Ice Cube is Durell Washington, a petty criminal who is trying to clean up his act. The problem is that his friend Lee John (Tracey Morgan, TV’s “30 Rock”) tends to get them both into trouble, leading them from one job to the next. Durell learns his son and the mother of his child may have to move out of the city if she can’t pay $17,000 towards the lease on her business. They both stumble into a nearby church and find out the parishioners are saving money towards renovating or moving the church and the cash is likely on the premises. It doesn’t take long to convince Durell that this may be his only way to keep his son in the city.
With Morgan’s motor mouth running constantly throughout the beginning of the story, you’d expect something funny would come out. Instead, I found myself hoping Ice Cube would pop him one in the mouth, just to shut the man up for awhile. The pastor is played as appropriately serious but kind-hearted by Chi McBride (“I, Robot”), despite being tied up for a good part of the movie. The real humor comes from the effeminate and snarky chorus director, Rickey (Katt Williams; “Norbit”) who does his best to steal the show from the two leads. Unfortunately, his occasionally humorous remarks seem like more of an afterthought in the editing room than a focal point of the picture.
While “First Sunday” is low on laughs, it does feature a dramatic moment near the end, regarding people’s ability to forgive and someone’s decision to seek redemption. Since the film does take place primarily in a church, this religious undertone is not unexpected but instead the minor highlight of the picture. Without the humor to keep you actively involved until the end, this morality tale ends up being a bitter pill to swallow.
Rated PG-13 for language, some sexual humor, and brief drug references.
