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In The Mix, a vehicle for music superstar Usher to expand his acting career, is a hybrid movie.
It is part romantic comedy, part action thriller and part a loose variation on Romeo And Juliet. There is also some heavy-handed social statement. In addition, The New York/New Jersey hip-hop dance scene is highlighted.
Unfortunately, these pieces do not fit together well in Ron Underwood’s clumsy movie. With too much going on and too little focus for it all to make sense, In The Mix is not just mixed up, it is muddled.
The blame rests in Jacqueline Zambrano’s script and Ron Underwood’s filmmaking. This is a banal, cliched story, and certainly not worthy of the Romeo And Juliet notion the filmmakers invoke themselves.
We are obliged to believe that Usher leaves his DJ career on hold — yeah, right! — while he hires on to protect the daughter (Emmanuelle Chriqui) of a Mafioso (Chazz Palminteri) when a rival gang threatens the family.
Yet is seems ludicrous that Usher’s character is so cozy with this particular family, without showing any revulsion for the mob mentality and moral ambiguity.
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Meanwhile, there are long-dormant romantic sparks between the Italian-American gal and Usher, an African-American. As things develop, they pointedly discuss the similarities between their minority cultures in America, including parallels between favoured foods. It could have played cute but it ends up a bit silly in this movie.
I don’t blame Usher (who likes to refer to himself as Usher Raymond IV when discussing his movie career).
His acting is serviceable and his natural charm and charisma is, as his music fans know, electric.
But, in films such as Light It Up and now In The Mix, Usher’s roles are too safe and consequently too bland. He tries so hard not to ‘play himself’ — by that I mean a singer — that he plays nobody, nothing. Eventually, though, some crafty filmmaker will find a project that lets Usher flourish.
Meanwhile, we have to suffer through this thing. The double frustration is that Usher is paired with other decent actors and this could have been a better experience.
American veteran Palminteri, as the mob boss, always nails this kind of character, a lovable if gruff guy mired in a moral crisis. Emerging Canadian actress Chriqui, Montreal-born and Toronto-raised, is sparky, sexy and interesting as the mob boss’ daughter, despite the role’s limitations.
In contrast, Anthony Fazio is embarrassing as Usher’s pal, the Mafioso’s son who is now a hip-hop wannabe. He plays his “hipness” with cartoon zeal. Ugh!
Then, in the end, the story falls apart in an action scene that is even more ridiculous than Fazio’s posturing. In The Mix? I’m not in the mood.
BOTTOM LINE
This is just a bad movie with a core of decent actors and personalities, including Usher, Chazz Palminteri and Emmanuelle Chriqui. Better luck next time.
(This film is rated PG)