Bait (2000)

(On DVD, October 2002) I’m typically a fan of those black-crime-comedy film (think Beverly Hills Cop, Blue Streak, Double Take, etc.) and Bait looked like it may be one of these. Alas, there’s a touch too much crime and a tad not enough comedy to make this one work at the appropriate level. While Jamie Foxx does his best to act like a moronic protagonist, the film tries to force him in a dramatic “family man” role, with typically scattered results. In the context of the film, the various drama/comedy directions taken by the script are conflicting and eventually harmful to the film. It’s a good thing, then, that Antoine Fuqua’s direction is rather tight and nervy. Despite the script’s occasional lengths, the film manages to maintain our interest through it all. (Well, except for the end where enough is enough.) While the film isn’t an overall wreck, it falls short of its potential and tries to have it both funny and thrilling without achieving much of either.