THE COOKOUT

Year: 2004
USA: Lions Gate Films
Cast: Queen Latifah, Ja Rule, Eve, Danny Glover, Jonathan Silverman, Farrah Fawcett, Tim Meadows, Alex Avant, Frankie Faison,Godfrey, Meagan Good, Jenifer Lewis, Jesse May, Vincent Pastore, Quran Pender, Kevin Phillips, Marc Plastrik, Russ Russo, Maria Soccor, Ruperto Vanderpool
Director: Lance Rivera
Country: USA
USA Rated: PG-13 for drug content, sexual references and language
USA Release Date: 3 September 2004

Synopsis

Todd Anderson is chosen as the #1 NBA draft pick by the New Jersey Nets and signs a contract for thirty million dollars that instantly changes his life. Whether he likes it or not his mom, Lady Em played by Jenifer Lewis, is not going to let her son forget his roots. Todd is at a crossroads and with his new found wealth becomes vulnerable to the influence of other people.

Todd buys a new house and mistakenly invites family from the old neighborhood for a cookout on the same day he scheduled an endorsement interview. The cookout is a family tradition more extravagant than the typical American dinner gathering because it's like a giant reunion and all havoc breaks loose for the feast of Southern home cooking.

As the new black man living in a stuffy white neighborhood, Todd attracts a lot of attention. Queen Latifah is the eccentric security guard that makes matters worse for Todd. She's poised to bust him if any of the neighborhood association's myriad of rules gets broken. Unfortunately for Todd as the family arrives, the rules get broken.