When Thugs Cry
Written, produced and directed by veteran guerilla filmmaker Parris  Reaves.  When Thugs Cry tells the story of two brothers making the transition from  Alabama's home prairie to Chicago's backstabbing asphalt plains with a prolific output of  rap music that would take them beyond ghetto celebrity to a major record deal.  That  collective ambition is obstructed by sibling rivalry primarily influenced by the brothers'  attempts to liberate their mother from drug addiction, exasperating discord with spouses,  the deceit and betrayal of colleagues.  Deep-throated rapper Jah-Rista and prolific  producer Soundmaster T virtually play themselves in their feature debuts as the brothers  Jeffrey and terry Love.  Veteran actor Carl Wright - who appears in Soul Food, Big  Momma's House, and Barbershop - plays the kindly minister who helps the brothers  persevere in the struggle to turn their mother around while following their collective  dream.