Motives (2004)

Emery Simms (Shemar Moore) and his wife Constance (Vivica A. Fox) appear to live a charmed life. He's a successful restaurant owner, and she is the director of a social service organization. But the opening scenes reveal that Simms is hooked up in some shady dealings. An arguement with one of his associates ends up in murder. Simms employs his long-time friend and attorney Brandon (Sean Blackmore) to cover things up -- again. Constance is not completely aware of all her husband's dirty dealings, but she knows he's up to something. She is tired of his negative publicity affecting her career.

A couple of suspicious police detectives who have it in for Simms -- Pierce (Victoria Rowell) and Morgan (Mel Jackson) step up their surveilance after Derrick Woods (Guy Torry) confronts Simms at his restaurant. Woods is the ex-boyfriend of Allannah James (Golden Brooks), a woman whom Simms enters into an affair with. Woods is not a nice guy, but then Allannah isn't all that good, either. She owes Woods some money, and he wants it back. She overstays her welcome in a college dorm where she's bunking with a student (Keisha Knight Pulliam). Simms puts Allannah up in a condo he owns, and continues to believe he's got everything in check. Things begin to spin out of control, and someone is playing somebody like a deck of cards.

Not a bad story in the film noir category. Good looking Moore (Diary of A Mad Black Woman, 2005) knows how to hide menace under a facade of charm. Torry is a comedian who also acts; he was in Poetic Justice (1993). Ms. Rowell was a cast member on the soap "The Young and the Restless" along with Moore. Ms. Fox was in Soul Food (1997). Ms. Brooks was a cast member on "Girlfriends" (2000-2007) and Mel Jackson was a regular on "Living Single"(1993-1998). Ms. Pulliam was the adorable Rudy on the sitcom "The Cosby Show" (1984-1992).