Ervin	....	driver: mechanic
Steve Larson	....	transportation dispatcher
Adam Pinkstaff	....	transportation captain

Other crew
Michael Anthony	....	location manager
Derek Avila	....	assistant location manager
Patrick J. Barry	....	production assistant
Irving Der	....	unit publicist
Ava DuVernay	....	publicity consultant
Jillian Gallant	....	production assistant
Marc C. Geschwind	....	extras coordinator
Doris Hellmann	....	production accountant
Iris Huezo	....	production assistant
Daniel A. Mondschain	....	assistant production coordinator
Anthony J. Nahar	....	key set production assistant
Rick Poyner	....	key assistant location manager
Dan Schlaack	....	production coordinator
Traceigh Scottel	....	production assistant
Lisa G. Shillingburg	....	first assistant accountant
Nancy Solomon	....	script supervisor
Roberto Studart	....	production assistant
Jim Wheelan	....	craft service
Rhonda Wheelan	....	craft service
Chris Chanowski	....	location scout (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Screen Gems
• C4 Pictures

Distributors

• Screen Gems (2001) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (2002) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2002) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Fox Network (2004) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• RTL Entertainment (2006) (Netherlands) (TV) (first national airing) (RTL4)

Other Companies

• Central Casting  extras casting
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  cranes and dollies
• Digital Sound & Picture  sound post-production
• Film Finances  completion guarantor
• Hannibal Studios  score recording facility
• Howard Anderson Company, The  titles and opticals
• Jack Robinson Security  security
• Keslow Cameras  cameras equipment provided by
• Westside Production Services  grip equipment provided by

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for language including sexual dialogue

Runtime:

90 min | Spain:93 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | Germany:12 | Spain:13 | UK:15 | USA:R | Singapore:NC-16 | Finland:K-15 | Netherlands:AL

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Screen Gems

Goofs:

Continuity: The bouquet of flowers is unwrapped when Shante receives them at the beginning of the movie. When the top of the convertible opens, they are wrapped in plastic. When she arrives home, they are unwrapped again.

Quotes:

Shanté Smith:Hmm, men. They like a woman in public....and a freak in private.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Making of 'Kill Bill' (2003) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Kitty Kat World

Give this movie a break and a laugh.

Just wanted to say that I think that a lot of viewers are really hard on this fun romp between African-American Professionals. You see, if you don't like it, you probably can't relate to relationships, or African-Americans. If you are African-American and you don't like it, well, all I can say is that you must be young. Anyone over the age of 35, would probably enjoy this light-hearted matching of wits between Shante'(Vivica Fox) and Keith (Morris Chestnut). The reason that age comes into view, is because growing up in the 60's, there were plenty of light-hearted romance comedies to enjoy. With one exception. You didn't see African-Americans in those movies. In the 70's, people like Richard Pryor provided us with plenty of funny movies, along with Veteran's such as Bill Cosby and Sidney Poitier. Romance comedies never quite made an impact within our community. And the love stories that did make it, such as "Melinda" starring Richard Roundtree and Vonette McGee, were dubbed blaxploitation movies and not given the exposure that movies garner today. I enjoy African-American films that are light-hearted, because the urban experience is often depicted as violent, drug-related, and unintelligent. We have plenty of movies for our children to see that offer no intelligent plot, and continue to perpuate stereotypes that we have been trying to tear down forever. Seeing African-American professionals deal with some of the challenges of nurturing a relationship in the 2000's was a lot of fun. That is, if you are looking for a little break from the shoot 'em up, drug-smoking, genre's. Women do have a tendency to expect certain things from men, and vice versa. Any game can be taken too far, which is what the movie depicts. No, it couldn't and should not have been an "Academy Award Nominee" by no stretch of the imagination, but it is highly entertaining and does have it's comedic moments. When movies are being made with names like Dumb and Dumber, and How High? I think I'll keep my viewing priorities straight and preference a movie like this over them.