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B.A.P.S. (1997)

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All Critics
Top Critics

Average Rating: 3/10
Reviews Counted: 31
Fresh: 4 | Rotten: 27

No consensus yet.

Average Rating: 4.3/10
Critic Reviews: 10
Fresh: 3 | Rotten: 7

No consensus yet.

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Average Rating: 2.9/5
User Ratings: 7,989

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Movie Info

In this broad fish-out-of-water comedy, Nisi (Halle Berry) and Mickey (Natalie Desselle) are African-American women with two ambitions -- marry rich men who will give them lots of money, and open the world's first combination hair salon and soul food restaurant. However, eligible bachelors and business opportunities are in short supply in Decatur, Georgia, so when Nisi hears rapper Heavy D is auditioning dancers in Los Angeles for an upcoming video and concert tour, the pair hit the road for

PG-13, 1 hr. 31 min.

Comedy

Directed By: Robert Townsend

Written By: Troy Beyer

In Theaters: Mar 28, 1997 Wide

On DVD: Jan 13, 2004

Cast

Halle Berry
Nisi
Martin Landau
Mr. Blakemore
Ian Richardson
Manley
Natalie Desselle
Mickey
Troy Beyer
Tracy
Luigi Amodeo
Antonio
LL Cool J
Himself
Heavy D
Himself
Darrow Igus
Bartender
Leon
Himself
Faizon Love
Tiger J
Bernie Mac
Mr. Johnson
Eric Poppick
Vincent
Alex Thomas
Music Store Salesman
A.J. Johnson
James
Rudy Ray Moore
Nate
Darrell M. Heath
Terrance
Debra Wilson
Flight Attendant
Jonathan Fried
Isaac
Dennis Rodman
Himself
Pierre Edwards
Ali
Downtown Julie Brown
Herself
Idalis de Leon
Herself
Howard Hewett
Himself
Vince Cooke
Z.Z.
Jessica Page
Audition Dancer
Robin VanSharner
Airline Passenger
Anthony Johnson

Critic Reviews for B.A.P.S.

All Critics (31) | Top Critics (10) | Fresh (4) | Rotten (27) | DVD (4)

t's a celebration of bonds that are thicker than blood and demonstrates above all that fame-and-fortune fantasies can blur divisions of race and class as persuasively as they can exaggerate them.

July 21, 2009 Full Review Source: Chicago Reader

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Lisa Alspector

Chicago Reader

Top Critic

Formulaic and distastefully fake, Townsend's modern fairy tale unsuccessfuly tries to combine the premise of Pretty Woman with the formats of the fish-out-of-water and culture-collision.

April 26, 2006 Full Review Source: Variety

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Emanuel Levy

Variety

Top Critic

Paying movie-goers deserve more, especially from someone who has previously shown signs of genuine comic aptitude.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: ReelViews

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James Berardinelli

ReelViews

Top Critic

It's good for a half-hour of humor before the fun starts to dissolve.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: New York Times

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Janet Maslin

New York Times

Top Critic

A very funny movie.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: Washington Post

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Esther Iverem

Washington Post

Top Critic

Jaw-droppingly bad, a movie so misconceived I wonder why anyone involved wanted to make it.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: Chicago Sun-Times

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Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

Top Critic

A string of hugely unfunny shenanigans ensue.

July 21, 2009 Full Review Source: Film4

| Comment

Film4

You can see how the black, modern-day Pygmalion-type story could work, just, but not with this heap of cabbage leaves for a script, and not with such desperately goofy acting from Berry and Desselle.

January 26, 2006 Full Review Source: Time Out

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Time Out

The story offers nothing original.

April 9, 2005 Full Review Source: Reeling Reviews

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