Reggie Cooper is a young man who lives with his father in order to avoid the violent gang activity that almost claimed his life when he was a teenager. However, when his recently paroled mentor, J-Bone reconnects with Reggie, and when his father is murdered, Reggie slips back into a life of crime. Reggie murders a local preacher, whose daughter later develops a relationship with him.
In early 2003 Ja Rule announced that he was to act in a film alongside Ving Rhames.[5] Filming was slated to take place in Puerto Rico during September of the same year.[6] The film was written by James Hunter and Michael Raffanello, directed by Hunter, and scored by composer Robert Folk.[7] The film was primarily produced by DEJ Productions, at the time its most expensive to date, with budget estimates of $5 to $10 million to over $10 million.[8][9] Filming ended in 2004,[10][11] and by April DEJ was preparing a potential theatrical release.[9]Back in the Day premiered on BET on May 13, 2005, and was released to DVD on May 24.[12]
Reviewer Ed Huls called it conceptually similar to several other urban crime dramas, but noted the cast and production values made it a high-end release in the genre, and compared it to classic gangster films: "one could easily picture CagneyorBogart in the Rhames role."[13]
David Kronke of the Los Angeles Daily News wrote: "No original gangstas in this movie, but plenty of unoriginal ones... How did such a ridiculous script lure so many talented actors?"[14]
