Paid in Full

Sporting a familiar story of a good ghetto kid seduced into the drug trade with tragic results, Paid in Full covers no new territory but tells its tale with enough veracity, raw compassion, and well-drawn characters that it plays as if it were made by people who lived it. Although Ace (Wood Harris) is initially happy to blend into the woodwork and just be a survivor, even as he sees his closest friends becoming flush with cash, clothes and cool cars, the temptations begin to mount, and as opportunities present themselves, Ace starts to succumb, in small increments, to the enticements of what seems like an effortless road to living well. Director Charles Stone III (famed for his "Whassup!" Budweiser ads) has a capable command of cinematic language and a solid understanding of the heart of the story, along the way exploiting rap video clichés as ironic metaphorical imagery and putting the picture's excellent old-school hip-hop soundtrack to good illustrative use. While this "true story" falters somewhat in the last act with a suspiciously auspicious outcome, it does a fine job of engulfing the viewer in its world and presenting  insights into its characters' choices, good and bad. Recommended. [Note: DVD extras include audio commentary by director Charles Stone III, a brief soundtrack spot, and trailers. Bottom line: A small extras package for a small but potent film.] (R. Blackwelder)