Bait (2000)

26% of critics liked it
(81 reviews)
44% of users liked it
(11,417 ratings)

In this action comedy, a crook trying to go straight finds himself lured back to crime by the police, without his even knowing it. When master criminals Jasper (Robert Pastorelli) and Bristol (Doug Hutchison) pull a heist that nets $40 million in gold but leaves behind several dead policemen,… More In this action comedy, a crook trying to go straight finds himself lured back to crime by the police, without his even knowing it. When master criminals Jasper (Robert Pastorelli) and Bristol (Doug Hutchison) pull a heist that nets $40 million in gold but leaves behind several dead policemen, detective Edgar Clenteen (David Morse) pulls out all the stops to put the thief behind bars. Jasper is jailed and ends up sharing a cell with Alvin Sanders (Jamie Foxx), a habitual small-time criminal who was brought in after a bungled robbery of a seafood wholesaler. Jasper, who has a weak heart, suffers a heart attack in jail, and as he dies, he gives Alvin a message to pass along to his wife. Eager to track down Bristol, who still has the gold, Clenteen has Alvin secretly implanted with an experimental tracking device, and then lets him go free, while spreading the word on the street that Jasper told him where the gold was stashed shortly before his death. While Alvin makes an effort to start his life over and get a straight job, Clenteen and his staff are electronically following his every move, waiting for Bristol and his associates to track him down. Bait was directed by Antoine Fuqua, whose previous credit was the stylish crime thriller The Replacement Killers. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 59 min.
Directed By: Antoine Fuqua
Written By: Tony Gilroy, Adam Scheinman, Andrew Scheinman
Genres: Drama, Action & Adventure, Mystery & Suspense, Comedy

In Theaters: Sep 15, 2000 Wide
On DVD: Jan 23, 2001
Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures

Critic Reviews

Paul Tatara, CNN.com
Director Antoine Fuqua ... serves up every cliche in the book.
Eleanor Ringel Gillespie, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Despite its genre trappings, Bait is an entertaining and occasionally clever picture with a crackling peformance by Jamie Foxx.
Michael Wilmington, Chicago Tribune
This film wastes a lot of good actors.
Jay Carr, Boston Globe
Instead of a tiger in its tank, this vehicle for Foxx has a lot of formula.
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
It's funny and clever, and it grows on you.
Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel
Fuqua has enveloped the luckless Jamie Foxx ... in a stylishly inept mess of a movie; a film as badly flawed in concept as it is incoherent in execution.
Cole Smithey, ColeSmithey.com
Well paced, but weak on story, character, and variety, "Bait" is an underwhelming effort from director Anton Fuqua.
David Nusair, Reel Film Reviews
...a really good 80-minute action movie trapped inside an overblown two-hour suckfest.
James Sanford, Kalamazoo Gazette
includes all the key ingredients for what Hollywood passes off as an "urban comedy." ... The finale of "Bait" finds a screaming infant and his drugged mother strapped to a bomb -- funny stuff, huh?
John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis
...appears to be what typical Hollywood producers think typical audiences want. I guess I'm not typical.
Marty Mapes, Movie Habit
To sum it up in critic-speak, Bait doesn't stink, but it's not very appetizing.
John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis
...typifies the kind of action comedies Hollywood seems to produce by the dozens every year.

Read all 12 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Jani H

"Action & Adventure, Mystery & Suspense, Comedy"... That's how Flixster would categorize "Bait". Well, this film fits none of the previous mentioned genres. I would categorize it to the genre called 'crap'... It's hard to imagine that… More
"Action & Adventure, Mystery & Suspense, Comedy"... That's how Flixster would categorize "Bait". Well, this film fits none of the previous mentioned genres. I would categorize it to the genre called 'crap'... It's hard to imagine that the star of this film is Jamie Foxx, the Academy Award winning actor from "Ray". In this movie he's nothing but a obnoxious, little wanna be gangsta. The other cast members ain't doing a better job either... The film is just a total waste of time and talent. David Morse, Antoine Fuqua... There's talent available but not in here.
Leo L

Crazy funny!

Cast

            Jamie Foxx as Alvin Sanders

            David Morse as Edgar Clenteen

            Doug Hutchison as Bristol

            Robert Pastorelli as John Jaster

            Kimberly Elise as Lisa Hill

            David Paymer as Agent Wooly

            Mike Epps as Stevie Sanders

            Jamie Kennedy as Agent Blum

            Nestor Serrano as Agent Boyle

            Kirk Acevedo as Ramundo

            Jeffrey Donovan as Julio

            Megan Dodds as Agent Walsh

            Tia Texada as Tika

            Conrad Bergschneider as Mobile Agents

            Larry Block as Customer

            Desmond Campbell as convict

            Al Cerullo as Helicopter Pilot

            Jonathan Hadary as Cafe Owner

            Glynn Thomas as Chem-Tech Agent

            Ron Bell as Trucker

            John H.M. Berger as Medical Examiner

            Jason Jones as Guard

            Bill Lynn as Night Watchman

            Stan Coles as General

            Shawn Lawrence as Warden Clay

            Joe Pingue as Cop

            Ritchie Coster as Buyer

            Victor A. Young as Senator

            Clé Bennett as Convict

            William Richards as Helicopter Pilot

            Neil Crone as Supervisor

            Matthew Witherly as Guard

            Don Allison as Senator

            Grouchy Boy as Convict

            Arnold Pinnock as convict

            Lee Rumohr as Bound Guard

            Tom Cappadona as Cab Driver

            Billy Otis as Odd Inmate

            Navaco Bernice Downey as Girl In Club

            Martin Roach as Cop

            Dr. John Jay Harper as Running Man

            Dylan Bierk as Police Photographer

            Bruce Beaton as Agent With Coffee

            Ron Kennell as Mobile Agent

            Nick Pjoternicky as Agent

            Joanna Polley as Rhonda Glimsher

            Lorraine McNeil as Woman Looking In Car Window

            Dave Tomassini as Helicopter Pilot

            Paul Miller as Dr. Harris

            Norman Spencer as Bound Guard

            Doug Hutchinson
            
See full cast