Paid in Full

In 1990s Harlem, Ace (Wood Harris) is a young man living a humble life, working in a dry cleaning business that serves as a front for his true passion: helping his friend Mitch (Jamil Woolard) sell small quantities of marijuana to supplement his income. Despite their modest operations, Mitch's entrepreneurial spirit has an infectious quality that resonates with Ace, making him eager to take their business to the next level. However, when Mitch is arrested and sent to prison, Ace finds himself scrambling to maintain the delicate balance that has allowed them to survive in the cutthroat world of street-level narcotics trafficking. It is during this chaotic period that a chance discovery changes the trajectory of Ace's life forever. While sorting through the laundry at the dry cleaners, he finds a significant sum of money and a small stash of cocaine hidden in a customer's pants. Without hesitation, Ace realizes the potential for a substantial profit that this unexpected windfall presents and decides to take matters into his own hands. Ace soon discovers that the cocaine belonged to Lulu (Mekhi Phifer), a notorious Harlem kingpin, and that this chance encounter has placed him squarely in Lulu's orbit. As Ace tries to navigate this new reality, he finds himself facing an intricate web of alliances, rivalries, and double-crosses that threaten to overwhelm him. Despite his initial nervousness, Ace proves to be an enterprising young man with a knack for making strategic connections and thinking on his feet. He leverages his interpersonal skills to form alliances with influential figures on the Harlem scene, such as Bono (Chi McBride), a smooth-talking, high-rolling hustler, and Lulu, who sees something in Ace that hints at greatness. As Ace rapidly ascends the ranks of Harlem's narcotics underworld, he finds himself increasingly embroiled in the cutthroat world of street-level narcotics. Lulu takes him under his wing, guiding him in the ways of the business and schooling him on how to build his own network of associates and vendors. With Lulu's mentorship, Ace rapidly becomes one of Harlem's most prominent and influential figures, earning the nickname "Ace" through a combination of luck, charisma, and calculated risk-taking. The film explores the complex dynamics that govern the relationships between Ace, Lulu, and the other characters in Harlem's underworld. Lulu, in particular, is a character of great nuance and moral ambiguity. While not an overtly malicious figure, he is willing to do whatever it takes to maintain his position at the top of the food chain, including betraying his associates and orchestrating violent confrontations with his rivals. However, as Ace's rise to prominence continues unchecked, threats begin to emerge from within his own inner circle. One of his closest associates, a man named Rico (Skeet Ulrich), proves to be untrustworthy, secretly conspiring with rival dealers to undermine Ace's business and eliminate him as a threat. Meanwhile, Bono's true loyalties also begin to come into question as his behavior becomes increasingly erratic and self-serving. As Ace's reign at the top of Harlem's narcotics world begins to unravel, Lulu finds himself grappling with the consequences of his own actions. With his business empire in disarray, he is forced to confront the very real possibility of losing his grip on power. Ace, now the one on top, is left to ponder the true cost of his success and the impact that his choices have had on his relationships with those around him. Ultimately, the film raises critical questions about the allure and consequences of power, as well as the societal factors that drive individuals like Ace to pursue careers in narcotics trafficking in the first place. Despite its unsentimental portrayal of the darker aspects of life in Harlem, "Paid in Full" is a nuanced and thought-provoking exploration of the complex human experiences that underpin the world of street-level narcotics.