White Chicks is a 2004 American buddy cop comedy film written, produced and directed
by Keenen Ivory Wayans, and also written and produced by Wayans brothers Shawn and Marlon
Wayans, who also both starred in the lead roles.
The film was released in the United States on June 23, 2004.
The film was produced by Revolution Studios and distributed by Columbia Pictures.
The plot revolves around whiteface drag, as two African American FBI agents disguise themselves
as two Caucasian women.
Despite negative critical reviews, the film was a financial success.
Plot Kevin and Marcus Copeland are two FBI agents
and masters of disguise that are posing undercover as two shop owners when three men walk in,
with what appears to be ice cream, and ask for the payment for the "ice cream".
Kevin and Marcus put on a play for them until they reveal themselves to be FBI.
They subdue the delivery men and open the containers and realize it really is ice cream,
vanilla.
Just then, another three guys walk in, saying that the "ice cream" is here, and then realize
the two are FBI.
They have a shootout and then flee along with the real delivery men, confusing Kevin and
Marcus.
They get scolded by the chief.
The chief holds a briefing for socialite kidnappings that were assumed to be done by Ted Burton,
and that the Wilson sisters, Brittany and Tiffany Wilson, are the next target.
He says he needs someone to be their bodyguard, simultaneously, Kevin and Marcus walk in saying
they want in on the case, and the chief accepts them.
They pick up the Wilsons at the airport and drive them to the Hamptons.
In the car, the sisters explain why they're there.
Then, they say that their pomeranian likes fresh air and tells Kevin to open a window,
but the dog almost falls out of the window, making Kevin drive uncontrollably until they
fall out of the road.
The sisters each get a tiny cut on their faces and refuse to leave the hotel they've stopped
at.
Kevin has an idea, which Marcus reluctantly agrees with, and calls Josh, a make-up artist
who disguises them as the Wilson sisters.
At the hotel, while posing as the Wilson sisters, Kevin and Marcus meet Brittany and Tiffany's
three best friends, Karen, Tori and Lisa; as well as their rivals – also sisters –
Megan and Heather Vandergeld.
They also encounter Karen's abusive boyfriend, Heath, a broke, out-of-work actor and Russ,
Heath's best friend and The Vandergeld Sisters' party boy.
They also go out shopping, making a hilarious scene at the mall, and making Gina, Marcus's
wife, suspect he's cheating on her.
Latrell Spencer, a wealthy black man that prefers white women, takes an interest in
Marcus, thinking that he is actually the real Tiffany Wilson.
While at a magazine reception, Kevin and Marcus embarrass the Vandergeld sisters.
A date with Marcus/Tiffany is then auctioned off to Latrell during a charity dinner.
Kevin takes advantage of the situation and asks Denise Porter, a reporter he met who's
doing a piece on Warren Vandergeld, out on a date, pretending that he is Latrell, as
Denise has a history of dating rich men.
When Marcus goes on his date with the real Latrell, and makes Latrell want him/her even
more, Kevin steals the keys to Latrell's car and house.
When Kevin and Denise arrive at Latrell's house, Kevin is mauled by Latrell's giant
dog, prompting Denise to leave, but eventually falls for him.
Through this date, Kevin learns that Burton turned on Mr. Vandergeld and tucked away $100
million, this sets the motive for the scheme.
At a nightclub, Kevin and Marcus embarrass the Vandergelds again, and Karen drinks heavily
and unintentionally lets it slip that Mr. Vandergeld is penniless, and has only recently
paid Karen's own father back for loans he has lent him.
The next day, Latrell and Russ wake up and discover they did it.
Also, Gina goes to the hotel and finds Marcus with "Brittany Wilson" and gets mad at him.
Meanwhile, the real Brittany and Tiffany see their faces on a magazine and they realize
that two people are impersonating them.
They go to the hotel that their "clones" were seen in, and Gomez and Harper, two other FBI
agents, mistaking them for Kevin and Marcus after searching their room through suspicion,
undress the girls in front of the chief.
This leads to the chief finding out that Marcus and Kevin have been impersonating the Wilson
sisters.
Because of this, the chief fires the both of them.
Later, Kevin and Marcus find out that, due to his bankruptcy, Mr. Vandergeld – along
with Heath – has been behind the socialite kidnappings in order to save himself and his
family from poverty and they manage to capture Mr. Vandergeld before he succeeds.
At the fashion show, after Megan and Heather Vandergeld are embarrassed and Kevin and Marcus
interrupt the show, a shootout occurs.
Vandergeld takes one of the real Wilson sisters and Marcus hostage, and Latrell takes a hit
from a bullet shot by Mr. Vandergeld to protect Marcus, only to be alarmed and enraged to
discover – not that Marcus is actually male – but rather, that he's actually black.
Lucky for him, Latrell soon meets the real Wilson sisters, much to his delight.
After Vandergeld's arrested, Marcus apologizes to his wife Gina after realizing that being
a female is a hard task, and also because he'd been ignoring Gina for his job.
Denise falls for Kevin, after Kevin saves her from Vandergeld who tried to kill her
for exposing his crime on camera.
Tori, Lisa, & Karen say that they like Marcus & Kevin more than Brittany and Tiffany.
They all agree to stay friends and go shopping.
Cast Shawn Wayans as Kevin Copeland
Marlon Wayans as Marcus Copeland Busy Philipps as Karen Googlestein
Jessica Cauffiel as Tori Jennifer Carpenter as Lisa
Jaime King as Heather Vandergeld Brittany Daniel as Megan Vandergeld
Terry Crews as Latrell Spencer John Heard as Warren Vandergeld
Frankie Faison as Section Chief Elliott Gordon Lochlyn Munro as Special FBI Agent Jacob Harper
Eddie Velez as Special FBI Agent Vincent Gomez Maitland Ward as Brittany Wilson; Her signature
color is blue Anne Dudek as Tiffany Wilson; Her signature
color is pink Rochelle Aytes as Denise Porter
John Reardon as Heath Steven Grayhm as Russ
Casey Lee as Tony Faune A. Chambers as Gina Copeland
Drew Sidora as Shaunice David Lewis as Josh
Heather McDonald as Saleswoman Reception
Critical response This film received poor reactions from critics.
Rotten Tomatoes gives it an aggregate rating of only 15% based on 121 reviews.
Film critic Richard Roeper put the film at #1 on his list of the worst films of 2004
amongst claims of unconvincing prosthetics and racism.
It was nominated for five Razzies, including Worst Picture, Worst Actress for the Wayans
brothers in drag, Worst Director, Worst Screenplay and Worst Screen Couple, but failed to win
any of those awards.
Box office The film grossed $70,831,760 at the U.S. box
office and $113,048,997 worldwide and has become popular on broadcast cable.
Soundtrack "Latin Thugs" – Cypress Hill
"Ms. Hilton" – The Penfifteen Club "Shake It" – Jesse Jaymes
"A Thousand Miles" – Vanessa Carlton "Realest Niggas" – 50 Cent, Notorious B.I.G.
"White Girls" – Mighty Casey "Dance City" – Oscar Hernandez
"Trouble" – P!nk "U Can't Touch This" – MC Hammer
"Dance, Dance, Dance" – The Beach Boys "Guantanamera" – Jose Fernandez Diaz
"It's My Life" – No Doubt "(I Got That) Boom Boom" – Britney Spears
featuring Ying Yang Twins "Bounce" – Stock, IC Green
"Get Low" – Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz featuring Ying Yang Twins
"Crazy in Love" – Beyoncé, Jay-Z "It's Tricky" – Run–D.M.C.
"This Love" – Maroon 5 "No Control" – Blackfire
"I Wanna Know" – Joe "Tipsy" – J-Kwon
"Satisfaction" – Benny Benassi "Let's Get It Started" – Black Eyed Peas
"Move Your Feet" – Junior Senior "I Need Your Love Tonight" – Elvis Presley
Home media DVD was released in Region 1 in the United
States on October 26, 2004, and also Region 2 in the United Kingdom on 28 February 2005,
it was distributed by Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment.
Sequel In 2009, a sequel to the film was announced
by Sony.
Sony later announced that they had cancelled the film before they could begin filming.
In 2013, Marlon Wayans confirmed an interest in reviving the sequel's production.
Marlon has stated that "We’re thinking about it, actually seriously talking about doing
it.
It’s the one thing that everybody begs us to do.”
Wayans went on to recount how an audience in Australia was positively thrilled when
he quoted the movie, responding with a "rousing applause."
Gabriel Iglesias posted a picture saying 'On the set of White Chicks 2 w/ Marlon Wayans.
Good times '. In April 2014, Marlon stated that he wants
to do a sequel to the film.
See also Cross-dressing in film and television
Some Like It Hot, a 1959 comedy film starring Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis and Jack Lemon.
Similar story, in which two male musicians dress as women to hide from gangsters in Florida.
References
External links Official website
White Chicks at the Internet Movie Database White Chicks at AllMovie
White Chicks at Rotten Tomatoes White Chicks at Box Office Mojo