Hav Plenty is a 1997 American romantic comedy film released by Miramax Films, based on an eventful weekend in the life of Lee Plenty (Christopher Scott Cherot), written and directed by Cherot. The film is based on the true story of Chris Cherot's unrequited romance with Def Jam A&R executive Drew Dixon.
Plot
Lee Plenty is a flailing, wannabe writer, homeless and apartment-sitting for his friend, the wealthy Havilland Savage while she is off visiting family. Lee jumps at the chance to see Havilland, whom he has secretly loved for years, when he's invited to her New Year's Eve party. But the night leads to romantic complications that also involve Hav's recording-artist boyfriend, Michael Simmons, her best friend, Caroline, and her married sister, Leigh.
Cast
Christopher Scott Cherot as Lee Plenty
Betty Vaughn as Grandma Moore
Chenoa Maxwell as Havilland Savage
Chuck Baron as Mr. Savage
Hill Harper as Michael Simmons
Kim Harris as Bobby Montgomery
Margie St. Juste as Alexandria Beaumont
Reginald James as Felix Darling
Robinne Lee as Leigh Darling (née Savage) Tammi Katherine Jones as Caroline Gooden Paula Gene Reese as Evelyn
Cameo appearances by: Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds as Lloyd Banks Lauryn Hill as Debra (Tru Love version of Caroline) Mekhi Phifer as Harold (Tru Love version of Felix) Nia Long as Trudy (Tru Love version of Havilland) Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas as Kris (Tru Love version of Leigh) Shemar Moore as Chris (Tru Love version of Lee) Tracey Edmonds as Amy Madison Leslie Segar as Jane (Tru Love version of Evelyn)
Production
Financing for the film came from Cherot's time as a New York City cab driver, and a third mortgage on his mother's home. Principal photography took eighteen days in and around New York City and New Jersey.
Upon completion of principal photography, Cherot was out of money again, and it took him almost a year to complete his edit and make a screening print of the film. In May 1997, at his first "cast-and-crew screening" in a small screening room in New York City, Hav Plenty producer Robyn M. Greene ran into Warrington Hudlin and Bill Duke by chance in the lobby of the building and invited them up to view the film. Immediately after the screening, Hudlin invited Cherot to participate in the inaugural year of the Acapulco Black Film Festival (now the American Black Film Festival). Cherot accepted on the spot, and one month later, in June 1997, Hav Plenty was the opening night film in Acapulco, the first film at the inaugural festival.
After seeing Hav Plenty at the Acapulco Black Film Festival, Tracey Edmonds and Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds offered to attach their names to the film and record a new soundtrack, consequently attracting an intense amount of media attention to what was previously a small, obscure independent movie. Three months later, after a screening at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 1997, Harvey Weinstein offered to buy Hav Plenty for an amount between $1.5 – $2.3 million. The entire time that passed between Cherot's first obscure screening in New York City to Weinstein's multimillion-dollar handshake-deal in Toronto was four months.
According to an interview with Chris Cherot, Miramax wanted to give the movie a happier ending. They compromised by adding the "one year later" scene which shows a happier ending, but also leaves room for argument that Hav and Lee didn't end up together.
After screenings at the Sundance Film Festival in January 1998 to start the official "buzz", Miramax theatrically released Hav Plenty in the United States on June 19, 1998, with distribution expanding nationwide.