Paid in Full

Set in Harlem during the mid-1980s, Paid in Full follows Ace, a young man working at a dry cleaning shop who struggles to get by on a modest wage. He watches his friend Mitch, a drug dealer, enjoy expensive cars and jewelry, and when Mitch is sent to prison, Ace takes a cocaine find and a connection to the dealer Lulu as a way into the trade. His instinct for dealing with people helps him rise quickly through Harlem's drug economy, but that rise draws rivals and trusted associates who work against him.

Charles Stone III directed the film, which was released in 2002, the same year as his earlier Drumline; his later credits include Mr. 3000, Uncle Drew, Step Sisters and The Underdoggs. Matthew Cirulnick and Thulani Davis wrote the screenplay, and the producers include Brett Ratner, Damon Dash and Jay-Z. Wood Harris plays Ace, with Cam'ron as Rico, Mekhi Phifer as Mitch, Kevin Carroll as Calvin, Chi McBride as Pip and Regina Hall as Kiesha.

The film took about 3 million dollars worldwide against its budget, a modest return for a wide release of its kind. On IMDb it holds 7 out of 10 from around 16,000 votes, while on TMDB it has 6.9 out of 10 from about 255 votes, indicating a solid audience following rather than broad acclaim. A critics' rating of 5.8 out of 10 from 43 reviews places professional response below the audience scores.