Set It Off

Plot

Four Black women, all of whom have suffered for lack of money and at the hands of the majority, undertake to rob banks…

Release Year: 1996

Rating: 6.3/10 (5,610 voted)

Director:
F. Gary Gray

Stars: Jada Pinkett Smith, Queen Latifah, Vivica A. Fox

Storyline
Four Black women, all of whom have suffered for lack of money and at the hands of the majority, undertake to rob banks. While initially successful, a policeman who was involved in shooting one of the women's brothers is on their trail. As the women add to the loot, their tastes and interests begin to change and their suspicions of each other increase on the way to a climactic robbery.

Writers: Takashi Bufford, Takashi Bufford

Cast:

Jada Pinkett Smith
–

Lida 'Stony' Newsom

(as Jada Pinkett)

Queen Latifah
–

Cleopatra 'Cleo' Sims

Vivica A. Fox
–

Francesca 'Frankie' Sutton

Kimberly Elise
–

Tisean 'T.T.' Williams

John C. McGinley
–

Detective Strode

Blair Underwood
–

Keith Weston

Vincent Baum
–

Jajuan

Van Baum
–

Jajuan

Chaz Lamar Shepherd
–

Stevie Newsom

(as Chaz Lamar Shepard)

Thomas Jefferson Byrd
–

Luther

(as Thom Byrd)

Charles Robinson
–

Nate Andrews

(as Charlie Robinson)

Ella Joyce
–

Detective Waller

Anna Maria Horsford
–

Ms. Wells

Samantha MacLachlan
–

Ursula

Samuel Monroe Jr.
–

Lorenz

Taglines:
Deal with this. The only breaks you get are the ones you take.

Release Date: 6 November 1996

Filming Locations: Biltmore Hotel – 506 S. Grand Avenue, Downtown, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office Details

Budget: $9,000,000

(estimated)

Opening Weekend: $11,807,451
(USA)
(10 November 1996)
(1014 Screens)

Gross: $36,049,108
(USA)
(2 March 1997)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

123 min

Did You Know?

Trivia:

Kimberly Elise was discovered by producer Dale Pollock at a restaurant where she waitressed at the start of her career.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes:
When T.T has just died and Stony is kissing her forehead to leave her in the SUV, you can see her still breathing as the door is being closed.

Quotes:

Lida 'Stony' Newsom:
[singing on the roof]
Frankie wanna blow-up a bank, UH! Frankie wanna rob a bank, UH!

User Review

A Well Done Sleeper

Rating: 8/10

"Set it Off" is another brilliant little B sleeper by the talented F. Gary
Gray. What sets this film apart from your routine crime caper/heist flick is
that it features some very impressive and strong performances by Jada
Pinkett-Smith (one of her very best roles) and Quen Latifah. Vivica Fox,
Kimberly Elise and the underrated John C. McGinty were also quite effective
in supporting roles. Blair Underwood, who I lilke, was sort of wasted as
reverse eye candy. The love story sub plot was a bit if a distraction, only
in a minor way. But at the core of this film was the bond between these
ladies, all driven to rob banks for various reasons. What they all shared
was their desperation. Instead of cliched cardboard characters, we are
served pretty well fleshed out characters with as much depth as time allows.
Some have mentioned they didn't like the ending, but I rather did. Queen
Latifah was outstanding as a hardened career criminal. There is one scene
where Jada's character stands up to her and it's tasty.

All in all, a pretty dang good thriller film that should be seen. The
performances are what elevates it above the norm for this genre.