All About the Benjamins | |
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Theatrical release poster
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Directed by | Kevin Bray |
Produced by |
Matt Alvarez Ice Cube |
Written by | Ice Cube Ronald Lang |
Starring | Ice Cube Mike Epps Eva Mendes Tommy Flanagan Carmen Chaplin Valarie Rae Miller Roger Guenveur Smith Anthony Michael Hall Lil' Bow Wow |
Music by | John Murphy |
Cinematography | Glen MacPherson |
Production
company |
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Distributed by | New Line Cinema |
Release date
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Running time
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98 minutes |
Language | English |
Budget | $15 million |
Box office | $26,306,533 |
All About the Benjamins is a 2002 American action comedy film directed by Kevin Bray, and starring Ice Cube and Mike Epps as a bounty hunter and a repeat offender who join forces to find a group of diamond thieves, the former for glory, and the latter to retrieve a winning lottery ticket. The film was released in theaters in March 2002 to negative reviews, with critics criticizing the plot, violence, and crude humor, while the audience praised the film. Despite this, the film was a moderate box office hit. The film's title was taken from the popular 1997 hip-hop song performed by P. Diddy "It's All About the Benjamins". Ice Cube and Mike Epps also starred together in the Friday series and the (2009) film Janky Promoters.
Tyson Bucum (Ice Cube), a maverick bounty hunter, is out to capture a petty drug dealer, Lil J (Anthony Michael Hall). Bucum confronts Lil J in his trailer home and nearly handcuffs him, but Lil J's girlfriend, who wields a shotgun, recklessly shoots at Bucum. Bucum manages to tackle Lil J's girlfriend and arrest Lil J. Bucum's boss Martinez (Anthony Giaimo), however, is not pleased with Bucum and pays him less than expected. After a brief conversation about the lottery with his attractive co-worker Pam (Valerie Rae Miller), Bucum learns from Martinez that he must capture a con man named Reggie Wright (Mike Epps), whom Bucum has captured three times prior.
Bucum sees Reggie at a convenience store but fails to catch him after a long chase through Miami. Meanwhile, during a photoshoot, diamond thieves Julian (Roger Guenveur Smith) and Ursula (Carmen Chaplin) are posing as a photographer and model until a Mr. Barkley arrives. The duo murder the co-photographer, the makeup artist and Barkley's bodyguards, much to Barkley's surprise. Barkley is then shot in the head after a brief dialogue with Julian for murdering the witnesses. They then retrieve diamonds from the shoot. Bucum catches at Reggie again and chases him until he remains unnoticed since he is hidden in a van. The thieves comes down, shoots at Bucum and escapes, unbeknownst to them that Reggie is hidden. In a boatyard, the thieves finds Reggie in the van and shoot at him when he escapes, leaving his wallet behind, which is picked up by Juilian. At the crime scene, Martinez is fed up of Bucum's attempts and orders him to stay away from Reggie.