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"What's
'Up' With That?"
by Scott Mantz
"Held Up"
Jamie Foxx, Nia Long
Directed by Steve Rash
Why worry about
the dangers of living in the big city, when some the of real dangers
can be found in cities that aren't even on the map? The minute you
step out of your car at a roadside diner or convenience store, the
locals start checking you out like you just stepped out of a space
ship. That turns out to be the least of Jamie Foxx's problems in
"Held Up", a funnier than expected, lighthearted, and good natured
comedy that subliminally breaks down racial barriers across the
board.
Michael (Jamie
Foxx) and Rae (Nia Long) are in the middle of a road trip to the
Grand Canyon. They stop off at a convenience store, where Rae is
shocked to discover how much Michael spent on his classic Studebaker.
She takes off and hitches a ride back to the airport. If that wasn't
bad enough, he locks his keys in his car and watches in horror when
it is stolen. Nobody can break a $50 bill for him to use the pay
phone, and just when things couldn't get any worse, a foiled robbery
attempt turns into a hostage crisis. Michael not only has to talk
his way out of his current situation, but he also has to get to
the airport in time to catch Rae before he loses her for good.
For such a seemingly
lighthearted comedy, "Held Up" takes a few pot shots at some of
the preconceived notions and first impressions that people subconsciously
make. When Michael first steps out of his car, he is scrutinized
by the locals who act like they've never seen a black person before.
When Rodrigo, the lead store robber played by Eduardo Yanez, first
holds the Sip 'N' Zip up, it never crosses anybody's mind that he
may actually be doing it for a good cause.
Jamie Foxx holds
back from overdoing the comedy and instead gives a confident and
self-assured performance. Even though he's having a bad day that
steadily gets worse, he never loses his cool. If this were a much
better film, then this is just the type of role that would have
catapulted him into much bigger movies (with better paychecks to
boot). Nia Long holds her own against Foxx, and she's a lot tougher
than she looks. She's not going to let her man walk all over her,
and he's going to have to fight pretty hard to win her back.
The rest of
the quirky cast of characters play like an episode of TV's "Northern
Exposure" (ironic, since two of the actors are veterans from that
show). Barry Corbin plays the town sheriff with the southern drawl
who's more annoyed that his little league baseball game was interrupted
than he is about having to deal with a hostage situation. Jake Busey
plays it straight as the calm, cool, and collected deputy who first
arrives on the scene, and Eduardo Yanez is convincing as the good-natured
store robber.
"Held Up" plays
more like a made-for-cable movie than like a major motion picture,
but it has a lighthearted appeal that should please everybody. Though
it may not come right out and say it, the message that comes through
is loud and clear. Never judge a book by its cover. All it takes
is one turn of the page, and you just may be impressed by the person
who's on the inside.
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