A Thin Line Between Love and Hate

A Thin Line Between Love and Hate is a 1996 American romantic black comedy film starring and directed by Martin Lawrence in his feature film directorial debut. It tells the story of Darnell Wright (Lawrence), a ladies' man who finds himself stalked by one of his obsessed lovers: Brandi (Lynn Whitfield), an attractive and successful, but unstable older businesswoman.

Along with directing and starring in the film, Lawrence co-wrote the screenplay alongside Kenny Buford, Bentley Kyle Evans and Kim Bass. Released on April 3, 1996, the film grossed over $34 million at the box office against a budget of $8 million. As of 2024, A Thin Line Between Love and Hate is the only film that Lawrence has ever directed.

Plot
Nightclub manager Darnell Wright is a perpetual playboy and hopeless male chauvinist. He works for a nightclub called Chocolate City and aspires to be its owner. He trades VIP privileges at the club for favors from women. Though he is an expert at conning women, he sometimes worries about what his childhood sweetheart Mia thinks of his adventures.

When the beautiful and wealthy Brandi Web steps out of a limousine to enter the club, Darnell feels that he's met his ultimate prize.

She initially rejects his come-ons, which only fuels his appetite. He pursues her, showing up with flowers at her office. He finally wins over Brandi, only to find out that he's really in love with Mia.

One morning, Darnell awakes to find Brandi in his kitchen making bacon and pancakes. She wants him to hold her, but he pushes her off aggressively. However, Brandi doesn't take kindly to rejection. She becomes an obsessed femme fatale: stalking him, taking all four wheels off his SUV to ground him from his rounds, shattering his windshield, and setting his nightclub on fire. She hits herself with a fruit-stuffed stocking to cause herself bruises without fingerprints, and repeatedly slams a door on her arm injuring herself.

When Darnell goes to see her at the hospital, he is arrested for a false domestic violence charge. She continues harassing and stalking Darnell, then threatens Mia's life.

Ending his relationship with Mia is not enough to satisfy Brandi who finally administers Darnell's punishment for his womanizing. Darnell quickly learns the hard way that if you "play", you have to "pay."

Darnell, now suffering from a gun wound attempts to take the gun from Brandi, causing Brandi, Mia, and he to fall out of a window and land in a pool.

Darnell awakes from the fall in a hospital, with all his friends, family, and Mia standing over him. He decides to change his life for the better and start a life with Mia. Darnell is grateful that Brandi showed him what love really is. Brandi is arrested and imprisoned.

Cast

 * Martin Lawrence as Darnell Wright
 * Lynn Whitfield as Brandi Web
 * Regina King as Mia Williams
 * Bobby Brown as "Tee"
 * Daryl M. Mitchell as Earl
 * Roger E. Mosley as Smitty
 * Della Reese as Mama Wright
 * Simbi Khali as Adrienne
 * Tangie Ambrose as Nikki
 * Wendy Robinson as Gwen
 * Malinda Williams as Erica Wright
 * Stacii Jae Johnson as "Peaches"
 * Miguel A. Núñez Jr. as Reggie
 * Faizon Love as Manny
 * Michael Bell as Marvis
 * Michael Taliferro as Club Security
 * Tiny Lister as Tyrone
 * Tracy Morgan as Sean, The Bartender

Style
The plot of A Thin Line Between Love and Hate was influenced by Boomerang and Fatal Attraction. The opening sequence, depicting Darnell lying unconscious and fully clothed face down in a swimming pool while narrating the events that led him to there, was influenced by Billy Wilder's 1950 film Sunset Boulevard. The film has been classified as a comedy thriller.

Reception
A Thin Line Between Love and Hate grossed $34,873,513 at the box office against a budget of $8 million.

The critical reception of the film was mostly negative. On Rotten Tomatoes the film has a 15% rating based on 26 reviews.