Cuteness Aplenty In ‘Hav Plenty’

It’s hard to imagine a worse movie title than - ugh, I can barely stand to write it - “Hav Plenty.”

Not only does it appear to be misspelled, but it’s grossly cute and it gives away too much. Here’s the deal: There’s a character named Haviland (Hav) Savage and she’s in one of those fighting-but-really-in-love friendships with a guy named Lee Plenty. No points if that title helps you figure out where their relationship is headed.

Christopher Scott Cherot, the first-timer who wrote, directed and stars as Lee Plenty, has a small resume but a man-sized ego. Cherot has written the kind of role only an actor would hand himself - a dude fending off the advances of three stunning women - and he makes sure we know it’s all a true story.

Mr. Ego is not without talent. “Hav Plenty” has plenty of funny dialogue and some sharp satire. Hav, for instance, is pining for a former lover, an icky Brian McKnight clone with a hit R&B ballad that uses malt liquor as a metaphor for romance.

But there’s a haphazard quality to the way the characters fall in and out of love, the tacked-on ending is completely wrong, and the whole movie is marred by a too-cute-for-its-own-good archness. Consider the names of the characters: Besides Lee Plenty, there’s a Darling and a Savage.

‘Hav Plenty’ Location: North Division Credits: Directed by Christopher Scott Cherot; starring Cherot, Chenoa Maxwell Running time: 1:28 Rating: R