Urban sensation Usher Raymond’s In the Mix is an uneasy jumble of several film genres.
Usher, who is both the star and executive producer of In the Mix, obviously wanted this to be a romantic comedy.
Darrell (Usher) is an aspiring DJ who has known Dolly (Emmanuelle Chriqui) since they were children.
She’s the daughter of wealthy New Jersey mob boss Frank Pacelli (Chazz Palminteri).
Darrell’s father was Frank’s favourite bartender.
Frank treats Darrell like a son until he discovers the friendship has turned to romance.
To the film’s credit, it does not dwell on the interracial aspect of the relationship.
Much of the humour comes from the fact Frank is a mobster and Darrell knows he could soon be swimming with the fishes if he continues with his plans of romancing Dolly.
He keeps putting the breaks on his passion.
The big problem is the subplot has Frank in a turf war with another mobster and things get bloody.
Bodies turn up in car trunks and people keep trying to assassinate Frank, Dolly and her brother Frank Junior (Anthony Fazio).
As an actor, Usher is surprisingly stiff.
He was much better in the little-seen western Texas Rangers.
All those music videos he’s made should have given him more confidence.
Chriqui is stunningly beautiful but her ease in front of the camera only makes Usher seem all the more awkward.
Palminteri tries valiantly to play Frank as though he’s in a drama, but that just seems at odds with the romantic comedy riffs that are prevalent throughout.
It’s too obvious who the real villains of the story are, which dulls any attempts at suspense.
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