Download The Cookout movie

The Cookout is a 2004 comedy film, directed by Lance Rivera. It is co-written by Queen Latifah, and is a feature film debut for her mother Rita Owens.

Plot

Todd Andersen (played by Pender) has just signed a $30 million contract with his hometown basketball team the New Jersey Nets. He buys a new house in a new, high class neighborhood, and he then decides to invite his family for a cookout on the same day he has an endorsement interview.

The neighbors are drawn to the cookout, and Todd is concerned mainly about his image, as his family's antics are making a poor impression on his neighbors. When two criminals invade the cookout so they can get Todd's autograph, the ensuing chaos makes Todd realize how much he needs his family.

Tagline: This summer, get your grill on!

Cast

• Quran Pender — Todd Andersen (credited as Storm P.)
• Jenifer Lewis — Lady Em/Emma Andersen
• Meagan Good — Britany
• Ja Rule — Bling Bling/Percival Assmackey
• Jonathan Silverman — West
• Tim Meadows — Leroy
• Farrah Fawcett — Mrs. Crowley
• Ruperto Vanderpool — Wheezer
• Frankie Faison — JoJo Andersen
• Vincent Pastore
• Eve (rapper) — Bekky
• Danny Glover
• Queen Latifah — Security Guard
• Roberto Roman — Danny

The Neighborhood where it was filmed was Bernardsville, NJ, an extremely wealthy and high class area. The movie was filmed in 2004

18 Comments »

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There Are A Few High Points

I have to agree with most of the previous comments, here, that this
movie will most likely be pretty offensive to most black viewers. It's
loaded with stereotypes and predictable humor.That aside, I did get a chuckle out of a few of the characters. Tim
Meadows' conspiracy whacko character was twisted and amusing. Meadows
has a talent for subtle humor with over-the-top characters. This sounds
like a contradiction, but it isn't. Danny Glover gets a few laughs in
as the heavily "ball & chained" neighbor. It helps that his ball in
chain happens to be Farrah Fawcett, I suppose. Both Mr. Meadows and Mr.
Glover's characters were somewhat stereotypical and unoriginal, but
both actors made them work, because they're pros.I found Jennifer Lewis' character to be intensely annoying. She was
supposed to come off as "strong" and as the pillar of the family, but
if I had a parent like her, I'd go to huge lengths to avoid her. Just
watching her in a movie made me uncomfortable. I'm surprised that
Todd's prospective client didn't head for the hills, immediately.This movie has more flaws then virtues, and it will certainly offend
anybody concerned with improving the image of African Americans, but it
does have it's brief moments. Wait for it on cable and watch it for
free, when there's nothing else on.

diesixdie from The Shadows - 30 August 2006

Not what I had expected

I once read that if you want to watch a movie and just to be
entertained, then take your brain out and relax. I thought this movie
would fit into this category. When I first saw the trailers, and bits
and pieces of the movie I thought it was worth watching. So I did. To
be honest I was disappointed.With all of the big names like Danny Glover, Farrah Fawcett, Jenifer
Lewis, Queen Latifah, and Frankie Faison to name a few, I had thought
this would be great. At best I felt the movie was slow and the lines
delivered as if they were being read.As for the morality of the movie, one could argue it set the tone for
being responsible about money. But I also saw a contradiction in moral
and racial issues. The first issue is the smoking of marijuana. To see
a "judge", Danny Glover smoking it, what does this say about the real
world? The movie played on the fears of predominately white segregated,
walled communities. At least that part was true.The third item was in regards to the black male and white female role
in an interracial marriage. Why in the end was everyone happy to see
Danny Glover (Judge Crowley) dominate his white wife, Farrah Fawcett
(Mrs. Crowley), yet Frankie Faison (JoJo Anderson) is submissive to his
wife Jenifer Lewis (Lady Em)? Does this mean that all black men in an
interracial marriage should be "Master and Commander?" Does this state
that black men marry outside of their race because the black woman is
too strong and dominant? Does this mean that all white females become
submissive when dominated by a black man? I don't think so as I am in
an interracial marriage and took offense to those messages.With the above aside, I took my brain out and tried to just be
entertained. I laughed through a few parts, and the rest of the plot I
could see through. Would I see it again? Maybe.I had expected more with all of the big names and maybe this is the
problem.

awparran from Canada - 20 July 2006

Why didn't they just pull out some whips and start picking cotton?

This movie was a disgrace. It was racist towards more than just black
people. I mean, seriously, I'm black and I have never seen a black mama
behave the way the character was portrayed. She was always going off at
the mouth and nothing she said was believable or fully in character. I
really just wanted to jump out of my seat and dropkick the screen by
the time the cliché "homosexual" chefs made their "dramatic exit". But
instead I settled for launching into conversation with my nearest
neighbor. All of the white characters were unbelievable, the father was
a disgrace, and the entire movie was just pitiful.And I've never been to a cookout where they served chitterlings. It's
too dang on hot in the summer to be eating chitterlings or collard
greens. I did rather enjoy Queen Latifah though, even in a ridiculously
written role she was believable and hilarious. She made it worth my
while.

rpdramamama from United States - 18 July 2006

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