Sugar Hill

Roemello and Raynathan Skuggs may be partners in drug-dealing, but temperamentally they're so different that only their mutual love holds them together. Roe (Snipes) wants out of the dangerous game they play with the Family men who resent and challenge their control of the streets, while Ray can't bear the thought of little brother leaving him to fend for himself. Something's gotta give - especially after Roe meets Melissa (Randle), a nice middle-class girl who abhors the life he's always promising to abandon. There's much to commend in Ichaso's not unambitious movie. The generally strong performances do justice to scriptwriter Barry Michael Cooper's evident desire to avoid the New Jack stereotyping of many contemporary black crime movies; the fluid camera and lush jazz score ensure that it looks and sounds classy; and much of the time the director's understatement and attention to detail are a distinct advantage. However, matters are not helped by an actorly tone, some plot-stopping big speeches, and an often sluggish pace.