The Cookout
Encyclopedia
The Cookout is a 2004 comedy film
, directed by Lance Rivera. It is co-written by and features Queen Latifah
, and is also the feature film debut for her mother Rita Owens.
) has just signed a $30 million contract with his hometown basketball team the New Jersey Nets
, he purchases many new luxuries for himself and his family including a new house in a well established, high class neighborhood for him and his gold digging girlfriend Brittany (played by Meagan Good
). Keeping with family tradition, he decides to host a regular family reunion cookout in his new place, however, not planning for it to clash with an important business meeting for an endorsement deal.
Meanwhile, street thug Bling Bling (played by Ja Rule
) is jealous that Todd has made it with his basketball contract after being insulted and embarrassed in front of the neighborhood when Todd did not recognize who he was. He plans to get many pairs of sneakers signed by the upcoming star to sell on eBay and become rich. Whilst on his way to Todd's new house, he crashes his car due to his clumsy friend and then tries to steal a new Mercedes from a car park without realizing the car belongs to Todd's girlfriend Brittany. After finding out he holds her at gunpoint and forces her to drive him there.
Although the meeting is scheduled to take place in the morning, and the guests are to arrive in the afternoon, one by one members of Todd's eccentric family being to arrive before expected disrupting his business 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 Bling Bling and his criminal sidekick invade the cookout so they can get Todd's autograph, the ensuing chaos makes Todd realize how much he needs his family. He realizes that he loves the family for the way they are and gets a shock by the endorsement interviewer.
there were original songs and remakes of R&B classics included in the picture.
The Cookout main theme "Family Reunion" performed by Noel Gourdin
Produced by Kaygee & Terence "Tramp Baby" Abney
& written by Balewa Muhammad, Keir Gist, Terence "Tramp Baby" Abney
The Cookout End theme "The Cookout" Performed by Treach (Of Naughty By Nature) & Duganz
Produced by Kaygee & Terence "Tramp Baby" Abney
& written by Nastacia Kendall, Anthony Treach Criss, Duganz, Keir Gist, Terence "Tramp Baby" Abney
"The Closer I Get to You" Performed by Barbara Wilson, and Romeo Johnson
.
written by Reggie Lucas and James Mtume
Courtesy of Inflx Entertainment. Published by Ensign Music Corp. o/b/o itself and Scarab Publishing Corp. (BMI)
& Cheryl Lynn
's "Got To Be Real"
Written by David Paich
, David Foster
, and Cheryl Lynn
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
, directed by Lance Rivera. It is co-written by and features Queen Latifah
Queen Latifah
Dana Elaine Owens , better known by her stage name Queen Latifah, is an American singer, rapper, and actress. Her work in music, film and television has earned her a Golden Globe award, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, two Image Awards, a Grammy Award, six additional Grammy nominations, an Emmy...
, and is also the feature film debut for her mother Rita Owens.
Plot
When Todd Andersen (played by Quran PenderQuran Pender
Quran Pender is an African American actor and rapper, best known for his role as Todd Anderson in the 2004 movie, The Cookout.- References :...
) has just signed a $30 million contract with his hometown basketball team the New Jersey Nets
New Jersey Nets
The New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, he purchases many new luxuries for himself and his family including a new house in a well established, high class neighborhood for him and his gold digging girlfriend Brittany (played by Meagan Good
Meagan Good
Meagan Monique Good is an American film and television actress and occasional film producer. Beginning her career at the age of four, Good has appeared in numerous commercials, television shows, feature films, and music videos....
). Keeping with family tradition, he decides to host a regular family reunion cookout in his new place, however, not planning for it to clash with an important business meeting for an endorsement deal.
Meanwhile, street thug Bling Bling (played by Ja Rule
Ja Rule
Jeffrey Atkins , better known by his stage name Ja Rule, is an American rapper, singer, and actor.Born in Hollis, Queens, he began his career in the group Cash Money Click and debuted in 1999 with Venni Vetti Vecci and its single "Holla Holla"...
) is jealous that Todd has made it with his basketball contract after being insulted and embarrassed in front of the neighborhood when Todd did not recognize who he was. He plans to get many pairs of sneakers signed by the upcoming star to sell on eBay and become rich. Whilst on his way to Todd's new house, he crashes his car due to his clumsy friend and then tries to steal a new Mercedes from a car park without realizing the car belongs to Todd's girlfriend Brittany. After finding out he holds her at gunpoint and forces her to drive him there.
Although the meeting is scheduled to take place in the morning, and the guests are to arrive in the afternoon, one by one members of Todd's eccentric family being to arrive before expected disrupting his business 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 Bling Bling and his criminal sidekick invade the cookout so they can get Todd's autograph, the ensuing chaos makes Todd realize how much he needs his family. He realizes that he loves the family for the way they are and gets a shock by the endorsement interviewer.
Cast
- Quran PenderQuran PenderQuran Pender is an African American actor and rapper, best known for his role as Todd Anderson in the 2004 movie, The Cookout.- References :...
— Todd Andersen (credited as Storm P.) - Jenifer LewisJenifer LewisJenifer Jeanette Lewis is an American film and television actress and singer.-Early life:Lewis was born in Kinloch, Missouri, to a nurse's aid mother and a factory worker father. She attended college at Webster University in Webster Groves, Missouri...
— Lady Em/Emma Andersen - Meagan GoodMeagan GoodMeagan Monique Good is an American film and television actress and occasional film producer. Beginning her career at the age of four, Good has appeared in numerous commercials, television shows, feature films, and music videos....
— Brittany - Ja RuleJa RuleJeffrey Atkins , better known by his stage name Ja Rule, is an American rapper, singer, and actor.Born in Hollis, Queens, he began his career in the group Cash Money Click and debuted in 1999 with Venni Vetti Vecci and its single "Holla Holla"...
— Bling Bling/Percival Assmackey - Jonathan SilvermanJonathan Silverman-Personal life:Silverman was born in Los Angeles, California, the son of Devora and Hillel Emanuel Silverman, a rabbi. He is the grandson of famous Conservative Rabbi Morris Silverman. David Schwimmer was his best friend in high school. He is married to actress Jennifer Finnigan who he briefly co...
— Wes Riley - Tim Meadows — Leroy
- Farrah FawcettFarrah FawcettFarrah Fawcett was an American actress and artist. A multiple Golden Globe and Emmy Award nominee, Fawcett rose to international fame when she first appeared as private investigator Jill Munroe in the first season of the television series Charlie's Angels, in 1976...
— Mrs. Crowley - Ruperto Vanderpool — Wheezer
- Frankie FaisonFrankie FaisonFrankie Russel Faison , often credited as Frankie R. Faison, is an American actor.-Personal life:Faison was born in Newport News, Virginia, the son of Carmena and Edgar Faison. He studied drama at Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington, Illinois, where he joined Theta Chi Fraternity...
— JoJo Andersen - Vincent PastoreVincent PastoreVincent Pastore is an Italian-American actor, often cast as a mobster and best known for the role of Salvatore "Big Pussy" Bonpensiero on The Sopranos.-Early life:...
— Horse shit salesman (credited as "Poo Salesman") - Eve — Bekky
- Danny GloverDanny GloverDanny Lebern Glover is an American actor, film director, and political activist. Glover is perhaps best known for his role as Detective Roger Murtaugh in the Lethal Weapon film franchise.-Early life:...
— Judge Crowley - Queen LatifahQueen LatifahDana Elaine Owens , better known by her stage name Queen Latifah, is an American singer, rapper, and actress. Her work in music, film and television has earned her a Golden Globe award, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, two Image Awards, a Grammy Award, six additional Grammy nominations, an Emmy...
— Security Guard - Roberto Roman — Danny
- Reg E. CatheyReg E. CatheyReginald "Reg" E. Cathey is an American stage, film and television actor.Cathey is a native of Huntsville, Alabama and a graduate of J.O. Johnson High School. He spent his childhood in West Germany. His favourite band is Blur....
--- Frank Washington - Jerod MixonJerod MixonJerod Mixon is an American actor. Mixon is perhaps best known for his role portraying the fictional character Weensie in Old School, the distinctively and massively obese undergraduate university student and fraternity pledge enrolled at the fictional Harrison University...
— Willie - Jamal MixonJamal MixonJamal Mixon is an American actor. He is best known for his role as Ernie Klump, Jr. in the film The Nutty Professor. He is the younger brother of actor Jerod Mixon....
— Nelson - Gerry BammanGerry BammanGerry Bamman is an American actor perhaps best known for his role as Uncle Frank McCallister in Home Alone and Home Alone 2: Lost in New York.-Biography:...
— Butler
The Music and soundtrack
While there was no official soundtrack commercially released for the film,there were original songs and remakes of R&B classics included in the picture.
The Cookout main theme "Family Reunion" performed by Noel Gourdin
Noel Gourdin
Noel Gourdin is an R&B artist from Boston, Massachusetts. He is most known for his song called "The River", which appeared on the Billboard charts.-Albums:-Singles:ACurrent single.-References:...
Produced by Kaygee & Terence "Tramp Baby" Abney
& written by Balewa Muhammad, Keir Gist, Terence "Tramp Baby" Abney
The Cookout End theme "The Cookout" Performed by Treach (Of Naughty By Nature) & Duganz
Produced by Kaygee & Terence "Tramp Baby" Abney
& written by Nastacia Kendall, Anthony Treach Criss, Duganz, Keir Gist, Terence "Tramp Baby" Abney
"The Closer I Get to You" Performed by Barbara Wilson, and Romeo Johnson
Romeo Johnson
Romeo Johnson is an American singer, songwriter, composer, and vocal coach. A Chattanooga, Tennessee native, Johnson attended Brainerd High School, for Music Theory, Conducting/Arranging, and Stage Band. He later attended The University of Tennessee, and studied Theater, Voice, and Dance...
.
written by Reggie Lucas and James Mtume
James Mtume
James Mtume is a jazz and R&B musician and a radio personality. Mtume's group is perhaps best known for their 1983 R&B hit song "Juicy Fruit". The song was sampled by The Notorious B.I.G. in his song "Juicy"...
Courtesy of Inflx Entertainment. Published by Ensign Music Corp. o/b/o itself and Scarab Publishing Corp. (BMI)
& Cheryl Lynn
Cheryl Lynn
Lynda Cheryl Smith , known better by her professional name Cheryl Lynn, is a female African-American disco, R&B and soul singer known best for her 1978 disco song, "Got to Be Real".-Early career:...
's "Got To Be Real"
Written by David Paich
David Paich
David Frank Paich is a session musician, keyboard player, recording producer, arranger, vocalist and main composer of the Los Angeles-based rock/pop band Toto. David is the son of the late jazz composer, musician, and arranger Marty Paich...
, David Foster
David Foster
David Walter Foster, OC, OBC , is a Canadian musician, record producer, composer, singer, songwriter, and arranger, noted for discovering singers such as Michael Bublé, Josh Groban, and Charice Pempengco; and for producing some of the most successful artists in the world, such as Céline Dion, Toni...
, and Cheryl Lynn
Cheryl Lynn
Lynda Cheryl Smith , known better by her professional name Cheryl Lynn, is a female African-American disco, R&B and soul singer known best for her 1978 disco song, "Got to Be Real".-Early career:...