User reviews

"Set it Off" is another brilliant little B sleeper by the talented F. Gary Gray. What sets this film apart from your routine crime caper/heist flick is that it features some very impressive and strong performances by Jada Pinkett-Smith (one of her very best roles) and Quen Latifah. Vivica Fox, Kimberly Elise and the underrated John C. McGinty were also quite effective in supporting roles. Blair Underwood, who I lilke, was sort of wasted as reverse eye candy. The love story sub plot was a bit if a distraction, only in a minor way. But at the core of this film was the bond between these ladies, all driven to rob banks for various reasons. What they all shared was their desperation. Instead of cliched cardboard characters, we are served pretty well fleshed out characters with as much depth as time allows. Some have mentioned they didn't like the ending, but I rather did. Queen Latifah was outstanding as a hardened career criminal. There is one scene where Jada's character stands up to her and it's tasty.

All in all, a pretty dang good thriller film that should be seen. The performances are what elevates it above the norm for this genre.

This movie gives us a graphic insight into the possibility of what people might do under certain circumstances and situations. These young ladies' misfortunes in life have driven them to do something that otherwise would not have entered their minds: robbing a bank. Their participation in this criminal activity is a crying-out against the evils of their society and environment. In other words, they are saying "because of what you did to me...this is how I will respond". Anyone who has seen this film honestly knows that what they're doing is just as morally wrong as what has happened to each of them, but, for some deep-seated reason, we find ourselves rooting for them - even hoping that they get away with it. Each character reveals a problematic area in our working society: unfair employment and termination practices, inadequate childcare options, hindrances and distractions of the ghetto and other social plights and dilemmas.

We may not agree with what these young ladies are doing but somehow we understand. (please see this movie...)

"Set It Off" is about four African-American women(Jada Pinkett Smith, Queen Latifah, Vivica A. Fox, and Kimberly Elise) who decide to go out and rob a few banks. They don't rob banks for sheer enjoyment or because they have nothing better to do. No, they rob them because they are getting back at "the system" that they feel has screwed them over in their lives. Here are the reasons: in the opening bank robbery sequence, Frankie(Fox), who was at the time a teller, was fired simply because she knew the suspect who robbed it; Stony's(Smith) younger brother, Stevie was killed by police after being mistaken for the robbery suspect; Cleo(Latifah) joins them simply because she is p***ed off at society; Tisean(Elise) is a single mother who is barely able to support her son and when he is accidently poisoned and taken away by child services, decides she has no other choice. I feel I must point out that up until that point, she is reluctant to join the other three women.

This is a really good movie that is definitely Oscar-worthy material. Maybe not for the Best Picture category, but definitely Oscar-worthy. The performances are excellent especially from all four of our young stars. Queen Latifah should definitely should have gotten an Oscar or Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actress. Her portrayal of a fiery lesbian is right on key. F. Gary Gray, who also directed Ice Cube and Chris Tucker in "Friday", is quickly becoming one of my favorite directors. I don't think you should really call "Set It Off" an action movie since there isn't really action until the ending.

A line from the movie, "if that crackhead Darnell can rob a bank, then so can we." This quote outlines the main message that the movie is trying to tell: the social standing of women in our society, saying that they have rights too. The movie says that women can basically do anything men can do (and probably better) and they must be applauded for their efforts. Now I'm not saying that women should all go out and round up their friends and start robbing banks. Director F. Gary Gray definitely should be praised for his smart casting choices.

10/10

P.S.: Now from the sound of this review, I've probably got you thinking I'm a woman. Wrong! I'm just a 16 year-old boy from Virginia.

I rented this movie expecting to see just another average gang related film about the Ghetto, but I was proved wrong. It ended with my eyes wide opened and my mouth to the floor. Set It Off is a very Dramatic film and the performances by the four women were done perfectly. Set It Off reached my heart and all my emotions. It starts off light, but ends deep and touching. There is no possible way you could leave from watching this movie without your eyes being flooded. -A heart-filled film that deserved more publicity than it received.

Set it Off

The reason female thieves are not successful is because they only steal from shoe stores.

Smartly, the lady robbers in this action movie have branched out to robbing banks.

After losing her job, Frankie (Vivica A. Fox) joins a janitorial company where she works alongside her best friends, Stony (Jada Pinkett Smith), Cleo (Queen Latifah) and T.T. (Kimberly Elise), cleaning houses. With each woman facing their own personal tribulations, Cleo suggest that they rob banks. Successful at first, the ladies soon attract the attention of a detective and their dishonest employer who wants a cut of the profits.

A cinematic achievement for African American women, this lost gem from 1996 remains a groundbreaking caper to this day thanks to its gay-positive subtext. Social issues aside, director F. Gary Gray makes sure the action is as explosive as the message.

Incidentally, to avoid getting caught female thieves really need to wear hairnets. Yellow Light

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Great Movie. Gripping tale of 4 women who turn to robbing banks to make it out of ghetto life. The 4, played by Jada Pinkett, (Not married to Will Smith at time of filming) Vivica A. Fox, Dana Owens (Better know as Queen Latifa) and newcomer at the time, Kimberly Elise all work legally until they figure that crime will pay them more than honest work. Blair Underwood is excellent as the love interest for Stoney (Pinkett) with his Harvard education mixed with a street knowledge. Pace of the movie is good, and it all flows very well. Excellent movie. Worth renting from Blockbuster.

All of the women were "hoodrats", (term borrowed from an IMDb boards user; it isn't my own... ) which was a shame, because they didn't need to be. Why does the only black main character who has any kind of class or sophistication have to be a GUY?! (In a film that's primarily about four women, no less!) I'm pretty sure it does a great disservice to the many black women out there who do manage to be articulate whatever their circumstances happen to be.

... and don't tell me that if they weren't hoodrats then they wouldn't be robbing banks. People at the end of their tether do desperate things. (John Q. for example; again a guy.)

The film was good and enjoyable, but they had a big chance to give us some intelligent female characterisations for a change; only with the dialogue they gave them to speak, they blew it.

Here's a movie that bombed because nobody had any idea how to advertise it. It turns out that "Set it Off" is the devastatingly sad story behind a string of unusual bank robberies. I highly recommend it as you really grow to care about the characters, which makes the final act all the more harrowing. My only problem is that the romantic subplot seems out of place. Other then that, make sure you have a box of tissues ready.

No pun intended and me saying that I don't think this aged too well. But that said, if you like similar movies with male leads ... well you shouldn't mind having some mindless movie with female leads. So in a way it may have been ahead of its time - well in some aspects. Again, the very predictable and not very logical story does not hold up.

But the sisterhood and the friendship of the women (with their ups and downs of course) is really the strong and selling point of the movie. And a very solid soundtrack too of course. Having a good director at the helm also helps (especially when it comes to the action and stunt scenes).

Depending on how you feel about the actresses involved in this ... you may like this more or less. Some are still going strong in a sense (Queen Latifah), others have left the public eye, even though they were hot back then (no pun intended), Vivica A. Fox would be the first name to come to mind. And others are just controversial for many reasons - yes looking at you Jada Pinkett ... also Smith. Kimberly Elise is the odd one out - not sure what she is up to these days.

The ending is a bit over the top ... well a lot actually. Redeeming characters - while leaving others out in the cold ... also trying to tie up loose ends ... not sure if it does so succesfully. F Gary Gray is a good director and he has a keen and good eye for action ... I think this is overall decent ... but is it enough for you?

A great movie for those peoples that like to empathize with a movie.

If you let yourself have the same feelings as the characters in the

movie have you might have strong emotions like: despair, feeling

trapped and injustice.

You might even find, that choices you can't comprehend are suddenly

very logical.

For peoples that don't let their feelings participate in watching the

movie. I imagine this movie is less appealing.

The good: serious and decent acting by great female actresses. This movie takes it's time to get to know the 4 female bankrobbers, which is a good thing. This movie is firstmost about the CHARACTERS and not about shooutouts or macho behaviour. Quite refreshing to see.

But it is not a girly picture, no way, some of the action is pretty funny and wild, but the action is only a minor part of this movie.

The bad: this movie walks the same path as ALL the other HEIST movies, so dont expect any surprises here. The only new thing is that motherhood and some lovey dovey romance and lesbians are mixed into this female bankrobbers story. And that is a mix we dont get to see much...

It is not often that a movie takes on race and gender issues with such bravery and force. They do it here and they succeed in a way that not many will ever be able to match. And by the way, it was a DISGRACE that the academy ever overlooked Kimberly Elise's AMAZING performance in this film.

Without a doubt one of the worst movies I've seen in recent years. The story focuses on four women driven to robbing banks who we are somehow supposed to sympathize with. It's tough to sympathize with characters who keep making such stupid decisions. Oh no, the cops are on to us, they know who we are, what do we do?...Let's rob one more bank then we're outta here! What!?! Every character is a stereotype and it's easy to tell who's gonna end up dead.

This is one of those see it to believe it movies. Anyone who can sit down and harp on about acting, script blah blah blah really needs to GET A LIFE!!!

Get this movie out, grab some popcorn and just WATCH IT.

If you believe any of the negative reviews about this film and decide not to view it, it is YOUR LOSS!

The music is great the actresses are beautiful and awesome and it is refreshing to see four african american women hold their own in what turns out to be a tragic but inevitable ending for the foursome.

Don't let others turn you off a movie that is well worth watching for the pure adrenalin rush it gives you when the girls decide to take their destiny into their own hands and GO FOR IT, whatever the consequences and believe me their ARE consequences.

10/10 rating from me just for the pure rocking enjoyment of see chicks with attitude.

This movie was not worth watching, and I saw it for free.

Yes, these women are in an unfortunate situation, but the whole movie was just stupid. Queen Latifah is not a good actor, whether she's some crazy taxi driver with a tricked out cab, or a lesbian gangster-type, she's unconvincing and at times, the overacting is almost humorous.

There were so many errors and just purely unbelievable aspects to this film, particularly the criminal aspects. The reckless, stupid fashion in which they commit their crimes should have gotten them arrested after the first, maybe second robbery, yet somehow they managed to keep going and going

How this movie managed over five stars, or how it made people cry about the characters (according to a forum topic) is beyond me. Save yourself the trouble of the bloody tears that will inevitably follow this cinematic abortion.

I absolutely LOVE this movie! I can't stress enough about Queen Latifah's performance (though she's one of my favorite actresses anyhow) and about her being gay and kissing that woman....people, please have some sense. Its just a movie, her character was gay, what'd you expect she'd do? The kiss didn't bother me at all. Vivica's character was cool too. She was tough and I liked that. Jada's character was like others said, more based on reality than the other ones and she did really well. Kimberly, though her role wasn't as big as the other ones, she did really well on her character. You could see the emotion of love that she had for that child and how a young mother reacts to having someone take them away. Overall, I give this movie a straight up 10!