Bullet Points: Caught on Tape

I love when people recommend movies for me to watch. It gives me an idea of other movies that are interesting to said persons and I don’t have to think about what I will be watching. Saying that, there is only one rule that I have if anyone is going to suggest a movie. LET ME KNOW IT IS A MUSICAL. I enjoy musicals, but I do not enjoy turning on a movie expecting an action movie only to find out it is a musical. When I watched the suggested Caught on Tape, I was shocked to find out it is a musical, or maybe more accurately a hip-hopera.

• Cop Rock – When a movie opens with a white balding cop rapping, I don’t know where else you can go except to continue with the music. My jaw was on the floor from minute one, but when the cop spits the lyrics “caught on tape” I was fully invested for the ride. Caught on Tape then decides to jump back two days in the story, which means there was a conscious decision to open with the atypical rapper.
• Best Rolling Stones Album? – The main star of Caught on Tape is Mark, played by Sticky Fingaz. And by star, I mean he is the lead actor, director and writer. I have to give Sticky Fingaz his flowers, as he was able to pull off an entertaining movie. And by entertaining, I mean something I have never seen before, an action movie where every piece of dialogue is either rapped or sung.

• My Good Friend Cam Corder – The caught on tape in Caught on Tape is thanks to Mark’s stepson’s camcorder that he is constantly playing with. He leaves it on in his living room after his mother Nadine (Vivica A. Fox) makes him leave in a hurry. Mark invites some of his criminal buddies, including Sean (Keith D. Robinson), Hector (Erik Palladino), Tyrone (Bokeem Woodine) and Marlon (Kel Mitchell), over to discuss a bank robbery. This who’s who of the criminal element are a big plus in Caught on Tape, even if their singing isn’t.
• Johnny Messner Rapping – There isn’t much more to say about that.
• Mildly Entertaining at Best – Cedric the Entertainer shows up in the middle of the movie as a handyman fixing Nadine’s dishwasher. It has no bearing on the story, but if you want to see Cedric the Entertainer rapping while drinking alcohol and walking around someone’s house, then you are in luck. I did laugh when he took a five minute dump (Caught on Tape made sure to let us know by putting 5 minutes later on the screen) and you better believe he does a little panty sniffing. I was not happy with the choice to see almost as much time of Cedric the Entertainer looking at porno DVDs then the actual bank robbery.

• Who Put This Action In My Musical? – We finally get to see the bank robbery that was being planned and it managed to be pretty suspenseful. Tyronne has that itchy trigger finger causing everything to go sideways, but they all make it back to Mark’s house. Except Hector has been shot and the money left behind. Dummies! Things go sideways again at Mark’s house, and did I mention that the camera was still rolling? Or at least that is what the cops want Mark to think.

Caught on Tape is a musical. I want to make sure you know again before you get upset at me for not letting you know. If an action movie where every single piece of dialogue is sung interests you, then Caught on Tape would be an excellent choice. If the thought of a musical doesn’t interest you, especially one where not everyone is known for rapping or singing, you might want to skip. One thing you shouldn’t skip are the Caught on Tape Bonus Bullet Points.

• Extra Sticky – A movie called A Day in the Life gets a shout out in Caught on Tape. Believe it or not, there is another action musical from Sticky Fingaz. It really is impressive what he was able to do.
• Best Running Gag – Everyone that comes over to Mark and Nadine’s house comment on how messy it is.
• Armenian Pride – Hector constantly tells everyone that he is Armenian and not Mexican. It happened so much I had to look up Erik Palladino and sure enough he is half Armenian!
• Familiar Faces – While not action stars, I enjoyed seeing actor/comedian Joe Torrey in a small (but comedic) role and actress/singer Angie Stone in a small (but ball-busting) role.
• Horror Familiar Face – I haven’t seen Ellie Cornell in any other movies other than as Rachel in Halloween 4 and 5, let alone seeing her in a movie where she raps, but there she is. (I do want to see her in Chips, the War Dog.)