The Players Club
Encyclopedia
The Players Club is a 1998 comedy/drama thriller film from New Line Cinema
starring Bernie Mac
, LisaRaye
, and Jamie Foxx
. Ice Cube
, who has a small role in the film, wrote and made his directorial debut. The movie made $5,894,607 in its opening week. Its box office grossed total came to $23,261,485
), a young, unwed mother struggles to make enough money to pay for her college education. Diana ends up working at a shoe store, when she meets Ronnie (Chrystale Wilson), and Tricks (Adele Givens
), two shady bisexual strippers that work for Dolla Bill (Bernie Mac
) at The Players Club. They convince Diana she would make better money stripping, by saying "use what you got to get what you want". Dolla Bill gives Diana a job giving her the name Diamond. Everything is fine until four years into the game her cousin Ebony (Monica Calhoun
) comes to live with her. After listening to Dolla's rendition of "The Strippin' Game", she starts working at the club.
Ebony soon gets out of control, excessively drinking, staying out all night and getting more influenced by Ronnie and Tricks, who encourage Ebony to do more out of club parties for groups of men. Diana tries to warn Ebony to stay away from "those two" and quit doing house parties, but Ebony declines being told what to do, choosing to ignore Diana's advice as well as coldheartedly reminding her about the time when Ronnie sexually took advantage of Diana when she was passed out at a previous party. Further tension develops between Ebony and Diana when Diana returns home one night she is followed home by an obsessive customer Myrin, to find Ebony in bed with her boyfriend Lance. Diana chases Lance out with her gun, and kicks Ebony out of her apartment.
Diana then begins dating Blue (Jamie Foxx
), a deejay at the Player's Club. Meanwhile, Ebony is offered a gig to dance at Ronnie's brother Junior's (Samuel Monroe Jr.
) bachelor party, under the pretense from Ronnie that other girls from the club will be dancing there too. When she realizes that she will be the only woman there in a hotel room full of hungry men, she desperately tries calling Diana to come and pick her up, but Diana doesn't, still being mad with her. Reggie (Ice Cube
) and his friend Clyde (Alex Thomas
), both feeling dissed by Diana and Ebony from a previous encounter, lie to Junior that Ebony will have sex with him, claiming that they "ran a train" on her. Excited, Junior bursts in on Ebony while she is changing. Ebony resists and Junior beats and rapes her. Ronnie discovers this and they both flee the hotel room. Later, Diana has a change of heart and she and Blue decide to check up on Ebony at the hotel, only to discover her bloody and unconcsious body on a bed.
This proves to be the last straw to Diana, who was growing tired of the stripper game anyway. Angered, she grabs her gun and goes to the Players Club, where Ronnie and Tricks are hiding out. After scaring the other strippers away, Diana gives the gun to Blue to cover her while she gets into a brutal fistfight with Ronnie and ultimately wins, leaving Ronnie a bloody mess. She personally quits in front of Dolla Bill, punches Tricks and leaves along with Blue. Ronnie and Tricks are arrested by the police on charges of prostitution
and accessories to rape, and Junior has been picked up as well. Later that night, Diana's timing proves to be perfect when a gangster who Dolla Bill owes money to, the wheelchair-bound St. Louis, comes to collect. He personally shoots up the club (though he does give warning to the customers beforehand, allowing them to leave). After his thugs grab Dolla and throw him into the trunk of a car, St. Louis has his henchman Brooklyn (Charlie Murphy
) destroy the club with a LAW rocket.
A year passes afterward and Diana has moved on with her life. She's gotten Ebony a job working at a shoe store. She continues to date Blue, and has become a successful news anchor of the city.
and #2 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
. It featured artists such as Ice Cube, DMX
, Master P
and Jay-Z
, among others.
New Line Cinema
New Line Cinema, often simply referred to as New Line, is an American film studio. It was founded in 1967 by Robert Shaye and Michael Lynne as a film distributor, later becoming an independent film studio. It became a subsidiary of Time Warner in 1996 and was merged with larger sister studio Warner...
starring Bernie Mac
Bernie Mac
Bernard Jeffrey McCullough , better known by his stage name, Bernie Mac, was an American actor and comedian. Born and raised on the South Side of Chicago, Mac gained popularity as a stand-up comedian. He joined comedians Steve Harvey, Cedric the Entertainer, and D. L...
, LisaRaye
LisaRaye McCoy-Misick
LisaRaye McCoy , commonly known as LisaRaye, is an American actress and fashion designer. She is also the ex-wife of Michael Misick, a former Premier of the Turks and Caicos Islands...
, and Jamie Foxx
Jamie Foxx
Eric Marlon Bishop , professionally known as Jamie Foxx, is an American actor, singer-songwriter, stand-up comedian, and talk radio host. As an actor, his work in the film Ray earned him the Academy Award and BAFTA Award for Best Actor as well as the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a...
. Ice Cube
Ice Cube
O'Shea Jackson , better known by his stage name Ice Cube, is an American rapper and actor. He began his career as a member of the hip-hop group C.I.A. and later joined the rap group N.W.A. After leaving N.W.A in December 1989, he built a successful solo career in music, and also as a writer,...
, who has a small role in the film, wrote and made his directorial debut. The movie made $5,894,607 in its opening week. Its box office grossed total came to $23,261,485
Plot
Diana Armstrong (LisaRayeLisaRaye McCoy-Misick
LisaRaye McCoy , commonly known as LisaRaye, is an American actress and fashion designer. She is also the ex-wife of Michael Misick, a former Premier of the Turks and Caicos Islands...
), a young, unwed mother struggles to make enough money to pay for her college education. Diana ends up working at a shoe store, when she meets Ronnie (Chrystale Wilson), and Tricks (Adele Givens
Adele Givens
Adele Givens is an African American actress and comedian from Chicago, Illinois. She currently lives in Lexington, Kentucky.- Career :*Her television appearances include The Hughleys, Moesha, The Parkers, Comedy Central Presents, Def Comedy Jam, Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry, Martin, Tracey...
), two shady bisexual strippers that work for Dolla Bill (Bernie Mac
Bernie Mac
Bernard Jeffrey McCullough , better known by his stage name, Bernie Mac, was an American actor and comedian. Born and raised on the South Side of Chicago, Mac gained popularity as a stand-up comedian. He joined comedians Steve Harvey, Cedric the Entertainer, and D. L...
) at The Players Club. They convince Diana she would make better money stripping, by saying "use what you got to get what you want". Dolla Bill gives Diana a job giving her the name Diamond. Everything is fine until four years into the game her cousin Ebony (Monica Calhoun
Monica Calhoun
Monica Calhoun is an American film and television actress. She is best known in her film roles such as The Players Club, The Best Man, and The Salon. She is a graduate of the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts....
) comes to live with her. After listening to Dolla's rendition of "The Strippin' Game", she starts working at the club.
Ebony soon gets out of control, excessively drinking, staying out all night and getting more influenced by Ronnie and Tricks, who encourage Ebony to do more out of club parties for groups of men. Diana tries to warn Ebony to stay away from "those two" and quit doing house parties, but Ebony declines being told what to do, choosing to ignore Diana's advice as well as coldheartedly reminding her about the time when Ronnie sexually took advantage of Diana when she was passed out at a previous party. Further tension develops between Ebony and Diana when Diana returns home one night she is followed home by an obsessive customer Myrin, to find Ebony in bed with her boyfriend Lance. Diana chases Lance out with her gun, and kicks Ebony out of her apartment.
Diana then begins dating Blue (Jamie Foxx
Jamie Foxx
Eric Marlon Bishop , professionally known as Jamie Foxx, is an American actor, singer-songwriter, stand-up comedian, and talk radio host. As an actor, his work in the film Ray earned him the Academy Award and BAFTA Award for Best Actor as well as the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a...
), a deejay at the Player's Club. Meanwhile, Ebony is offered a gig to dance at Ronnie's brother Junior's (Samuel Monroe Jr.
Samuel Monroe Jr.
Samuel Monroe, Jr. is an American actor.Monroe has appeared as a guest actor on television shows; however, he was also featured in the films Menace II Society, Set It Off, Don't Be A Menace To South Central While Drinking Your Juice In The Hood, Tales from the Hood, Detroit G Code, and The Players...
) bachelor party, under the pretense from Ronnie that other girls from the club will be dancing there too. When she realizes that she will be the only woman there in a hotel room full of hungry men, she desperately tries calling Diana to come and pick her up, but Diana doesn't, still being mad with her. Reggie (Ice Cube
Ice Cube
O'Shea Jackson , better known by his stage name Ice Cube, is an American rapper and actor. He began his career as a member of the hip-hop group C.I.A. and later joined the rap group N.W.A. After leaving N.W.A in December 1989, he built a successful solo career in music, and also as a writer,...
) and his friend Clyde (Alex Thomas
Alex Thomas
Alex Thomas is an English drummer from Lutterworth, Leicestershire, who currently performs with Squarepusher and Air.He joined Bolt Thrower on August 21, 1997 at the age of 19...
), both feeling dissed by Diana and Ebony from a previous encounter, lie to Junior that Ebony will have sex with him, claiming that they "ran a train" on her. Excited, Junior bursts in on Ebony while she is changing. Ebony resists and Junior beats and rapes her. Ronnie discovers this and they both flee the hotel room. Later, Diana has a change of heart and she and Blue decide to check up on Ebony at the hotel, only to discover her bloody and unconcsious body on a bed.
This proves to be the last straw to Diana, who was growing tired of the stripper game anyway. Angered, she grabs her gun and goes to the Players Club, where Ronnie and Tricks are hiding out. After scaring the other strippers away, Diana gives the gun to Blue to cover her while she gets into a brutal fistfight with Ronnie and ultimately wins, leaving Ronnie a bloody mess. She personally quits in front of Dolla Bill, punches Tricks and leaves along with Blue. Ronnie and Tricks are arrested by the police on charges of prostitution
Prostitution
Prostitution is the act or practice of providing sexual services to another person in return for payment. The person who receives payment for sexual services is called a prostitute and the person who receives such services is known by a multitude of terms, including a "john". Prostitution is one of...
and accessories to rape, and Junior has been picked up as well. Later that night, Diana's timing proves to be perfect when a gangster who Dolla Bill owes money to, the wheelchair-bound St. Louis, comes to collect. He personally shoots up the club (though he does give warning to the customers beforehand, allowing them to leave). After his thugs grab Dolla and throw him into the trunk of a car, St. Louis has his henchman Brooklyn (Charlie Murphy
Charlie Murphy
Charles Quinton "Charlie" Murphy is an American actor, comedian, and writer notable as being a cast member and writer on the Comedy Central sketch-comedy series Chappelle's Show...
) destroy the club with a LAW rocket.
A year passes afterward and Diana has moved on with her life. She's gotten Ebony a job working at a shoe store. She continues to date Blue, and has become a successful news anchor of the city.
Cast
- Bernie MacBernie MacBernard Jeffrey McCullough , better known by his stage name, Bernie Mac, was an American actor and comedian. Born and raised on the South Side of Chicago, Mac gained popularity as a stand-up comedian. He joined comedians Steve Harvey, Cedric the Entertainer, and D. L...
as Dollar Bill - LisaRayeLisaRaye McCoy-MisickLisaRaye McCoy , commonly known as LisaRaye, is an American actress and fashion designer. She is also the ex-wife of Michael Misick, a former Premier of the Turks and Caicos Islands...
as Diana "Diamond" Armstrong, - Monica CalhounMonica CalhounMonica Calhoun is an American film and television actress. She is best known in her film roles such as The Players Club, The Best Man, and The Salon. She is a graduate of the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts....
as Ebony - Jamie FoxxJamie FoxxEric Marlon Bishop , professionally known as Jamie Foxx, is an American actor, singer-songwriter, stand-up comedian, and talk radio host. As an actor, his work in the film Ray earned him the Academy Award and BAFTA Award for Best Actor as well as the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a...
as Blue - Chrystale Wilson as Ronnie
- Adele GivensAdele GivensAdele Givens is an African American actress and comedian from Chicago, Illinois. She currently lives in Lexington, Kentucky.- Career :*Her television appearances include The Hughleys, Moesha, The Parkers, Comedy Central Presents, Def Comedy Jam, Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry, Martin, Tracey...
as Tricks - Anthony JohnsonAnthony JohnsonAnthony Johnson is the name of:* Anthony Johnson , American film actor* Anthony Johnson , a freedman of African descent in early Virginia* Anthony Johnson , NFL running back...
as Lil Man - Faizon LoveFaizon LoveFaizon Andre Love is an American actor and comedian. He is best known for roles in the films Friday, Elf, Made, and Couples Retreat.-Life and career:...
as Officer Peters - John AmosJohn AmosJohn Amos is an American actor and former football player. His television work includes roles in The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Good Times, the miniseries Roots, and a recurring role in The West Wing. He has also appeared on Broadway and in numerous motion pictures in a career that spans four decades...
as Officer Freeman - Charlie MurphyCharlie MurphyCharles Quinton "Charlie" Murphy is an American actor, comedian, and writer notable as being a cast member and writer on the Comedy Central sketch-comedy series Chappelle's Show...
as Brooklyn - Montae Russell as Lance
- Ice CubeIce CubeO'Shea Jackson , better known by his stage name Ice Cube, is an American rapper and actor. He began his career as a member of the hip-hop group C.I.A. and later joined the rap group N.W.A. After leaving N.W.A in December 1989, he built a successful solo career in music, and also as a writer,...
as Reggie - Samuel Monroe Jr.Samuel Monroe Jr.Samuel Monroe, Jr. is an American actor.Monroe has appeared as a guest actor on television shows; however, he was also featured in the films Menace II Society, Set It Off, Don't Be A Menace To South Central While Drinking Your Juice In The Hood, Tales from the Hood, Detroit G Code, and The Players...
as Junior - Alex ThomasAlex ThomasAlex Thomas is an English drummer from Lutterworth, Leicestershire, who currently performs with Squarepusher and Air.He joined Bolt Thrower on August 21, 1997 at the age of 19...
as Clyde - Terrence HowardTerrence HowardTerrence Dashon Howard is an American actor. Having his first major role in the 1995 film Mr. Holland's Opus, which subsequently led to a number of roles in films and high visibility among African American audiences. Howard broke into the mainstream with a succession of well-reviewed television...
as K.C. - Luther CampbellLuther CampbellLuther R. Campbell , also known as Luke Skyywalker, Uncle Luke or Luke, is a record label owner, rap performer , and actor...
as Luke - Tiny Lister as Exel the Bouncer
Soundtrack
A successful soundtrack was released on March 17, 1998, peaking at #10 on the Billboard 200Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
and #2 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999...
. It featured artists such as Ice Cube, DMX
DMX (rapper)
Earl Simmons , better known by his stage name DMX, is a multiplatinum American rapper and actor who rose to fame in the late 1990s. His stage name pays tribute to the Oberheim DMX drum machine, an instrument he used when he made his own rap beats in the 80's...
, Master P
Master P
Percy Robert Miller , better known by his stage name Master P or his business name P. Miller, is an American rapper, actor, entrepreneur, investor, and producer. He is the founder of the popular label No Limit Records, which went bankrupt and was relaunched as New No Limit Records through Koch...
and Jay-Z
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
, among others.
Trivia
- This is the second time Bernie MacBernie MacBernard Jeffrey McCullough , better known by his stage name, Bernie Mac, was an American actor and comedian. Born and raised on the South Side of Chicago, Mac gained popularity as a stand-up comedian. He joined comedians Steve Harvey, Cedric the Entertainer, and D. L...
and Ice Cube have worked together. The first was FridayFriday (film)Friday is a 1995 stoner comedy-drama-buddy film directed by F. Gary Gray. Starring Ice Cube, Chris Tucker, Nia Long, Bernie Mac, Tommy Lister, Jr...
and the third time was Ice Cube guest starring on The Bernie Mac ShowThe Bernie Mac ShowThe Bernie Mac Show is an American sitcom featuring comic actor Bernie Mac and his wife Wanda raising his sister's three kids: Jordan, Bryana and Vanessa. The show aired for five seasons , concluding with a half-hour series finale on Fox....
. - This film marks the screen debut of LisaRaye.
- This was Bernie MacBernie MacBernard Jeffrey McCullough , better known by his stage name, Bernie Mac, was an American actor and comedian. Born and raised on the South Side of Chicago, Mac gained popularity as a stand-up comedian. He joined comedians Steve Harvey, Cedric the Entertainer, and D. L...
's first starring / lead role. - The first time Ebony is introduced Lance and Jamal are in the living room watching Friday as Diana was studying. Ice Cube, Bernie Mac, Faizon LoveFaizon LoveFaizon Andre Love is an American actor and comedian. He is best known for roles in the films Friday, Elf, Made, and Couples Retreat.-Life and career:...
and A.J. Johnson starred in Friday. - In the scene where Officers Peters and Freeman are looking for Dollar Bill. Lil' Man tells Officer Freeman "You look just like the father from Good TimesGood TimesGood Times is an American sitcom that originally aired from February 8, 1974, until August 1, 1979, on the CBS television network. It was created by Eric Monte and Michael Evans, and developed by Norman Lear, the series' primary executive producer...
". John Amos, who plays Officer Freeman, actually played James Evans on the show for three seasons until the character was killed off. - This is the first time that Jamie Foxx and Terrence Howard worked together, the second being the film RayRay (film)Ray is a 2004 biographical film focusing on 30 years of the life of rhythm and blues musician Ray Charles. The independently produced film was directed by Taylor Hackford and starred Jamie Foxx in the title role; Foxx received an Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance.Charles was set to...
. This is also the first time that Howard and Mac worked together, the second being the film PridePride (2007 film)Pride is a 2007 biopic drama feature film released by Lionsgate Entertainment on March 23, 2007. Loosely based upon the true story of Philadelphia swim coach James "Jim" Ellis, Pride stars Terrence Howard, Bernie Mac, and Kimberly Elise, and was directed by Sunu Gonera.Pride is a film that depicts...
.