Paid in Full

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Paid in Full

R,

2002,

1h 38m,

Crime/

Drama

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53%

43 Reviews

Tomatometer

93%

10,000+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

53%

Tomatometer

43 Reviews

93%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

In the late 1980s, Ace (Wood Harris) is a young man employed by a Harlem dry cleaning shop, working hard to stay out of the drug business. While making deliveries, he meets Lulu (Esai Morales), a drug dealer who convinces Ace to join him. Ace recruits his friends Mitch (Mekhi Phifer) and Rico (Cam'ron), and the trio become major players in the Harlem drug underworld, a violent business that will test the friends' loyalty and wits as the money rolls in and the dangers grow beyond their control.

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Critics Consensus

Though well-acted and non-exploitative, Paid in Full treads a very well-worn story.

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Richard Roeper

Ebert & Roeper

Oct 29, 2002

I'm going to give it a marginal thumbs up. I liked it just enough.

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Ted Fry

Seattle Times

Oct 25, 2002

3/4

This familiar rise-and-fall tale is long on glamour and short on larger moralistic consequences, though it's told with sharp ears and eyes for the tenor of the times.

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Carla Meyer

San Francisco Chronicle

Oct 25, 2002

2/4

Needed a little less bling-bling and a lot more romance.

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Brian Costello

Common Sense Media

Aug 7, 2018

4/5

Violent crime drama about drug dealer has constant cursing.

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Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

May 12, 2017

B-

hough it shows bling, strong feelings for the inner city and the acting is solid, the derivative story won't knock you out.

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Michael Dequina

TheMovieReport.com

Jan 27, 2009

3/4

Harris and Phifer's chemistry lends the inevitable tragedies some genuine punch.

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Draco L

Mar 7, 2019

A Must see Gritty New york Film

Rey W

Sep 23, 2018

Couldn't get past the scene where they were all eating with their mouths open.

Anakin G

Mar 23, 2018

They hardly make movies like this at all anymore Paid in Full is a good movie and a real life look into what happens on the streets in every city in America. The storyline/plot was great mainly because it was based on a true story also the acting was on point Wood Harris and Mekhi Phifer do an Excellent job bringing their characters to life. The look of the film while not cgi eye popping was still in a sense eye popping simply because they were able to take it back to New York in the 80's. This movie has everything a simple Young man who wants more from life but starts selling drugs while trying to achieve the American dream the greedy x-dealer who comes home from prison who's jealous that he no longer is in position of power tries to take back his spot and Family turning on family and friends turning on friends. Good movie threw and threw and I consider it a must see.

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Draco P

Feb 15, 2017

not bad, pretty intense. looks more like the 90s than the 80s as far as how they dress and talk.

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Charles Stone III

Director

Wood Harris

Ace

Mekhi Phifer

Mitch

Kevin Carroll

Calvin

Esai Morales

Lulu

Chi McBride

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Synopsis

In the late 1980s, Ace (Wood Harris) is a young man employed by a Harlem dry cleaning shop, working hard to stay out of the drug business. While making deliveries, he meets Lulu (Esai Morales), a drug dealer who convinces Ace to join him. Ace recruits his friends Mitch (Mekhi Phifer) and Rico (Cam'ron), and the trio become major players in the Harlem drug underworld, a violent business that will test the friends' loyalty and wits as the money rolls in and the dangers grow beyond their control.

Director: Charles Stone III
Producer: Brett Ratner, Damon Dash, Jay-Z
Screenwriter: Matthew Cirulnick, Thuliani Davis, Azie Faison Jr., Austin Phillips
Distributor: Miramax Films
Production Co: Miramax Films, Dimension Films
Rating: R (Pervasive Language|Drug Content|Some Strong Sexuality|Violence)
Genre: Crime, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 25, 2002, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 20, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $3.0M
Runtime: 1h 38m
Sound Mix: Surround

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