Next Friday

Next Friday is a 2000 American stoner comedy film and the sequel to the 1995 film Friday. It is the first film to be produced by Ice Cube's film production company Cubevision, and to be written by Cube himself. It was directed by Steve Carr and stars Ice Cube, Mike Epps, John Witherspoon, Tamala Jones, and Tommy "Tiny" Lister Jr. It is the second installment in the Friday series as it tells the story of Craig Jones as he goes to live with his uncle (who just won the lottery) and cousin in Rancho Cucamonga after the neighborhood bully Deebo escapes from prison where Craig contends with three criminal brothers known as the Joker Brothers. Next Friday was theatrically released on January 12, 2000, grossing $59 million worldwide. The film has received generally negative reviews from critics.

Next Friday
Theatrical release poster
Directed bySteve Carr
Written byIce Cube
Based onCharacters
by Ice Cube
DJ Pooh
Produced byIce Cube
Starring
CinematographyChristopher J. Baffa
Edited byElena Maganini
Music byTerence Blanchard
Production
company
Distributed byNew Line Cinema
Release date
  • January 12, 2000 (2000-01-12)
Running time
98 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$11 million[1]
Box office$59.8 million[1]

A third film, titled Friday After Next, was released in November 2002.

Plot

After finding out Deebo escaped prison to get revenge on Craig, Willie decides it would be safer for Craig to move to Rancho Cucamonga to live with his uncle Elroy and cousin Day-Day, who had just won the lottery. Day-Day shows Craig around the house and neighborhood. Day-Day explains to Craig that after winning the lottery, all of the taxes and fees that were taken out only left them enough to buy their house and Day-Day's car. A notice arrives informing them that their house could face repossession.

Later, Craig visits Day-Day at work, a record shop. Day-Day hides from his girlfriend D'Wana and her sister Baby D who constantly stalk and harass him saying that he is the baby's father. Day-Day's boss Pinky arrives at the store finding it locked. While Day-Day and his co-worker Roach are in the back, a scuffle between Craig and Pinky ensues in which Pinky mistakes him for a robber, while Craig tries to explain that he is Day-Day’s cousin. Pinky then fires Day-Day and Roach in anger.

Craig, Day-Day, and Roach try to figure out how to keep the house. Craig remembers seeing their neighbors, a trio of gang member brothers known as "the Jokers", who live with their sister Karla carrying a hydraulic pump. Suspecting that it may be hiding cash, Craig convinces Day-Day and Roach to help him get inside the Jokers' house and steal the pump.

Later that night, Roach drugs the Jokers' Bull Terrier Chico with Cannabis to keep him distracted while Craig sneaks into the Jokers' house. Craig locates the pump finding cash is hidden inside and taking some for himself. He escapes out of a window. Panicking after the eldest Joker closes the window (the way Craig got into the house), Day-Day and Roach knock on the Jokers' door as a diversion for Craig to escape. After discovering the money from the pump is missing, The Jokers take Day-Day and Roach hostage and tie them up with duct tape.

Willie returns to the neighborhood while unknowingly hauling Deebo and his brother Tyrone in his truck, who snuck in earlier. Craig returns to Elroy's house only to find Willie and Elroy waiting for him. Craig, Willie, and Elroy decide to head the Jokers' house to rescue Day Day and Roach with Elroy's girlfriend Suga saying she will call the police if they aren’t back in ten minutes.

The trio sneaks into the Jokers' backyard. Joker sends Baby Joker and Lil' Joker to get a chainsaw from the toolshed. Willie knocks Baby Joker with a 2x4 and Elroy tackles Lil' Joker. Willie ties the younger Jokers up and puts them in the shed.

Joker goes to look for his brothers and finds Elroy on the ground due to his back giving out after tackling Lil' Joker. Craig then engages him in a fight. As Craig and Joker fight, Day-Day and Roach, while bound and gagged, attempt to escape but fail until Elroy comes and unties Day-Day and Roach. Day-Day and Roach run to Craig’s aid but Joker gains the upper hand when he picks up an AK-47. Soon Deebo and Tyrone appears and knocks Joker out. Armed with Joker’s rifle, Deebo prepares to shoot but not before he is bitten by Chico. The police arrive and arrest the Joker brothers, Deebo, and Tyrone. Craig leaves with the Jokers' pump.

After witnessing D’Wana and Baby D toss a brick at Day-Day’s BMW, Craig returns home with his dad.

Cast
  • Ice Cube as Craig Jones, a slacker who relocates to Rancho Cucamonga.
  • Mike Epps as Daymond "Day Day" Jones, the cousin of Craig who lives in Rancho Cucamonga.
  • John Witherspoon as Willie Jones, an animal control officer and the father of Craig who relocates his son to Rancho Cucamonga.
  • Tamala Jones as D'Wana, the pregnant ex-girlfriend of Day Day who claims that Day Day is the father of her unborn child.
  • Tommy "Tiny" Lister, Jr. as Deebo, the neighborhood bully who escapes from prison to exact revenge on Craig.
  • Justin Pierce as Roach, a friend of Day Day.
  • Don 'D.C.' Curry as Elroy Jones, the father of Day Day, younger brother of Willie, and uncle of Craig who lives in Rancho Cucamonga.
  • Jacob Vargas as Joker, the leader of the Jokers who is the oldest of the group.
  • Lobo Sebastian as Lil' Joker, the middle brother of the Jokers.
  • Rolando Molina as Baby Joker, the youngest brother of the Jokers.
  • Lisa Rodríguez as Karla, the sister of the Jokers
  • Clifton Powell as Pinky, a record store owner who serves as Day Day and Roach's boss.
  • Kym Whitley as Auntie Suga, the sex-crazed girlfriend of Elroy ever since Elroy's wife died of a heart attack the day Elroy won the lottery.
  • Sticky Fingaz as Tyrone, the younger brother of Deebo who also escapes from prison to help in his brother's revenge plot.
  • Amy Hill as Mrs. Ho-Kym, the Korean next-door neighbor of Elroy.
  • The Lady of Rage as Baby D, the younger sister of D'Wana.
  • Michael Blackson as Angry Customer
  • Nicole Lydy as Ashley Nicole
  • Ronn Reiser as Stanley, a former neighbor of Craig who Willie ran into outside a bathroom en route to Rancho Cucamonga stating that he left Willie's neighborhood since the events of the last film
  • Lendell "Kebo" Keeble as a pink chauffeur
  • Michael Rapaport as a mailman with tax notice (uncredited)

DJ Pooh, who previously portrayed Red in the first film, appears in an uncredited voice role as himself in the opening title sequence.

Chris Tucker was approached to return as Smokey, but he declined. This was covered up in Craig's opening narration which stated that Smokey checked in rehab one month ago.[2][3]

Soundtrack
Main article: Next Friday (soundtrack)

The film's soundtrack, which featured appearances from Aaliyah, Eminem, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Ice Cube, N.W.A., Snoop Dogg, Wu-Tang Clan, and Wyclef Jean, peaked at number five on the R&B/Hip-Hop charts, and nineteen on the Billboard 200 in 2000.

Release

In the United States, the film was released on Wednesday, January 12, 2000.

Home video

Next Friday was released on DVD format on June 6, 2000. The single disc DVD contains a theatrical trailer, music videos, a "making of..." featurette, behind the scenes footage, and an alternate ending as well as cast and crew information.[4]

Reception

Box office

Next Friday debuted at number 1 and grossed $14.5 million in its opening weekend in 1,103 theaters, averaging $13,114 per theater. The film grossed $57.3 million in North America and $2.5 million in the foreign box office, for a total of $59.8 million worldwide.[1] The film is the most successful in the franchise.

Critical response

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 21% based on 66 reviews with an average rating of 4.1/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Next Friday lacks the fun of the original Friday. The movie is messy and plotless and relies on unfunny vulgar gags."[5] On Metacritic, the film received a weighted average score of 41 based on 25 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[6] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B+" on an A+ to F scale.[7]

Awards
2000 MTV Movie Awards
Best Comedic Performance — Ice Cube (nominated)[8]

References
  1. "Next Friday (2000)". Box Office Mojo. May 26, 2000. Retrieved April 20, 2011.
  2. Itzkoff, Dave (August 18, 2011). "Back Again, Whether or Not He Was Away". The New York Times.
  3. "The Lost Roles of Chris Tucker". July 28, 2011.
  4. Sherber, Anne (May 20, 2000). "New Line Sets Up Huge 'Next Friday' Campaign". Billboard. Vol. 112, no. 21. p. 98.
  5. "Next Friday (2000)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved July 10, 2022.
  6. "Next Friday reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved March 10, 2016.
  7. "Find CinemaScore" (Type "Next Friday" in the search box). CinemaScore. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
  8. Wolk, Josh (June 9, 2000). "The MTV Movie Awards". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved March 10, 2016.
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