All About the Benjamins

Movie review by Nell Minow, Common Sense Media
All About the Benjamins Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 18+

Violent film for Ice Cube. He can do better.

R 2002 95 minutes
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Parents say

age 16+

Based on 2 reviews

Kids say

age 15+

Based on 2 reviews

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A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this movie.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that this movie has extremely bad language and very violent shoot-outs. A man is shot point blank in the arm and later tortured. A stun gun is applied to a man's crotch. There are sexual references and situations, including overheard sex. Characters drink and there is a joking reference to drug use.

Community Reviews

darthsitkur
darthsitkur Adult
January 26, 2017
age 15+

ice cube and mike epps make a great duo

This is different from the Friday trilogy but it's still a really fun time with plenty of intense action and laughs to be had, just an all around fun and hilarious action comedy, if you loved snatch and the Friday trilogy, you'll love all about the Benjamins
MovieLover4Lyfe
MovieLover4Lyfe Adult
October 26, 2010
age 17+
Heavy on violence, crass language, and sexual situations. Light on everything else. There's really nothing worth watching here.

This title has:

Too much violence
Too much sex
Too much swearing
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

When bounty-hunter Bucum Jackson (Ice Cube) chases down a con man (Mike Epps), they both get mixed up with $20 million in stolen diamonds and an even more valuable missing lottery ticket.

Is It Any Good?

ALL ABOUT THE BENJAMINS is to Ice Cube what Crossroads is to Britney Spears: a vanity vehicle designed by a star who has very little sense of how people behave in real life. This is like a smudgy copy of a copy, bits and pieces of other movies put together so that the star can pretend to shoot and throw a couple of punches.

Ice Cube, who produced the movie, apparently decided that he would enjoy playing a bounty hunter, and not just any bounty hunter but one who (yawn) doesn't get along with his boss and refuses to take on a partner. The plot is just an excuse for showing off with some smart-alecky comments and shoot-outs. Ice Cube and Epps are able performers with a nice rapport, but they can't do much with this lackluster plot, like the umpteenth re-tread of a reject from the Beverly Hills Cop series.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about why it was important for Bucum and Reggie to learn to trust each other and what they did to earn each other's trust. Do you agree that it "sounds like a female" to talk about feelings? What do you think they will do next?

Movie Details

  • In theaters: March 8, 2002
  • On DVD or streaming: March 8, 2002
  • Cast: Eva Mendes, Ice Cube, Mike Epps
  • Director: Kevin Bray
  • Studio: Warner Bros.
  • Genre: Drama
  • Run time: 95 minutes
  • MPAA rating: R
  • MPAA explanation: strong violence, pervasive language and brief sexuality.
  • Last updated: June 3, 2022

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