First Sunday

NEW YORK (CNS) -- You're never out of options, or second chances. That's the reassuring message of "First Sunday" (Screen Gems), a lively and effective comic drama featuring an ensemble of gifted actors in fine form.

After losing his job in a Baltimore electronics store, good-hearted but unwise Durell Washington (Ice Cube) joins his hapless lifelong friend LeeJohn Jackson (Tracy Morgan) in a scheme to transport stolen wheelchairs for a group of Jamaican gangsters. When this goes awry, the two are sentenced to long terms of community service, and LeeJohn is left fearing for his life if he can't repay the gang.

Durell, meanwhile, learns that his ex-girlfriend, Omunique (Regina Hall), needs $17,000 to keep her hair salon going. Unless she can find the money, she plans to move to Atlanta, taking their son, Durell Jr. (C.J. Sanders), with her.

Desperate to prevent this, Durell agrees to another of LeeJohn's ideas: to break into and rob a neighborhood church. Instead of slipping in and out, as they had planned, however, the two amateur thieves find themselves forced to take a cross section of the church's congregation hostage.

Their unwanted prisoners include Pastor Arthur Mitchell (Chi McBride); his daughter, Tianna (Malinda Williams); Sister Doris (Loretta Devine), the church secretary; Randy (Michael Beach), a deacon; and Rickey (Katt Williams), the effete choir director.

As the hot night progresses, long-standing conflicts among the trapped churchgoers are exacerbated. Yet their undaunted pastor's message of hope begins to have its effect on the intruders.

Writer-director David E. Talbert's film serves up some serious messages with more than a dollop of enjoyable humor. Ice Cube is a convincing Everyman, an easily exasperated foil for Morgan's slyly funny character. Katt Williams provides further humor, while Devine and McBride ably provide the story's moral gravitas.

The film contains occasional crude and profane language, pervasive crass language, some irreverent and sexual humor, implied nonmarital sex and an obscene gesture. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 -- parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

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Copyright (c) 2007 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops