Everything you said. In the end, I did enjoy the film, and I am a native Chicagoan who left and is back. I read Lysistrata years ago so I get the "funny."
>The issues people covered above (Nick was great but miscast, >the BET uncut era choreography, some clunky lines). > >But it's nice seeing him go batshit insane at this stage of >the year with such immagination. Funny enough id do a >compare/contrast with this and another directors return to >form this year Mad Max...at this stage of the game George >Miller's ass shouldn't be trying to kill his stuntmen in an >african desert with a dude playing a guitar flamethrower. At >this stage of his career Spike doing a hip-hopera with a >magical pimp narrating cop killing is as out there. He >doesn't land all the shots, but the ones he nails are all net >and amazing. > >Also, everyone brought their A acting game acting even if >casting/writing/direction got their their way...my fav's were >Dave Chapelle as himself and Cusack as a pretty damn >convincing 'black' preacher.