Two best friends, Durell Washington (Ice Cube) and LeeJohn Jackson (Tracy Morgan) are bumbling petty criminals in Baltimore. They struggle to find stable jobs due to their records. Durell's ex, Omunique (Regina Hall), is also threatening to move to Atlanta with their son, Durell Jr., unless she gets help to pay her lease on her hair salon. Desperate for money, Durell and LeeJohn agree to sell wheelchairs provided by con man Blahka (Paul Campbell), but they lose them in a police chase.
Sentenced to 5,000 hours of community service, Durell and LeeJohn are threatened by Blahka to pay him $12,000 within 24 hours or he will kill both of them. After a failed business deal with Mordecai, a massage parlor owner, LeeJohn comes up with a desperate scheme to rob the local church. Durell is against it but finally agrees, seeing no other option.
They enter the church's office and find several church members, including Pastor Arthur MItchell (Chi McBride), his daughter Tianna (Malinda Williams), and the choir, led by Ricky (Katt Williams) arguing with the Deacon (Michael Beach) about possibly moving the church elsewhere due to lack of funds. Durell announces that he is taking them hostage. After the church members scoff at Durell's insistence, he fires a gun into the air to get their attention. However, the money has already been stolen. Enraged, Durell and LeeJohn hold them hostage until the money turns up. Durell interrogates everyone about the money's whereabouts. He appears to suspect Tianna, who looks down on him. Meanwhile, LeeJohn takes Timmy, a little boy, to the bathroom. When he says that he will return the child back to his mother, the kind sister Doris (Loretta Devine), the boy reveals that his real mother left him.
The police pass by, and Durell orders Ricky to talk to the police and assure them the situation is okay. The church is hot and Durell goes to fix the broken air conditioner, while LeeJohn watches over the hostages. To LeeJohn's bewilderment, sister Doris begins cooking for everyone, using the church kitchen. She gives him a plate, and fondly remembers how her husband loved her cooking on his birthday. He expresses his sadness at never having had a birthday, and is comforted by her.
Tianna warms to Durell and questions his motives, until they finally get the air-conditioning going. Durell then orders everyone back to the lobby. The blind, deaf janitor finds the missing money. Durell receives a phone call from his son, which he is ashamed to answer. Momma T (Olivia Cole) then asks for Durell's purpose for the robbery. Durell claims that he is doing it for his son. Momma T rejects this, saying Durell is doing it for himself, and is blaming everyone but the person responsible.
Leejohn and eventually Durell give up the robbery, dropping the money. Unfortunately, cops have surrounded the church. Pastor Mitchell tells them to escape out the back, but they are caught in a chase. At their trial, which the entire church attends, the Deacon says they have been accused of stealing $64,000. But the amount of money he claims was almost stolen was twice the amount the Deacon said was collected. putting the Deacon at question. The case is dismissed after no one stands when witnesses are called. Durell goes back to Omunique's apartment, where he faces Blahka and his goons.
After explaining his situation, they allow Durell to go and get his son. Omunique opens the door, yelling at Durell, asking him where the money came from. The church money was left at her doorstep and Durell tells her it was a gift. He implores her not to take his son away, declaring that his son is all he has. She responds they will stay. Durell is closer to his ex-wife and son, while LeeJohn remains close to Doris and Timothy. The remaining money is used to restore the community and the church sets up a block party to celebrate.
On review aggregatorRotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 12% based on 76 reviews, with an average rating of 3.80/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "First Sunday may have its heart in the right place, but its funny bone is dislocated."[4]Metacritic reported the film had an average score of 41 out of 100, based on 21 reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[5] Audiences polled by CinemaScore on the opening weekend, gave the film an average grade of "A−" on an A+ to F scale.[6]
Box office
The film opened at #2 at the box office, behind The Bucket List, with $17,714,821 with an average of $8,004 from 2,213 theaters. When First Sunday closed on February 24, 2008, the film has grossed $37,931,869 from the North American box office and $844,216 in the international box office adding to $38,776,085 worldwide. It grossed more than $100,000 in only four regions outside of the United States, including South Africa ($189,960), the United Kingdom and Ireland ($152,372), Kuwait ($129,332) and the United Arab Emirates ($101,412).[2]
Release
The film was released on January 11, 2008 in the United States.[7]
Home media
The film was released on DVD, UMD and Blu-ray on May 6, 2008.
^Joshua Rich (2008-01-14). "Bucket List tops box office". Entertainment Weekly. What's more, the movie received an A- CinemaScore review of its own, and considering that it, too, drew a primarily older-woman crowd, it has the potential to continue its robust run for several more weeks.
