There are few things that can brighten even the worse day than finding cash. A good friend of mine has made a habit of these often finding tens and twenties at his feet, on three separate occasions looking down to see Benjamin Franklin staring back from a hundred dollar bill. In movies the discovery of a large amount of money rarely turns out to be a good thing. The actual owners of the cash always want it back and you wind up with either a thriller or a comedy. In the flick ‘What Up?’ the cast and crew attempt to go the comic route. While the movie does have some humorous moments but the real funny moments are few and far between. There is an innate talent to the cast that helps the film but mostly this is derivative; we have seen it done many times before. Almost every joke is telegraphed; most of the situations are predicable in their outcomes. With no surprises there is little left to induce a laugh. It is true that there is a certain formula to the ‘R’ rated comedy. Of late this means there has to be a lot of juvenile humor and sexual overtones. While this movie generally follows the game plan the execution is lackluster and unable to grab and hold the attention of the audience.

The writers of this film are Marvin Hayes and Dale Stelly based on a story penned by Dominique James. These three men have previously collaborated on several films and seem to have a flow down in their story telling. The main difficultly is rehashing a story that has been done so many times before. This is the first story credit for James. Mostly he has earned a living in production and in sets and props. For Hayes most of his career has been in production for comedy specials and movies. Stelly, who also severed as director and executive producer, has been active in writing, direction and production for a good number of similar comedies. The story is simplistic; after all you can’t expect the audience to be drunk or stoned enough to watch this sort of flick and follow plot points. Pair of bumbling janitors, Tyone (Kadeem Hardison) and Jerome (Godfrey) are at work doing their jobs in their usual half hearted fashion when they come across a large some of money. They immediately spend almost all of it on fancy clothes, cars and trying to impress the ladies. Now in a film like this no one seems to consider what kind of business deals with huge sums of ready cash. The answer comes to the dim pair when a gangster realizes the cash is missing and they are to blame. Now they have a choice to either come up with replacement cash or be in need of replacement kneecaps, or worse. The gangster gives them one week to get the correct sum of money back. There are some inherent faults with this premise. I have never heard of a mobster who is missing money being lenient on a repayment plan. Then again this is a slap stick comedy so we really don’t have to worry about reality at all.

As a director Stelly is more in his element and fairs better than the writing. The flick moves along at a good clip with rapid fire sight gags and jokes. It doesn’t let up sweeping the audience into the silliness presented here. There is nothing fancy in the use of the camera, nor should there be. Stelly provides the best presentation possible considering the material there is to work with. The film is full of negative African American stereotypes that are so blatant that they will be insulting to all groups watching the film. While Stelly is well versed in his directorial style the film degrades into often offensive humor that detracts from his ability to present a movie. The film was released to the theaters as ‘The Sweep’ and renamed for this DVD release. It is usually not a good sign when the title is changed like this less than six months after a limited run in movie houses.

The flick opens up with a montage of shots showing overall clad Tyone and Jerome at work as janitors. They empty trash and ride around in a little golf carts laughing and goofing off as much as humanly possible. We then shift to the required scene of just how the suitcase of money was left unattended. A couple of stock gangster muscle types are waiting as a car pulls up. In another car to men are watching the proceedings. The driver of the first car gets out and immediately starts to clean the tires as two men get out; one of them holding a suitcase. They are meeting mob kingpin Mr. Spaghetti (Sonny Bermudez). Come on now; couldn’t they come up with a more sinister name? The men from the car open the case to show the product as one of the henchmen checks out the drugs. It is okay and the case with the money is brought to complete the transaction. The police officers watching call the drug in and ask for backup. The criminals scurry as the cops move in. While on the run one of the crooks hides the cash under a trash container. Cut to the janitors at home. Jerome fancies himself a martial arts expert but his training seems to be limited to watching movies. Later they try to pick up a couple of young women, but they give him the number for a Chinese take out place instead of their own. The pair is trying to break into the movies as writers and after a call from their boss telling them to get to work the pair gets another call from their agent, Kevin (Roberto 'Sanz' Sanchez). He might have a part for them in a Spike Leroy movie. Actually it is for an idea for a reality television show. Eventually they go to their janitorial job and find the money. They proceed to spend it as quickly as possible on high price but ultimately useless items to try to impress any woman that happen by. Soon the money is all but gone and that is when the mob figures out they took the cash. They get a week to replace the cash and the pair has no means to do so. One consideration is to rob a bank; something they are ill prepared for.

Kadeem Hardison and Godfrey were also listed as co-producers of this flick. To their credit both have worked in this role before. Hardison is best known for his role on the ‘Cosby Show’ spin off, ‘A Different Life’. Godfrey has been a standard in flicks by Stelly for awhile now. He is also known for appearances on the VH1 shows like ‘I Love Toys’. Both men are funny but have little to work with here. Godfrey has more in the way of sheer manic energy to bring to the table but ultimately the slap stick flick is not able to make their performances work out.

The film is available on DVD through Lion’s Gate. They do specialize in little independent movies that few have heard of. This one is one the best example of what this fine studio has to offer.