PAID IN FULL (2003)

The first half of Charles Stone III's surprisingly artful cautionary tale glorifies the exploits of three drug dealers in '80s Harlem (hence the titular reference to Eric B. & Rakim's 1987 rap classic of the same name), while the second half scorns the lifestyle with far more vigor than one would expect in a movie from Jay-Z's Roc-A-Fella Films. Phifer and Harris give truly masterful performances as childhood friends who realize the nightmarish consequences of fulfilling their childhood dreams.