Film Review: 'Paper In My Pockets 24/7'

When Marcus (Coley Speaks) learns he's going to be spending part of his summer with his uncle Angel (Gary Anthony Sturgis), he couldn't be more excited. Not only is his uncle fun and wealthy, but it's also a welcome distraction from the tension at home with his mother Michelle (Shawn M. Richardz) struggling to make ends meet and in constant conflict with Marcus' drug addicted father Daryl (Trae Ireland).

Much of Daryl's anger comes from his disdain for Angel, who has achieved his wealth by becoming a well-known pimp, which has allowed him to amass his considerable fortune. While Marcus revels in his uncle's extravagant lifestyle, things come to a head when Daryl's drug-fueled anger turns violent—leading to an intense fallout among the estranged family members.

On the surface, Paper In My Pockets 24/7 (stylized as PIMP 24/7) seems like it would be riff for intense, tawdry thrills. The tagline listed on IMDB ("Surprise, your next door neighbor is a pimp!") similarly plays into the premise, and could've been used for a bit of comic relief. Had the film focused primarily on how Angel's profession affected his family, as well as the possible racial conflict his using his work to finance his wealthy lifestyle and integrate himself into a predominantly white upper class, PIMP 24/7 could've provided both entertaining drama and deeper moral/social conflict.

But instead, the film makes a fatal mistake in trying to cram too many overlapping stories into itself, making for a rather disjointed viewing experience. Marcus and his family already have enough content to cover in the form of Angel's illegal and morally questionable work, Michelle struggling to provide for her sons, and the drug-addled Daryl constantly terrorizing his family. But instead of focusing primarily on them, PIMP 24/7 insists on following several other side characters through less developed stories that ultimately prove inconsequential to the main story. The most egregious example is a police officer discovering that one of the prostitutes in Angel's employ is a former high school classmate; not only does this take time away from the main plot, but it ultimately goes nowhere beyond a pair of scenes.

PIMP 24/7's main plot proves to be mostly character driven, and the cast does a solid job working with the film's often unnecessarily slow boiling pace. Gary Anthony Sturgis is a strong lead as Angel, striking an ideal balance between suave and ruthless. He and Coley Speaks work well together in their uncle-nephew dynamic, with Sturgis allowing a compassionate side to emerge from his other morally ambiguous character. Speaks also gives a solid performance, even though PIMP 24/7 rarely gives Marcus the chance to emerge from his archetypal "Poor Boy Seduced by Trappings of Ill-Gotten Wealth" role. Shawn M. Richardz brings a lot of emotion to her role as a downtrodden but assertive woman struggling to provide for her family and protect them from her violent husband, while Trae Ireland plays Daryl with just the right blend of vicious and pathetic.

WARNING: Spoilers Below

My last criticism of PIMP 24/7 is regarding its ending, which comes across as incredibly rushed. It made me wonder if the Tubi copy of the film had part of the movie cut off. After abducting Daryl to kill him in revenge for stabbing Johnny (Michelle's other son) in a fit of rage, Angel and Daryl get into a heated and emotional confrontation that seems to be building up to an intense conclusion. But after hearing a sound and pulling out his gun while going to check on what it is, the movie abruptly goes to the end credits. While there are many things about this movie that can be forgiven due to its' reported budget of only $25,000, this blunt ending that completely kills the opportunity for a thrilling conclusion is just inexcusable.

Spoilers Over

Overall, PIMP 24/7 had a lot of good going for it, only for the execution missteps to abandon that good on the cutting room floor. With a meandering plot that takes focus away from what could be a good story to tell, illogical pacing, and an ending that will leave viewers confused and frustrated, the film ultimately strands its solid cast in a film with more problems than they can make up for. While it may be worth a watch for solid performances from Gary Anthony Sturgis and others, PIMP 24/7 is a film that you're unlikely to watch more than once.

Score: 4 out of 10 stolen trophies.