"A Piece of the Action" represents the third and final pairing of Sidney Poitier and Bill Cosby in the leads of a comedy. Their previous pairings were "Uptown Saturday Night" and "Let's Do It Again" and none of the three films have anything to do with the others...in fact, in "A Piece of the Action", the pair are the bad guys instead of two guys out to outsmart organized crime!
Unlike the two previous films, Sidney Poitier's and Bill Cosby's characters don't know each other when the story begins. But both are professional criminals...con men who have both amassed a fortune. Then something strange happens....each receives an anonymous message to meet someone...and that someone knows about their 'habits'. Well, eventually you learn that this unknown person is blackmailing them....they must do as he says or they'll end up in prison. And, what does he want the pair to do? He wants them to volunteer at an inner city youth center...helping incorrigible teens to find jobs!! Clearly this is not a typical sort of story! And, during much of the rest of the film, the pair try to figure out WHO is blackmailing them.
This film has two main plots...and the two really don't work together. I liked the "To Sir, With Love" sort of plot where Poitier teaches the kids self-respect, respect of others and job skills. The other plot involving the kidnapping and gangsters, on the other hand, really didn't fit the film as well. Overall, a mixed bag...and a film that is the least of the three Poitier-Cosby movies.
Unlike the two previous films, Sidney Poitier's and Bill Cosby's characters don't know each other when the story begins. But both are professional criminals...con men who have both amassed a fortune. Then something strange happens....each receives an anonymous message to meet someone...and that someone knows about their 'habits'. Well, eventually you learn that this unknown person is blackmailing them....they must do as he says or they'll end up in prison. And, what does he want the pair to do? He wants them to volunteer at an inner city youth center...helping incorrigible teens to find jobs!! Clearly this is not a typical sort of story! And, during much of the rest of the film, the pair try to figure out WHO is blackmailing them.
This film has two main plots...and the two really don't work together. I liked the "To Sir, With Love" sort of plot where Poitier teaches the kids self-respect, respect of others and job skills. The other plot involving the kidnapping and gangsters, on the other hand, really didn't fit the film as well. Overall, a mixed bag...and a film that is the least of the three Poitier-Cosby movies.