ATL contains examples of:
- All Men Are Perverts: What New New's dad thinks of Rashad. Also Esquire just couldn't resist Big Booty Judy's...booty.
- Auto Erotica: Ant and his hook up in the car. While his friend gets beat up by a drug dealer, no less.
- Beware the Silly Ones: Marcus acts goofy throughout the movie, but becomes serious when Ant doesn't pay the money he owes him.
- Did You Just Flip Off Cthulhu?: When Rashad comes to Ant's rescue against a very upset Marcus, gun in hand, he gives him all the money Ant owes him... by throwing it in his face.Marcus: That was SO disrespectful! You done hit me in my face with some goddamn money...
- Dramatic Necklace Removal: Rashad, upon learning that New New lied about who she was, snatches the necklace he gave her at Cascade from her neck.
- Fanservice: New New, Veda and Star at the local pool in their swimwear. And pretty much any lingering shot of a woman's behind or breasts in the movie, the most egregious example being Big Booty Judy (we don't even get to see her face).
- Fun with Subtitles: When Ant is completing a transaction in a man's car, subtitles appear to decode all of his slang and colloquialisms. Ant still winds up asking for clarification because his accent's too thick.
- Gilligan Cut: After wondering how Big Booty Judy was allowed to throw a party after what happened the prior year, the movie cuts to a bunch of kids running away from the house and a firefighter showing up.
- Happily Ever After: Everyone.
- Held Back in School: Teddy is 21-years-old and still in high school.
- Jerkass: Tonya, Rashad's ex who, despite having multiple boyfriends is hung up on him although they broke up. She even attacks New New at Big Booty Judy's house party. Also, Uncle George to a degree. Though he isn't cruel to the boys, during an argument, he alludes that he should have let the boys go to foster care so his life wouldn't be as miserable. Then there's Marcus, the unruly drug dealer Ant befriends.
- Karma Houdini: Marcus is never caught for shooting Ant and he is never mentioned again after their confrontation.
- Local Hangout: Cascade, the roller rink where Rashad and his friends frequent.
- Male Gaze: The cameraman really loves Big Booty Judy, played by video girl Buffie the Body. She even gets a freeze frame when she's introduced. Also, the older woman Ant fails to woo while walking to her car.
- Meaningful Name: New New, because she always rocks the new, new shit.
- Noodle Incident: Big Booty Judy's party was greenlit despite "something" happening the year before. All we know is that it ended with the fire department showing up.
- Papa Bear: Unfortunately averted. Uncle George only took care of Rashad and Ant after the untimely death of their parents. He is barely involved in their lives and doesn't even seem concerned when he sees an altercation between Ant and his drug dealer! Rashad serves as the only real paternal figure in Ant's life.
- Precision F-Strike: After dumping New New upon finding out that she lied to him about being rich and also finding out that Esquire new all along but didn't tell him, he commands his friends to "get the fuck off my porch."
- Sticky Fingers: Veda and Star, who then get chewed out by their mom in front of Cascade.
- The Aggressive Drug Dealer: Though Ant figures out a way to befriend Marcus, as soon as he is Marcus' employee, it is clear that he will be set up to be the Big Bad.
- The Alleged Car: Veda and Star's mom have a car whose passenger doors don't open. In the words of their mother, "Climb ya asses out the trunk!"
- The Reveal: When New New's cover is blown, it is revealed that she is actually the daughter of wealthy John Garnett. Esquire also has one of these with John, as he is not rich although he attends a private school.
- Troll: Marcus. When confronting Ant about the $2000 he owed, Marcus couldn't help but mess with the poor boy's head, when it was already clear that he was scared shitless.
- Where da White Women At?: Brooklyn, while waiting on Esquire at his school, can be seen flirting with two white girls by reciting poetry.
