Sprung

Writer/director Rusty Cundieff, who has already made a documentary-style satire (Fear of a Black Hat) and a horror film (Tales from the Hood), uses Sprung to test whether he can cover two more genres while making only one film. The first half is a variation on Booty Call, with a pair of African-American couples engaged in broadly comedic pokes at contemporary courtship. Some of those moments are very crude and very funny. But halfway through, Sprung abruptly shifts gears, turning into a straight-up love story, complete with soft-focus montage. Unfortunately, the characters aren't nearly interesting enough to support a real relationship story. Cundieff can get off some good gags when he's being ridiculous, but he still has a lot to learn about being sublime. Not a necessary purchase. (S. Renshaw)