Simply Perfect

If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

Friday Foster (Pam Grier) is a photographer for "Glance" magazine. She sneaks out to the airport to secretly photograph a black billionaire flying in at night. She manages to capture on camera an assassination attempt. She tries to do some investigating while becoming a target herself.While this film has all the elements of a Blaxplotation film, it is more subdued. There are less colorful characters, less pimps, and the music is less whack-a-da and more softly soulful.Film includes Carl Weathers, Scatman Crothers, Jim Backus, and Eartha Kitt.Brief sex and nudity (Rosalind Miles, Pam Grier, + others)

What I'm reviewing now was the very last movie Pam Grier made for American International Pictures. She plays the title character as a photographer for a magazine who's on assignment to shoot the arrival of the "black Howard Hughes" Blake Tarr (Thalmus Rasulala). Accompanying her on some of her assignments other than the one I mentioned above is private detective Colt Hawkins (Yaphet Kotto). I'll stop there and just say how fun I found the whole thing and why not with a cast that includes Eartha Kitt, Scatman Crothers, Jim Backus, Ted Lange without his mustache that he became famous for when he was cast in "The Love Boat" a few years later, a pre-Apollo Creed Carl Weathers, and Godfrey Cambridge several months before his untimely death. I can't admit that everything that happened made sense but I found myself smiling if not always laughing the whole time I was watching. So on that note, Friday Foster is well worth a look.

Pam Grier plays fashion photographer, Friday Foster. The plot centers around a conspiracy to assassinate black leaders, which Friday Foster gets caught-up in. In this film, Pam uses her camera, fleet feet, and sharp wits to foil the bad guys. She's not a pistol-packin' mama here, like she was in her other films.Sure, Friday Foster isn't as hard-boiled as Pam's other Blaxploitation films. But it has more humor, and finesse than her other movies. Friday Foster was a role, where Pam revealed a surprising dexterity, as an actress. She was also allowed to be more glamorous as Friday Foster, than she ever was in either Coffy, or Foxy Brown. Also Friday Foster had a much better supporting cast, than any of Pam Grier's other films. There was the superb Yaphet Kotto, as Friday's private eye friend, Cole Hawkins, who helps her nab the villains. Yaphet is very talented, and he really helps to carry this film. Other wonderful supporting actors in the film, include Eartha Kitt, Ted Lange, Godfrey Cambridge, and Gilligan Island's Jim Bacchas, as a sleazy politico.I'd recommend Friday Foster to Blaxploitation film fans, who want to see Pam Grier in a classier, smoother role, than she was in either Coffy or Foxy Brown.

Pam Grier is back in action in the big screen adaptation of 'Friday Foster'. Friday Foster debuted in January 1970 as the first comic strip to star a black woman. It was syndicated and featured soap operatic story lines drawn in a realistic style, similar to Mary Worth, and starred an ex- model turned photojournalist somewhat like Diahann Carol.I think a lot of blaxploitation fans have a hard time getting their heads around this movie because it's a different role for Pam Grier than the gritty asskicker she played so well in movies like Coffy. Nonetheless, this film gives Pam an opportunity to show range as an actress. I think Pam Grier is one of the most beautiful actresses in the history of film with real star charisma. It's good to see her getting credit.Although it has the elements of classic blaxploitation - car chases, shootouts - Friday Foster is fun, light hearted comic strip of a film. Definitely see it.