Foolish (1999)

0% of critics liked it
(16 reviews)
64% of users liked it
(992 ratings)

Rap music star and No Limit Records boss Master P, after a series of successful straight-to-video features and one theatrical release, I Got The Hook-Up, made a bid for wider big-screen success with Foolish, which teamed him with comedian Eddie Griffin. "Fifty Dollah" Waise (Master P) is involved in… More Rap music star and No Limit Records boss Master P, after a series of successful straight-to-video features and one theatrical release, I Got The Hook-Up, made a bid for wider big-screen success with Foolish, which teamed him with comedian Eddie Griffin. "Fifty Dollah" Waise (Master P) is involved in a crime ring that earns him good money but worries his grandmother (Marla Gibbs), who dotes on him and encourages him to follow a more righteous path. Fifty Dollah's brother "Foolish" (Eddie Griffin) is an aspiring comedian, but his inability to get his career going convinces his older sibling he's wasting his talents. While Fifty Dollah tries to get his own life in order and give Foolish the push he needs, he also has to deal with a sudden conflict with criminal leader Eldorado Ron (Andrew Dice Clay) and a painful romantic triangle when he and Foolish fall for the same woman (Amy Petersen). In addition to music from Master P and a host of other No Limit artists, Foolish features an original score by former Prince associates Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman. Master P also wrote the film's screenplay. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 36 min.
Directed By: Dave Meyers
Genres: Drama, Comedy

In Theaters: Apr 9, 1999 Wide
On DVD: Sep 12, 2000
Studio: Lionsgate

Critic Reviews

, Variety
A strange combination of urban melodrama and comedy concert film.
Anita Gates, New York Times
The film loses complete credibility when the audiences at the comedy clubs where Foolish works go wild with delight, way out of proportion to the hilarity of the material. And Foolish is just a little too smug about his artistic integrity.
Scott Tobias, AV Club
The miserable production values-the cardboard sets rival a Little Rascals talent show-and P's stone-faced delivery are merely amateurish, but as a vanity project for Griffin, Foolish is downright appalling.
Maitland McDonagh, TV Guide's Movie Guide
Eddie Griffin buffs have the best reason to check out this amateurish effort: Griffin's profane, sometimes sharply observed stand-up routines take up a big chunk of the movie's total running time.
Mark Halverson, Sacramento News & Review
Griffin's few sparks onstage are not worth the wait.
Michael Dequina, TheMovieReport.com
Simpleminded melodrama about two brothers' conflicting struggles to better their lives. Oops, not only did I describe the story, I just gave the entire story away. Sorry.
Christopher Null, Filmcritic.com
Pretty much a bad excuse to work in stand-up material courtesy of Griffin, scenes with Andrew Dice Clay, and buxom, naked chicks.
Cheryl DeWolfe, Apollo Guide
Balancing comedy with drama is tough for the best writers and even tougher for newcomers.
Russell Smith, Austin Chronicle
It's probably more reasonable to evaluate it as an Eddie Griffin concert film.
Maitland McDonagh, Film Journal International
The whole thing has an off-puttingly thrown-together air.
Eugene Novikov, Film Blather
What would inspire someone who cannot write or act to pen and star in a movie?

Read all 11 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Leo L

Crazy, funny! A little slow in the beginning but the rest of the movie is ok. Not excellent, but funny in the only way that is of Eddie Griffin.