Two Can Play That Game
(2001)
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Shante (Vivica A. Fox), a glamorous advertising executive, is a heroine to all her girlfriends. She's the one they turn to for relationship advice--Shante seems to have all the answers when it comes to romance and understanding men. So when she catches her boyfriend Keith (Morris Chestnut) seeing another girl, Shante will stop at nothing to win back his affections and her own pride. She decides to implement a 10-day plan to eliminate her competition and get her man to mend his cheating ways. As she puts her plan into action, she speaks directly to the camera, very analytically talking us through every trick in the relationship bag. Shante will 'accidentally' run into Keith with a gorgeous Other Man; she'll ignore his phone calls; she'll even seduce him and then cruelly walk out before the deed is done. |
Mark Brown, the screenwriter of Def Jam's How to Be a Player, turns his attention from men playing the field to women playing games in this sharply observed romantic comedy, which marked his directorial debut. A likeable and intelligent movie about relationships, it's as perky and attractive as its female protagonists — a group of sassy African-Americans who turn to their best friend Shanté (a delightful Vivica A Fox) whenever man trouble dampens their spirits. However, when Shanté's boyfriend Keith is caught with her arch rival, it's time for the love guru to follow her own “Ten Day Plan” to get him back in line. Spiked with astute observations on modern romance and gender relations, this well-acted and funny battle of the sexes unfolds like an A-Z guide to dating. Its wryly amusing dialogue and familiar scenarios are likely to strike a chord with many female viewers, while men and women alike may learn a few sneaky new lessons in emotional points-scoring.