So like the subject line said, it held my interest but it wasn't the best movie either. I actually think Keri Hilson is a pretty great actress. I like when she pops up in things. Some of my favorite things Ive seen her in were Lifetime productions over the last 5-6 years or so, so good for her continuing to act and get work, especially with now getting a whole movie. I just wish this one was a better. So I liked the premise, single mom with her back against the wall who now has to resort to some shady $hit to get out of the hole she's in, but I felt like the story was all over the place. For one, the daughter ends up in an unnecessary Police Brutality situation which I didn't think was needed for the plot or added anything other than Black Trauma. We didn't need to see that, in my opinion. I also found the music choices a bit weird at some moments. Can we talk about how scary good Rotimi was? Yea. He was a treat, in the best way. DC Young Fly also held his own, as well as the actor playing the father, although very unlikable character. Katt Williams was great in this as the shady pastor. Lisa Raye was not cast right as Keri's mom, but I did enjoy her acting. Is this an easy watch, sure, but I don't think Id watch this again.
15 Reviews
Weak story, lousy script, and bad acting
miken-6575830 November 2021
Warning: Spoilers
The movie starts out showing a single mother raising her daughter. She's struggling financially but doing the best she can working as a cocktail waitress at a club.
They attend church and we see her daughter perform at church singing a song that she wrote. We also watch them at a basketball game where her daughter plays on the school team. Then we later see her daughter get into a physical altercation with a school-mate outside of school. The police get called and they show an incident of a police officer beating up the girl. The part of the police officer beating the girl has nothing to do with the story but in today's environment, they took the liberty of putting that into the script.
Now our single mother is faced with legal bills on top of her already high amount of other bills she's already got so she comes to a decision of what is she to do.
She decides she's going to be a money launderer for some co-workers that work at her same club. There is no information or background story on how she knows how to do this but we are just supposed to believe that a cocktail waitress knows all of the Ins & outs when it comes to money laundering and she somehow already has connections on who to reach out to on making her money laundering business a success.
Early into this scheme of hers, there is a discussion with the attorneys about the fight and the legal issues against her daughter and yet, even though the class-mate was seriously injured from the fight, conveniently all charges are dropped, including charges against the officer who beat up the daughter. The only request was to terminate the officer that beat up her daughter.
By this point however the mother is too deep in her drug laundering business and she needs to keep on going because now, she's enjoying the lifestyle by buying nice clothes, a new Maserati, and later buys the club she's working at, still working as a cocktail waitress.
The movie was not a good movie and instead of having a scene talking about white supremacy and the scene showing the cop beating a young black girl which really had no significance in the story at all, the scriptwriters should have focused more on writing a better story/script.
This movie is not worth seeing.
They attend church and we see her daughter perform at church singing a song that she wrote. We also watch them at a basketball game where her daughter plays on the school team. Then we later see her daughter get into a physical altercation with a school-mate outside of school. The police get called and they show an incident of a police officer beating up the girl. The part of the police officer beating the girl has nothing to do with the story but in today's environment, they took the liberty of putting that into the script.
Now our single mother is faced with legal bills on top of her already high amount of other bills she's already got so she comes to a decision of what is she to do.
She decides she's going to be a money launderer for some co-workers that work at her same club. There is no information or background story on how she knows how to do this but we are just supposed to believe that a cocktail waitress knows all of the Ins & outs when it comes to money laundering and she somehow already has connections on who to reach out to on making her money laundering business a success.
Early into this scheme of hers, there is a discussion with the attorneys about the fight and the legal issues against her daughter and yet, even though the class-mate was seriously injured from the fight, conveniently all charges are dropped, including charges against the officer who beat up the daughter. The only request was to terminate the officer that beat up her daughter.
By this point however the mother is too deep in her drug laundering business and she needs to keep on going because now, she's enjoying the lifestyle by buying nice clothes, a new Maserati, and later buys the club she's working at, still working as a cocktail waitress.
The movie was not a good movie and instead of having a scene talking about white supremacy and the scene showing the cop beating a young black girl which really had no significance in the story at all, the scriptwriters should have focused more on writing a better story/script.
This movie is not worth seeing.
N/A
d_penn17 September 2023
All that a cast filled with music personalities adds to the dull, trashy money-laundering melodrama "For the Love of Money" is the occasional pause for a song. And the last thing this movie should do is pause. It's just as well that so much of the acting is handled by non-actors, as it'd be a shame to burn through the Screen Actors' Guild's finest trying to wring something out of this sloppy, cliche-ridden script. The soundtrack is more R-rated than most of what's on the screen, and all of it, including the half-assed crime and waiting for Gigi's profligate, criminal "boss-ass b-h" behavior to catch up with her is pure trash.. R for language, some sexual content/nudity and violence.
Waste of time
everydayhomecl25 February 2023
Warning: Spoilers
The main character dives into crime to pay for her daughter's tuition and legal fees but then it is revealed later in the movie that her father is very wealthy. So why couldn't she have just asked him to begin with?
She didn't have a problem asking him to help her launder millions but couldn't ask him for 30k to just get her out the situation entirely?!
Also, the whole laundering money through the church, really???
Rotimis acting was good but his storyline was never developed and his character ended up being pointless.
The whole plot with her ex husband made no sense and he lost his job at the end for absolutely no reason.
Bad acting, too many holes, do NOT recommend.
She didn't have a problem asking him to help her launder millions but couldn't ask him for 30k to just get her out the situation entirely?!
Also, the whole laundering money through the church, really???
Rotimis acting was good but his storyline was never developed and his character ended up being pointless.
The whole plot with her ex husband made no sense and he lost his job at the end for absolutely no reason.
Bad acting, too many holes, do NOT recommend.
Perpertrating at the HIGHEST level!!!
mimiybyazphil7 January 2023
The opening scenes CLEARLY show my hometown of ATLANTA,Ga, but this hot mess of a "movie" was filmed ENTIRELY in Oklahoma City!! Forget the horrible script, and ridiculous storyline, that alone is the reason this is a HORRIBLE movie! Why does EVERYTHING Black have to be set I Atlanta?! I live IN the REAL Atlanta and get sick and tired of all the people who claim to live here,but live miles away! Finally this was a poorly cast, horribly acted music video PRETENDING to be a movie!! Katt Williams as a PREACHER?! That' s almost criminal!! It embarrasses us educated Black professionals to see movies like this! JUST STOP PLEASE!!
Surprisingly Enjoyed
ryleilove26 July 2023
Warning: Spoilers
I watched this strictly because I saw Keri Hilson who I have always loved but when I saw Kat, Rotimi, Mr. Sweat and some other big names, I was like oooo yea definitely watching.
I enjoyed this movie though predictable but that's typical. I give this a 7 because Keri shocked and impressed me and the cast did really well. I also appreciate the lessons that came with it and the info about Black Wall Street and wholeheartedly believe they still doing their thing. I need to get in with them because a sister need some money lol.
Two things that bothered me which is why this doesn't get a 10. Let's start with Lisa. As of late, I have been turned off by her and the way she has been presenting herself to us. I have loved her since I was a child watching Players Club knowing darn well we wasn't supposed to be watching that movie, ha. I have to say, I did not enjoy her in this role. She doesn't have that motherly, grandma, elderly vibe. Yes I know she's a mother, grandmother and is older but she doesn't carry that energy well so to see her portray this role was awkward...and that wig was horrible. In my most humble opinion, they should have cast someone else, but they didn't so it is what it is. Lastly, the unsatisfying ending. I would have loved to see what took place with Keri's character and her daughters father. I can go on but being I can't remember names etc, I'll just leave it at guessing the writers didn't know how to wrap it up or maybe they ran out of money or screen time, idk. Like did she regain custody? Did he become bitter toward her? And so many more questions apparently won't be answered. You kind of have to draw your own conclusion.
Everyone did really well however. Great movie and I'm excited to see more of Ms. Keri baby acting.
I enjoyed this movie though predictable but that's typical. I give this a 7 because Keri shocked and impressed me and the cast did really well. I also appreciate the lessons that came with it and the info about Black Wall Street and wholeheartedly believe they still doing their thing. I need to get in with them because a sister need some money lol.
Two things that bothered me which is why this doesn't get a 10. Let's start with Lisa. As of late, I have been turned off by her and the way she has been presenting herself to us. I have loved her since I was a child watching Players Club knowing darn well we wasn't supposed to be watching that movie, ha. I have to say, I did not enjoy her in this role. She doesn't have that motherly, grandma, elderly vibe. Yes I know she's a mother, grandmother and is older but she doesn't carry that energy well so to see her portray this role was awkward...and that wig was horrible. In my most humble opinion, they should have cast someone else, but they didn't so it is what it is. Lastly, the unsatisfying ending. I would have loved to see what took place with Keri's character and her daughters father. I can go on but being I can't remember names etc, I'll just leave it at guessing the writers didn't know how to wrap it up or maybe they ran out of money or screen time, idk. Like did she regain custody? Did he become bitter toward her? And so many more questions apparently won't be answered. You kind of have to draw your own conclusion.
Everyone did really well however. Great movie and I'm excited to see more of Ms. Keri baby acting.
Great movie and awesome cast!
keri81716 July 2022
Great 👍 Movie and Casting
tenishajohnson-898692 December 2021
I loved the movie. Best original storyline that I have seen since a long time in a drama. The twist and plot in this movie was very relevant to everyday life. Also, the history point of the movie was a knowledge kicker for the young audiences. I think everyone did a great job. I love seeing Katt Williams in almost any script he is good. Keri did her damn thing. DC Young Fly always holds his own. The best of the best was Jason and Rotimi...omg keep making movies. #blackmoviesarethebomb.
It was real formulated, but that formula works!
subxerogravity27 November 2021
This was so formulated; it would not surprise me if a computer wrote the script.
The protagonist got hit hard by life and is force to find finical gain in crime "but I'm gonna get out once my finical situation is good", sure (rolling eyes), but the film is called For the Love of Money so you know, easier said than done.
But for real, Kerri Hilson was way easy on the eyes, which made it very likeable to watch her play the protagonist in this By-the-numbers movie (She was not so good that I did not notice that every dude in this flick is like half her size (is she really that tall?).
I've seen DC Young Fly do better. I'll give him credit, I'm use to seeing him do comedies and this was a more of a drama, and it just did not fully fit this time.
But you know who did kill it? Katt Williams. If there was an award for special guest star who does a couple of scenes for a weeks' worth of work and gets paid the big bucks so they can put him on the Straight to DVD box and say he's in the movie, than Katt Williams just won that (unless Bruce Willis came out with a movie this year (He's the master of it). Kat was eating up all the scenes and blew it away. Loved everything about seeing him in this movie, one hundred percent.
Also want to give the movie credit for the melodrama. It was laid out pretty well considering it was a movie not a TV show, which has more time to make the emotional connections this movie had to do in like two hours. (Ironically, those emotional connections made it easier to see loop holes in the story).
This would be a good time to give a shout out to Lisa Raye who showed some real acting chops as a supporting thespian. She way to young and hot to be playing a grandma, but she put her all into it and she was not stingy with her acting position, which was just to movie the story along, and she did it like an Oscar winner.
At this point I should mention Keith Sweat, whose overblown cameo was used just to move the soundtrack along.
Overall, I enjoyed this movie. Its plot is so general you know the ending before the movie really even starts but it was filled with enough good characters that it made it entertaining.
The protagonist got hit hard by life and is force to find finical gain in crime "but I'm gonna get out once my finical situation is good", sure (rolling eyes), but the film is called For the Love of Money so you know, easier said than done.
But for real, Kerri Hilson was way easy on the eyes, which made it very likeable to watch her play the protagonist in this By-the-numbers movie (She was not so good that I did not notice that every dude in this flick is like half her size (is she really that tall?).
I've seen DC Young Fly do better. I'll give him credit, I'm use to seeing him do comedies and this was a more of a drama, and it just did not fully fit this time.
But you know who did kill it? Katt Williams. If there was an award for special guest star who does a couple of scenes for a weeks' worth of work and gets paid the big bucks so they can put him on the Straight to DVD box and say he's in the movie, than Katt Williams just won that (unless Bruce Willis came out with a movie this year (He's the master of it). Kat was eating up all the scenes and blew it away. Loved everything about seeing him in this movie, one hundred percent.
Also want to give the movie credit for the melodrama. It was laid out pretty well considering it was a movie not a TV show, which has more time to make the emotional connections this movie had to do in like two hours. (Ironically, those emotional connections made it easier to see loop holes in the story).
This would be a good time to give a shout out to Lisa Raye who showed some real acting chops as a supporting thespian. She way to young and hot to be playing a grandma, but she put her all into it and she was not stingy with her acting position, which was just to movie the story along, and she did it like an Oscar winner.
At this point I should mention Keith Sweat, whose overblown cameo was used just to move the soundtrack along.
Overall, I enjoyed this movie. Its plot is so general you know the ending before the movie really even starts but it was filled with enough good characters that it made it entertaining.
Fantastic Movie
mmdaniels-7149715 May 2022
This movie was great. A pretty straightforward plot however it was well written and arranged to perfection. Katt Williams play a very mature role. I hope to see him in these type of roles going forward. I will say this is my first time seeing Keri Hilson as the lead role in a movie. I hope to see her make many more movies especially represent the ATL.
Good movie!
lavictory24 July 2022
Way Better Than Expected!
thabomohlabai14 March 2022
Warning: Spoilers
One negative: cinematography/angles and all could've been better.
Positives: Shout out to Keri Hilson for her improvement in this film, I would like to see her do more aggressive roles.
Beautiful soundtrack!
Everyone acted their azz off, it almost felt natural.
For those bothered by Gigi not getting caught, her dad runs a successful money laundering business, she's obviously going to come out of it safe.
I think the ending was "closure" in a way, as vague as it was, it had to wrap up positively.
I kinda wish this movie was released for TV, it was gonna be WAY more successful on a platform like BET.
I think I've written my chest off. But I do wanna say that people need to stop watching movies with broken hearts or whatever. Coz I read a lot of negative reviews, and I swear to God, I don't know what y'all are talking about.
Positives: Shout out to Keri Hilson for her improvement in this film, I would like to see her do more aggressive roles.
Beautiful soundtrack!
Everyone acted their azz off, it almost felt natural.
For those bothered by Gigi not getting caught, her dad runs a successful money laundering business, she's obviously going to come out of it safe.
I think the ending was "closure" in a way, as vague as it was, it had to wrap up positively.
I kinda wish this movie was released for TV, it was gonna be WAY more successful on a platform like BET.
I think I've written my chest off. But I do wanna say that people need to stop watching movies with broken hearts or whatever. Coz I read a lot of negative reviews, and I swear to God, I don't know what y'all are talking about.
Surprisingly great movie
charnita_laniece15 August 2022
SUPERB
mobettabarbie29 December 2022
I don't know why this has low ratings. The cast was amazing, bunch of twist and kept me on the edge of my seat! Comedy, up's and downs. The antagonist was FINE and crazy which is usually the story in real life. Beautifully set and some life lessons to take away from this gem. Starz is rocking out with their movies and series this year. Take a few mins to warm up but when stuff hits the fan, it splashes everywhere. I was stressed out watching this too. My food went cold because I was into and invested. Surprising amount of celebs like Katt & DC young fly. You'll miss out if u skip on this. Don't believe the ratings!
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