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IMDbPro

Once in the Life

  • 20002000
  • RR
  • 1h 47m
IMDb RATING
5.2/10
766
YOUR RATING
Laurence Fishburne, Annabella Sciorra, Eamonn Walker, and Titus Welliver in Once in the Life (2000)
  • Crime
  • Drama
Street hustler Mike cooks up a drug rip-off with his estranged half-brother Torch. Simple robbery turns fatal bloodbath, so they hide out in a claustrophobic rat hole waiting for Mike's budd... Read allStreet hustler Mike cooks up a drug rip-off with his estranged half-brother Torch. Simple robbery turns fatal bloodbath, so they hide out in a claustrophobic rat hole waiting for Mike's buddy Tony, who's "out of the life," or so he says.Street hustler Mike cooks up a drug rip-off with his estranged half-brother Torch. Simple robbery turns fatal bloodbath, so they hide out in a claustrophobic rat hole waiting for Mike's buddy Tony, who's "out of the life," or so he says.
IMDb RATING
5.2/10
766
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Laurence Fishburne
  • Writer
    • Laurence Fishburne(play "Riff Raff")
  • Stars
    • Eamonn Walker
    • Laurence Fishburne
    • Gregory Hines
Top credits
  • Director
    • Laurence Fishburne
  • Writer
    • Laurence Fishburne(play "Riff Raff")
  • Stars
    • Eamonn Walker
    • Laurence Fishburne
    • Gregory Hines
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 9User reviews
    • 10Critic reviews
    • 52Metascore
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos6

    Once in the Life (2000)
    Once in the Life (2000)
    Once in the Life (2000)
    Once in the Life (2000)
    Once in the Life (2000)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Eamonn Walker
    Eamonn Walker
    • Tonyas Tony
    Laurence Fishburne
    Laurence Fishburne
    • 20as 20…
    Gregory Hines
    Gregory Hines
    • Ruffhouseas Ruffhouse
    Michael Paul Chan
    Michael Paul Chan
    • Buddhaas Buddha
    Dominic Chianese Jr.
    • Freddie Nine Livesas Freddie Nine Lives
    Tiger Hu Chen
    Tiger Hu Chen
    • Chinoas Chino
    • (as Tiger Chen)
    Paul Calderon
    Paul Calderon
    • Manny Riveraas Manny Rivera
    Andres Titus
    • Hectoras Hector
    • (as Andres 'Dres' Titus)
    Titus Welliver
    Titus Welliver
    • Torchas Torch
    Harsh Nayyar
    Harsh Nayyar
    • Cab Driveras Cab Driver
    Sue Costello
    Sue Costello
    • Sgt. Kneeleyas Sgt. Kneeley
    Nick Chinlund
    Nick Chinlund
    • Mike Murphyas Mike Murphy
    Timothy W. White
    • Little Billyas Little Billy
    • (as Tim White)
    Wanda De Jesus
    Wanda De Jesus
    • Jackieas Jackie
    Justin Pierre Edmund
    Justin Pierre Edmund
    • Little Mikeyas Little Mikey
    Jim Breuer
    Jim Breuer
    • Pizzamanas Pizzaman
    Annabella Sciorra
    Annabella Sciorra
    • Maxineas Maxine
    Huey Morgan
    Huey Morgan
    • Carlosas Carlos
    • Director
      • Laurence Fishburne
    • Writer
      • Laurence Fishburne(play "Riff Raff") (screenplay)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Laurence Fishburne's directorial debut. As of 2014, he has made no other directorial efforts besides this.
    • Connections
      Referenced in Misfire: The Rise and Fall of the Shooting Gallery (2013)
    • Soundtracks
      Fearless Misery
      Written by William DuVall and Vernon Reid

      Performed by William DuVall feat. Vernon Reid

    User reviews9

    Review
    Top review
    10/10
    Great crime drama with good acting.
    This is really a great unknown movie.Perfect dialogue without the typical clichés.This movie relied on the actor's talent and it was pulled off.It even had a little bit a comedy in it,but it wasn't overdone.Once in the Life is what a crime drama is supposed to be,not the typical special affects garbage with sex thrown in.I especially loved the interracial aspects of it all.

    Now onto the actors themselves. Laurence Fishburne was superb at playing a career petty criminal.It's a shame that he's only allowed to show his talent in his own movie. Titus Welliver was fabulous as Fishburne's junky half-brother. Eamonn Walker added flavor to the already perfectly spiced film. Paul Calderon was perfect as a grease monkey/drug lord.I loved his acting since "King of New York". But the best acting in this film came from Gregory Hines and Michael Paul Chan,who were paired perfectly as two of Calderon's henchmen.

    Once in the Life is for sure a keeper. ****1/2* out of *****.
    helpful•9
    0
    • pawcatch
    • Nov 16, 2002

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 27, 2000 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Compromiso de sangre
    • Filming locations
      • New York City, New York, USA
    • Production companies
      • Cinema Gypsy Productions
      • Shooting Gallery
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $54,780
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $28,358
      • Oct 29, 2000
    • Gross worldwide
      • $54,780
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 47 minutes
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

    Related news

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    Laurence Fishburne, Annabella Sciorra, Eamonn Walker, and Titus Welliver in Once in the Life (2000)
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