Next Friday • The Next Reel

"I’m about to show you who the real puff daddy is!”When Ice Cube started up his own production company, CubeVision, it made sense to jump back to the first film that he wrote, Friday, to make a sequel. After all, most sequels are guaranteed to earn back a part of what their predecessors made. But Chris Tucker had become a born-again Christian and didn’t want to be in this type of movie anymore and DJ Pooh, his co-writer, was off directing his own first movie. That didn’t stop Cube, who pushed forward anyway, taking his character Craig to the suburbs for new adventures and more marijuana. Join us – Pete Wright and Andy Nelson – as we continue our series looking at the Friday franchise with Steve Carr’s 2000 film Next Friday. We talk about what we loved so much about the first film and why this film feels like a disappointment following that one. We look at specific characters and story beats with the film that exemplify why this film is problematic and what Cube, Carr and Co. could have done differently to make this one shine. We talk about various beats and characters that work really well for us, again further laying out what Cube did well here versus what he didn’t. We chat about Carr’s background and how he came to land this film, as well as Tucker’s reasons for not joining on. And we look at actors in this film who did great stuff, even if the material is weak.It’s a disappointing sequel that has some of the laughs from the first but doesn’t have any of the heart, and for that, we’re forever disappointed. Still, it makes for a great conversation, so check it out then tune in to this week’s show! The Next Reel – when the movie ends, our conversation begins.Join the conversation with movie lovers from around the world on The Next Reel’s Discord channel!Film SundriesThank you for supporting The Next Reel Film Podcast on Patreon!Watch this film: iTunes • Amazon • Netflix • YouTubeScript TranscriptOriginal theatrical trailerOriginal poster artworkFlickchartLetterboxdSupport The Next Reel Family of Film Podcasts:Become a member for just $5/month or $55/yearJoin our Discord community of movie loversThe Next Reel Family of Film Podcasts:Cinema Scope: Bridging Genres, Subgenres, and MovementsThe Film BoardMovies We LikeThe Next Reel Film PodcastSitting in the DarkConnect With Us:Main Site: WebMovie Platforms: Letterboxd | FlickchartSocial Media: Facebook | Instagram | Threads | Bluesky | YouTube | PinterestYour Hosts: Andy | PeteShop & Stream:Merch Store: Apparel, stickers, mugs & moreWatch Page: Buy/rent films we've discussedOriginals: Source material from our episodesSpecial offers: Letterboxd Pro/Patron discount | Audible