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Susan Granger's review of "NEXT FRIDAY" (New Line Cinema)
Writer/rapper/actor Ice Cube's Friday was a surprise hit back in 1995, so it should not come as a shock that there's a sequel, aimed directly at the same young, hip, urban audience. Along with serving as producer, Ice Cube reprises his role as Craig, a young man who was trying to survive on the mean streets of South Central Los Angeles. Now, he's moved from the city to the suburbs only to discover that his troubles came right along with him. They're personified by Debo, played by Tommy "Tiny" Lister Jr., a massive bully who wound up in prison in the original story. Debo's escaped from the Los Angeles County Men's Central Jail and wants payback - which is why Craig's father (John Witherspoon) suggests that he hang out in Rancho Cucamonga with his Lotto-winning uncle (Don "DC" Curry) and trophy-wife aunt (Kym E. Whitley), much to the consternation of other friends, relatives, and Hispanic gangster neighbors. Chris Tucker's manic character of Craig's pal Smokey has supposedly "gone into rehab" but, obviously, Tucker's gone on to bigger and better things. Most of the vulgar dialogue is unprintable and the crude, chaotic humor centers on bathroom functions. What could have been an amusing Beverly Hillbillies riff is ineptly directed by first-timer Steve Carr, whose background is in disjointed music videos - and it shows. On the Granger Movie Gauge of 1 to 10, Next Friday is a coarse, cheesy, repetitive 3. It's loud, lame slapstick silliness.
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