Waist Deep is a 2006 American action drama film directed by Vondie Curtis-Hall. It is loosely based on the 1967 film Bonnie and Clyde. Otis "O2" Samuel (Tyrese Gibson) is an ex-convict attempting to turn his life around after his stint in jail, working as a security guard. He leaves work early as his cousin, "Lucky" (Larenz Tate), is late to pick up his son, Otis Jr., in his place. When he rushes to pick him up, Junior ominously asks his father what would happen if he were to never show up. Otis reassures him that such a scenario will never happen. Soon after, a woman (Meagan Good) named Coco tries to sell him some clothes by the red light, which he brushes off. And even sooner after that, a man carjacks him with Junior still in the backseat. Otis runs after him but fails to catch up. He spots Coco within a crowd and stops her, forcing her to help him track down the kidnapper. It turns out that she works for a clothes... pimp named "P-Money" who forces women to sell stolen clothes on the streets, and the kidnapper works for the leader of a large gang, named "Big Meat" (The Game (Rapper)), who was Otis' former partner, and is holding Junior for ransom; specifically, the $100K he believes Otis has stashed somewhere. Otis and Coco team up in order to make ends meet for their respective goals by midnight of the next night.
This film provides examples of:
- Aborted Arc: Otis and Coco try to instigate a Mob War between Big Meat and P-Money. We never see it happen, and it's completely forgotten about later on in the movie.
- An Arm and a Leg: A literal example. During the film, Big Meat cuts the arm off an old man as a penalty for not “paying his taxes”.
- Bait the Dog: When Otis shows up with Junior's ransom money, Big Meat lets Junior run to his father... and signals one of his men to shoot him in the back. Fortunately, Lucky stops him at the cost of his own life.
- Bittersweet Ending: Coco, Junior, and as it turns out, Otis successfully escape to Mexico with all the money they made, but Lucky was killed in the hostage exchange.
- "Could Have Avoided This!" Plot: This entire plot would've been avoided had Lucky just picked Junior up.
- Death Equals Redemption: Lucky is basically the entire reason Junior ended up being kidnapped. Therefore, he makes it up by Taking the Bullet for Junior when he's about to be shot in the back during the climactic exchange.
- Domestic Abuser: Coco's boyfriend finds her in a chop shop and immediately starts beating her up. Thankfully, Otis interrupts rather violently.
- Embarrassing Nickname: "Big Meat". Yes, really. Considering the type of person he is, no one's in any position to mock him for it.
- Establishing Character Moment: Big Meat is introduced to the audience after he gets finished chopping and showing off some poor shmuck's arm.
- Five-Second Foreshadowing: Junior, seemingly upset by his father showing up late, asks him what would happen if he never showed to pick him up. Very shortly after, Junior gets kidnapped.
- Hard-Work Montage: Of Otis and Coco robbing and restraining various gangsters for their money.
- Heroic Sacrifice: Lucky stops one of Big Meat's goons from shooting Junior in the back. This gets him critically wounded, and he eventually dies in the passenger seat of Otis' car.
- Hostage Situation: Otis Jr. is being held for ransom by Big Meat. Eventually, Lucky is also held hostage, as he gives Big Meat his own stolen jewelry to make up the money.
- Hypocrite: Otis beats the shit out of Coco's abusive boyfriend for smacking her, taking offense to him "putting his hands on a woman". Keep in mind that Otis just chased Coco down, grabbed her aggressively, and pointed a gun in her face.
- Ironic Name: "Lucky" is anything but. He's a no-show to pick up Junior because he's too busy getting high, which gets Junior kidnapped and Otis rightfully pissed at him. He then gets held hostage alongside Junior for giving Big Meat his own jewelry for the ransom, as nobody told him the key was robbed from Meat's stash house. He is then shot in the struggle to save Junior from being shot in the back, given awful medical treatment, and finally dies in Otis' car.
- Karma Houdini: Coco, and as is revealed later, Otis escape the authorities and the United States for Mexico, where they all reunite happily.
- Ms. Fanservice: Coco. This is Meagan Good, after all.
- Recycled IN SPACE!: Bonnie and Clyde IN THE HOOD!
- Say My Name: JUNIOR!
- Too Dumb to Live: Lucky gives Big Meat his own jewelry to make up Junior's ransom. To be fair, he wasn't told the key to the safe was Meat's. Nevertheless, he gets held for ransom alongside Junior for his mistake.
- Unwitting Instigator of Doom: This whole plot was basically Lucky's fault. If he had just picked up Junior like he was asked to instead of sitting on his ass and getting high, there probably wouldn't have been any carjackers around (or they at least wouldn't have picked him, especially since he is in the same gang as them).
- Worst Aid: Otis and Coco's treatment of Lucky's wounds is very hasty and sloppy. Expectedly, he passes away from his wounds.
