Other Titles • Dying for Dolly • In the Mix (2005)
Synopses for In the Mix (2005)
1.
R&B star Usher makes an assured screen debut in this mix of mob movie and romantic comedy. Chazz Palminenteri co-stars as the friendly don who recruits family friend Darrell (Usher) to play bodyguard for his daughter, Dolly (Emmanuelle Chiriqi). She and Darrell have been friends since they were kids, but the seven years since they last saw each other have changed things. She's grown into a headstrong young law student with a yen for yoga and a smug yuppie boyfriend (Geoff Stults); he's grown into an ultra-smooth chick magnet with dreams of starting his own record company. They're destined for each other, but there's not only the racial issue in their way--someone's trying to take over the family business via treachery and bullets, and Darrell's right in the thick of things. When the interracial romance isn't heating up the screen, there's plenty of raucous comedy supplied by Anthony Fazio as Dolly's pseudo-gangsta younger brother, Kevin Hart as Darrell's loudmouthed co-DJ, and a bulldog with an unfortunate digestion problem. Director Ron Underwood takes his time going around the more edgy turns in the script, giving the actors room to stretch out and get comfortable in their characters and surroundings, and helping the film transcend its more formulaic elements (it's an obvious nod to the 1992 Whitney Houston/Kevin Costner chestnut, THE BODYGUARD). Best of all, Usher proves his game extends to the big screen, where he displays plenty of debonair warmth and easygoing charm.
2.
Darrell Williams (USHER) is a deejay extraordinaire who has a dream to start his own record company/studio alongside best friend, Busta (KEVIN HART). One night at their local dance club, Darrell is visited by his childhood friend Frankie Jr. (ANTHONY FAZIO), hip-hop wannabe and son of the mighty mobster, ‘Don’ Frank Pacelli (CHAZZ PALMINTERI). Frankie Jr. asks Darrell to DJ at a special surprise ‘coming home’ party for his sister, Dolly.
Dolly Pacelli (EMMANUELLE CHRIQUI ) is a bright and vivacious law student, home for the summer holiday. She is definitely daddy’s girl and the ‘Don’ wants the party to be a special occasion. The night of the party, close family and friends gather at the family restaurant. Darrell is there, at the turntables, where the two catch one another’s eye for the first time since childhood.
Darrell’s deceased father used to work the restaurant bar and was close to Frank. There’s history between Darrell and Dolly, perhaps never fully explored, but times have moved on. Dolly is accompanied by Chad (GEOFF STULTS), the perfect rich-boy whose father runs a law firm and to whom she is engaged to be married. The party is in full swing, father and daughter share a special dance to an old classic tune. Suddenly, however, things turn sour when a roaming car opens fire at the windows. Darrell leaps to save Frank from the gun-fire but not before he takes a bullet to his shoulder.
Recuperating, Darrell is tended to by Dolly, grateful for his heroism. Meanwhile, Frank plots revenge and arranges a meeting with rival mob boss, Salvatore Vincenzo (NICK MANCUSO), to scope out whether he gave the order for the hit. Salvatore claims innocence while his upstart second-in-command, Angelo (CHRIS TARDIO), claims that if it had been them, Frank would already be dead. Unsure who was behind the hit, Frank decides that it is unsafe for Dolly to go anywhere without a bodyguard. Dolly refuses because the hired help he has in mind - Fat Tony (ROBERT COSTANZO), Fish (ROBERT DAVI) and especially Jackie (MATT GERALD) - all unnerve her. However, Frank persists and Dolly agrees on the condition that Darrell is her bodyguard.
3.
When New York's hottest nightclub deejay Darrell (Usher) saves a mob boss's life (Chazz Palminteri), he is rewarded for his bravery with the job of watching over the Don's beautiful daughter Dolly (Emmanuelle Chriqui). The sparks soon begin to fly between this attractive couple from very different worlds, against her formidable father's wishes. The Don, however, has other things on his mind-quashing a potential war with an arch-rival and controlling a young, ruthless challenger to his throne. In the end, all's fair in love and gangster warfare in this hip romantic comedy, IN THE MIX. Directed by Ron Underwood and produced by John Dellaverson, the film's executive producers are Usher, Holly Davis-Carter, Bill Borden and Michael Paseornek.
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