- Hav Plenty
Infobox Film
name = Hav Plenty
director =Christopher Scott Cherot
producer = Bridget D. Davis, Christopher Scott Cherot, Dana Offenbach,Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds , Robyn M. Greene, S.J. Cherot,Tracey Edmonds
writer = Christopher Scott Cherot
narrator = Christopher Scott Cherot
starring = Christopher Scott CherotChenoa Maxwell
Reginald JamesRobinne Lee
Tammi Katherine Jones
music = Lisa ColemanWendy Melvoin
cinematography = Kerwin DeVonish
editing = Christopher Scott Cherot
distributor =Miramax Films
released = flagicon|USJune 19 ,1998
runtime = 92 min.
country = U.S.A.
language = English
gross = $2,284,034 [http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=havplenty.htm,Box Office Mojo ]
website =
amg_id = 1:158838
imdb_id = 0126938"Hav Plenty" is a 1997 film based on an eventful weekend in the life of Lee Plenty (
Christopher Scott Cherot ). According to an [http://www.indiewire.com/people/int_Cherot_Chris_980623.html interview] with Chris Cherot, Miramax wanted to give the movie a happier ending. They compromised by adding the one year later scene which shows a happier ending while at the same time leaves room for argument that Hav and Lee didn't end up together. The film is based on the true story of Cherot's unrequited romance with Def Jam A&R executive, Drew Dixon.Plot
The movie begins with home video footage of Havilland (
Chenoa Maxwell ), or Hav, playfully toying with the cameraman, R&B superstar Michael Simmons (Hill Harper ). The phone rings as we see Lee Plenty (Cherot) sitting on the couch watching the video. The phone goes to Hav's voice mail as Hav asks Lee to pick up the phone. She warns Lee not to mess up her place during New Year's Eve and Lee responds that he has no date. Hav invites Lee down to D.C and Lee says yes since it's only a five hour drive. Hav instructs Lee to bring over some alcohol or a dimebag. Lee arrives and Hav instructs him not to talk about her mother since there are "intercoms. Everywhere." Hav also tells Lee that her best friend Caroline Gooden (Tammi Katherine Jones), her sister Leigh (Robinne Lee ) and her husband Felix (Reginald James) will join the party a little later, but be careful what you say since Leigh and Felix are fighting.Later, Lee is in Leigh's room working on his book on his laptop, which seems to be more of a diary of sorts as the doorbell rings. Hav's mother asks Hav through the intercom if she can get the door. Hav then asks Lee to get it and also inquires if Lee can whip up anything in the kitchen, to which he replies, "salad." The door opens and it's Caroline, who greets Lee with the same French phrase Lumiere used to greet Belle in Disney's Beauty and the Beast. Lee looks puzzled and they shoot the breeze for a few minutes. Caroline finds out Lee lost his apartment and has no date for New Year's. Caroline reasons with Lee that she wouldn't date a man who's broke and living in his car, to which Lee responds, "No women...no cry!" Caroline gives off a loud, obnoxious laugh, which visibly annoys Lee.
While Caroline goes to talk to Hav about Lee, Lee is in the kitchen trying to whip something up. Caroline tells Hav she'd like to go after Lee. Hav gives her the ok, saying she's not interested in him in that way. Caroline responds that Lee gave her the same vibe, and Hav shoots Caroline the evil eye.
Downstairs, Leigh walks in and Lee playfully flirts with her. They talk about Lee's feelings for Hav, which Lee denies. Leigh's husband Felix enters and greets his wife. He asks her if she gave Hav and answer yet and Leigh says no and tells him they shouldn't talk about it right now. Felix relents and asks how Leigh's mother is doing. Lee comes in and Leigh introduces him to Felix. Lee gives Felix a "thugged-out" handshake. Hav asks Lee if he'd join her in going out to get something to eat. Lee agrees and Leigh and Caroline try to get their food requests to Hav, talking over each other. Hav's mother interrupts through the intercom to announce Happy New Year to everyone and she's leaving for the evening and Michael is on the phone for Hav. Hav goes to answer it, saying this will only take a minute. Lee asks if this is the first time he's called and Leigh says no. Caroline tells Lee Michael bought Hav the leather coat she's wearing. Lee responds with "Oh, really?" and goes to confront Hav. Hav is telling Michael off, sarcastically wishing him a Happy New Year with one of his other girlfriends. Lee tells Hav he thought they broke up and he heard Michael gave her the coat. Hav shoots Lee the evil eye and says "must've slipped my mind." Leigh and Caroline are in another room and Caroline confides in Leigh that she's going after Lee tonight. Leigh asks Caroline if Hav would mind and Caroline says she wants nothing to do with Lee, which left Leigh surprised.
Hav is about to take Leigh and Felix home after the party and asks Lee if he'd like to go with her. He says no. Hav tells Lee Caroline is in the other room. Lee says, "she don't like me," and breaks the fourth wall by saying into the camera, "come watch me go make a fool out of myself." Caroline laughs at all of Lee's jokes, which is really getting to him. She proceeds to seductively stretch out and says, "I just exhaled." Lee attempts to end the uncomfortable situation by saying he has to go to bed. Caroline makes a pass at Lee, which Lee rejects. Lee attempts to apologize, but Caroline puts her hand up and leaves. Lee breathes a sigh of relief. Caroline is shown lying next to Hav and stating that "He's gay," which Hav finds amusing.
Lee is in a restaurant having a romantic dinner with Hav. Everything seems to be going smoothly until Lee finds a tooth in his drink. Hav asks if Lee is trying to tell her something and Lee spits out another tooth. Hav is confused. Lee spits out some more teeth and blood and Hav asks Lee, again is he trying to tell Hav something. Lee looks confused, but then he wakes up. Hav is in the room and asks Lee if he could stay because she's going to lunch with Alexandria Beaumont and she needs someone to back her up.
Alexandria Beaumont is heavily into Lee during lunch until Lee tells her he lives at Hav's place. Hav's dad consoles Lee, telling him he was in the same boat more than twenty years ago and now he owns his own software company. Alexandria then focuses her attention on Hav, trying to get the dirt on her relationship with her ex-boyfriend Michael, inquiring about a rumor that he's in a relationship with Jada Pinkett. Lee saves the day by telling her that all is well with Michael and Havilland and that he even gave Hav the leather coat she's wearing, then proceeds to make a fool out of himself, which has Leigh giggling.
Back at Hav's mom's house, Lee is upstairs typing away on his laptop about how Caroline accidentally petted Hav's father's dead cat that was sitting in the trunk and is now soaking her hand in a jar of pickle juice. He goes downstairs and talks to Hav's prep school friend, Bobby Montgomery (Kim Harris). She gives him a cool greeting, but later warms up to him, informing him the reason Leigh and Felix are fighting is because Hav offered Leigh a job and Leigh hasn't turned it down - or accepted. Lee is puzzled since Leigh wouldn't need the money since Felix makes good money working for his father-in-law. Hav comes in and asks Lee to take her to her grandmothers house. Lee agrees and asks her why didn't she tell him Leigh and Felix are fighting because of Hav. Hav screams at him to mind his own business and cusses him out. Bobby gets up to leave, saying she's in the middle of a lover's spat, to which Hav says she has a man. Bobby says whatever and goodbye to Lee and Hav. Meanwhile, Caroline is upstairs scrubbing her hands and makes funny faces in the mirror. She sees the toilet has a sign on it that says do not touch, sit on or flush the toilet. Curious, she lifts the lid and sees another sign that says do not touch, sit on, and FOR GOD'S SAKE, DO NOT FLUSH THE TOILET! Caroline's curiosity gets the better of her and she flushes the toilet. She gets a horrified look on her face. A big boom and a loud splash follows as Lee and Hav race upstairs. Lee says he's relieved he never kissed her.
Lee, Hav, and Caroline arrive at Hav's grandmother's home and Hav's grandmother plants a big fat kiss on Lee. They sit in the living room and argue about the toilet and Caroline petting the dead cat. Caroline tries to defend herself saying she forgot to take her medication. Lee gets them to stop. Hav's grandmother quizzes Lee about his book. Lee compliments a picture of Hav's grandfather, saying he's a good looking brother, Hav's grandmother agrees. She gets up to fix dinner and summons Hav to help her. In the kitchen, she asks Hav if Lee is her new suitor because she likes the cut of his jib. Hav says no, he's not in her league. Hav's grandmother says Hav is going to marry him because she knows what she sees when two people are together. She fights it, but later on changes the subject, knowing she's not going to win this argument.
Lee, Hav, and Caroline get back from grandmother's house. Hav brought Leigh a plate of food. Leigh wants to talk to Hav about her situation, but Hav is busy. Lee says he'll talk to her in a minute after he "slips into something more comfortable". Lee goes upstairs to type a little more into his love story and Leigh calls him on the intercom. They talk about Lee's feelings for Hav, which Lee denies, although he's washed his hands with cheese. They talk some more about Leigh's reservations about marriage and Hav's job offer. Lee comforts her, which he does very well, as she eventually attempts to kiss him. He runs away, but she corners him on the counter and as they're about to kiss, Caroline walks in, horrified. As Leigh chases Caroline trying to explain, Lee breaks the fourth wall again and says into the camera, "And remember, folks, as outlandish as this all seems, this is a true story." Meanwhile, Hav is in Lee's room reading his book on his laptop - the password was "Havilland". Lee tells Hav that Leigh tried to kiss him and she punches Lee, sending him to the floor.
Lee and Hav are in the kitchen and Hav is helping Lee to his feet. Caroline comes in and asks for a ride home. Lee and Hav both say sure. Felix comes into the kitchen, looking at Lee. He takes his coat off and reveals his physique, which shocks Lee. He punches Lee in the gut really hard, sending him to the floor again. Leigh comes in and says she tried to kiss him and he refused. Felix grabs his coat and leaves. Hav screams at Leigh that Hav refuses to be betrayed by a loved one again.
Later on, Lee is in bed and Hav coaxes him into her room so they can talk. Lee again breaks the fourth wall, this time telling the audience not to expect anything (implying sex), since he's not going to let that happen. He enters Hav's room, hits his foot accidentally, and goes back to bed. Hav comes in again and gets Lee into her bed. They confide in each other and kiss. Hav says she won't let Lee make love to her and asks if that makes him angry. He says no and she gets angry and kicks him out.
The next morning, Leigh and Hav are talking about the job offer. Leigh turns down the job and tells Hav about herself before she gets up and leaves. Leigh hugs Lee and tells him to leave Hav alone. Leigh then goes to her own home and makes up with Felix. Hav and Lee talk about the night of the kiss and Lee says he's over it. Hav asks Lee to call her at work the next day. At Hav's job, Michael comes in, alternating between being a star and a grovelling boyfriend. He would switch his personality off and on for whoever walked into Hav's office for either an autograph or to say hello. Back at Hav's house, Lee has left her a letter proclaiming his love for her. Hav's friend invites her to a party saying Michael might be there and she goes.
One year later, Hav, Caroline, Leigh and Felix are watching their lives on the movie screen, in a film Lee has made titled "Tru Love" (with minor changes to some of the "real-life" dialogue). The scene where Lee is hit by Felix is shown with
Nia Long now acting as Hav,Shemar Moore portraying Lee, Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas as Leigh,Lauryn Hill as Caroline, andMekhi Phifer as Felix. In the particular scene, Leigh tells Felix she tried to kiss Lee and Felix hits Lee anyway. The next scene they show is Hav agreeing to go to the party where Michael will be. After "Hav" says yes, the movie ends. After the movie, the real Lee answers questions about the movie, saying the two went in different directions and didn't end up together. Afterwards, he meets up with his guests, Leigh, who's pregnant, Felix, Caroline, and Hav. Hav and Lee converse and Hav declares her love to Lee. Two movie execs (Tracey Edmonds andKenneth "Babyface" Edmonds ) come up to Lee and tell him how much they loved the movie, but it needs minor changes, like a happier ending. They tell him he could make millions and he agrees. He looks into the camera, thinking he got the deal and the girl, which is everything he wanted.Cast
*
Christopher Scott Cherot — Lee Plenty
*Betty Vaughn — Grandma Moore
*Chenoa Maxwell — Havilland Savage
*Chuck Baron — Mr. Savage
*Hill Harper — Michael Simmons
*Kim Harris — Bobby Montgomery
*Margie St. Juste — Alexandria Beaumont
*Reginald James — Felix Darling
*Robinne Lee — Leigh Darling
*Tammi Katherine Jones — Caroline GoodenCameo appearances by:
*Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds — Lloyd Banks
*Lauryn Hill — Debra ("Tru Love" version of Caroline)
*Mekhi Phifer — Harold ("Tru Love" version of Felix)
*Nia Long — Trudy ("Tru Love" version of Havilland)
*Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas — Kris ("Tru Love" version of Leigh)
*Shemar Moore — Chris ("Tru Love" version of Lee)
*Tracey Edmonds — Amy MadisonAwards & nominations
1997 Acapulco Black Film Festival
*Best of Festival —Christopher Scott Cherot (winner)1998 Sundance Film Festival
*Grand Jury Prize, Dramatic — Christopher Scott Cherot (nominated)1999 Acapulco Black Film Festival
*Best Screenplay — Christopher Scott Cherot (winner)References
reflist|colwidth=30em
External links
*amg title|id=1:158838|title=Hav Plenty
*imdb title|id=0126938|title=Hav Plenty
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
