Once in the Life (2000) (Signature Series)

In this crime drama directed by Laurence Fishburne and adapted from his own play, RIFF RAFF, a chance meeting changes the lives of two half brothers. One of the pair, 20-20 Mike (Fishburne), is a black man, a streetwise career criminal who claims to have eyes in the back of his head. His half brother, Billy (Titus Welliver), is a white strung-out purse snatcher who is desperate for a fix. Their plan to rob a local drug dealer ends in chaos and bloodshed, and they call on Mike's old friend, Tony "the Tiger" (Eamonn Walker), to help them get out of town. What they don't know is that Tony is now working for the same dealer they tried to rob, and as the three ponder their allegiance to each other, the tension mounts. ONCE IN THE LIFE is Fishburne's directorial debut, and his skill in guiding the already strong cast (which includes Annabella Sciorra and Gregory Hines) comes naturally. Despite the seedy, run-down locations and the overall grimness of the subject matter, Fishburne injects a lot of unexpected humor into the script. The film also has a few surprisingly tender moments between these men, who are running out of options but never give up fighting for their lives.