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Civil Brand

EMAILPRINTLions Gate Films

Civil Brand reviews
29
2.3 User Score:

Generally unfavorable reviews

Based on 13 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

Based on 3 votes
Read user comments
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Movie Info

Genre(s): Drama

Written by: Preston A. Whitmore II (also teleplay)
Joyce Renee Lewis (teleplay)

Directed by: Neema Barnette

Release Date:
Theatrical: August 29, 2003
DVD: January 27, 2004

Running Time: 95 minutes, Color

Origin: USA

Summary

RATING: R for violence including a rape, and for pervasive strong language

Starring LisaRaye, N'Bushe Wright, Mos Def, Da Brat, Monica Calhoun, Clifton Powell, Tichina Arnold, Lark Voorhies, and MC Lyte

Forced to work under slave-like conditions in a "prison for profit" program, the inmates of a mostly African-American female prison try to take over the institution.

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

80

Los Angeles Times Kevin Thomas

A compelling, highly charged film that brings a contemporary perspective to classic prison picture elements.

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60

Variety Walter Dawkins

Film explores the abuses rampant in woman's prisons and the powerlessness of the inmates, while telling the uplifting story of one inmate, Frances (LisaRae).

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50

The Hollywood Reporter Sheri Linden

Although the film loses its way in the late going with a preponderance of melodramatic elements that dilute the more compelling social message, for much of its running time it packs a visceral punch, thanks in large part to a strong cast headed by LisaRaye, N'Bushe Wright and Mos Def.

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40

LA Weekly Ernest Hardy

There are also strong flickers here of a film that might have been.

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40

TV Guide Maitland McDonagh

There's way too much of the usual bonding, beatings, petty humiliation by guards, cat fights in the yard and trips to the hole.

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38

New York Daily News Elizabeth Weitzman

Exploitation shamelessly posing as empowerment, Neema Barnette's self-congratulatory drama about women in prison promises to reveal shocking truths.

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38

Premiere Peter Debruge

There's no question that Civil Brand has an ambitious premise, but it feels boxed in by the standard prison-movie formula.

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30

The New York Times Dana Stevens

Before Civil Brand erupts into over-the-top melodrama (which is pretty early), it shows some interest in its characters, and in its less screechy moments the dialogue has the rough, bantering ring of actual speech.

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30

The Onion (A.V. Club) Nathan Rabin

Civil Brand's aesthetic is pure mid-'70s blaxploitation, and not in an ironic or reverent sense. Even the heavy-handed political rhetoric is in keeping with the neo-blaxploitation vibe, since even bad blaxploitation movies often had revolutionary undercurrents.

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25

New York Post V.A. Musetto

The cast includes rappers Da Brat, Mos Def and MC Lyte. Their fans might get some pleasure from Civil Brand. Everybody else best stay away.

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25

Chicago Tribune Robert K. Elder

Plagued by continuity problems, ham-fisted storytelling and a problematic voiceover by Da Brat, Civil Brand feels less like a prison movie than a prison sentence.

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20

Village Voice Laura Sinagra

Without a scorcher like Pam Grier, the sub-NYPD Blue dialogue and acting dilute what could have been a shrieking wake-up call about for-profit prisons.

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20

Chicago Reader J.R. Jones

Corrupt warden, sadistic guards, new inmate debauched by her surroundings, prison-break hostage drama--could have come straight from an old George Raft vehicle.

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What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this movie is 2.3 (out of 10) based on 3 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Bruce R. gave it a 5:
Serious in approach but ultimately not fully satisfying. Discontinuity may have been caused by budget problems.

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