On this day in comedy on March 1, 2000, the film 3 Strikes was released by MGM.
Written and directed by DJ Pooh, 3 Strikes stars Brian Hooks as a guy caught up in the system. Hooks gets out of jail after a year for his second offense as he discovers there’s a new three strikes law. If he goes down one more time it’s for a minimum of 25 years. No problem. He has no intention of ever going back inside. He’s a new man. Changed life. This is what he tells JJ, a guy who picked him up instead of his real friend. So, as JJ, the substitute pick up ride, listens to this tale of personal revelation, the cops pull up behind them and this forces JJ into an inconvenient admission. Seems the pick-up car was stolen and now JJ must have a gun battle with the cops. Next thing Hooks knows – it’s on!
3 Strikes is a full-on chase film. Hooks spends most of his time alluding the cops in hopes of proving his innocence. In the meanwhile, JJ has been apprehended, taken to the hospital with a buttocks wound (he’s hung in a sling with his bandaged ass hiked up in the air), raped by a gay janitor and vows to pin the crime all on Hooks when the cops come asking. Hooks, during this time, makes a deal to get a tape with JJ admitting wrongdoing. All he has to do is go to bed a woman he does not want to go to bed with. That’s all, but it turns out it doesn’t matter. Hooks is caught and through the miracle of movie storytelling he is only found to be in violation of his parole, goes to jail for 30 days and gets out because the prison was overcrowded.
3 Strikes co-stars David Alan Grier, Faizon Love, N’Bushe Wright, Antonio Fargas, E-40, DJ Pooh, George Wallace, Meagan Good, Mo’Nique, De’Aundre Bonds, Phil Morris and Vincent Schiavelli. Cameos are made by Mike Epps, Anthony Anderson, Jerry Dunphy and Big Boy. The film was poorly received by critics, but was nevertheless profitable. On a budget of $3.4 million, 3 Strikes pulled in $3,684,704 in its opening weekend for the #12 spot and an eventual box office take of $9.8 million.
By Darryl “D’Militant” Littleton
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