Something New (Widescreen Edition)

Customer Reviews:

• Love in Black & White: In an era where we are seeing a spate of Tyler Perry taking over the marketplace for African-American comedies, this film is like a breath of fresh air. One can see why Alice Walker recommended it!! Good writing, believeable characters and an appealing duo of Latham & Baker make this one more watchable than any of Perry's movies. You will not see any buffoonery here or stereo-type characters that you would find in Tyler's films. These are sophiscated, urban class characters and for once my intelligence was not insulted!! There have been very few comedies that approach this subject without sensationizing it or being condescending about it (Lee's terrible "Jungle Fever", for instance). No one is a villain in this dramedy--they are only human. This is a perfect film for the Obama-Hillary camp!!
• Something we all can enjoy...: I just adore Sanaa Lathan. Maybe that's why I just had to see this movie. After watching her chew up the screen in `Love and Basketball' I think I'd find any excuse to watch her (I did see `AVP'). Thankfully Lathan is not the only good thing about `Something New'; in fact the entire film was well constructed and it delivers a nice and satisfying slice of entertainment.
  
  The film focuses on the very successful Kenya McQueen, a corporate lawyer who has fought her way to the top and just keeps on fighting to get higher. All that fighting has had an adverse effect on her love life, leaving her single and in need of some male attention. When a friend and co-worker sets her up on a blind date she ends up getting more than she bargained for in Brian Kelly. He's good looking, successful and charming; but he's also white, and Kenya doesn't `do' white guys (there's a whole list, trust me). After rudely turning him away she winds up being reacquainted with him when she inquires about having her backyard landscaped.
  
  Guess what Brian does for a living.
  
  It's obvious that sparks will fly and that the two of them will start a relationship. It's also obvious that her family will disapprove (not only is he white but they are wealthy and it's obvious that Kenya's mother puts a lot of value in social standing). It's predictable that race will become and issue and they will break up and Kenya will pursue the black man only to realize that regardless of skin color she loves Brian and needs to be with him. All of this is predictable yet what isn't predictable or `obvious' is the fact that we will care so much. Brian is such a sweet and charming guy, and Kenya is such a confused and sheltered person that we are rooting for them to complete one another. We are rooting for Kenya to lose Brian so she can appreciate him and visa versa.
  
  Sanaa Lathan doesn't disappoint me here. She plays Kenya with dedication and naturalism (she reminds me so much of my wife here; all those beautiful flaws). Simon Baker is another standout. As Brian he really understands his character, but he also understands Kenya. It's obvious why one would fall for him; he's a complete package. I thought that Mike Epps turned in a great supporting performance as well. Donald Faison is non other than Donald Faison (he really only has one shade of character) and Blair Underwood comes off a little creepy to me (that might be because I was rooting for him to fail and for Brian to `get the girl'). Alfre Woodard and Earl Billings do a nice job of representing two different sides of a parent. As Kenya's mother, Alfre is intrusive and controlling, but as her father, Earl is gentle and understanding. They compliment each other very well.
  
  `Something New' may not be all that `new' but in a few aspects it truly is. It approaches the race relations issue in a non-biased, realistic and, most importantly, likable way, a way that proves that in the end race doesn't matter; especially in matters of the heart. As long as you're happy, as long as you're in love then it doesn't matter what your color is on the outside; the same color blood is pumping through all of our veins.
• Best Romantic Comedy I've Seen in Ages: Great performances by Sanaa Lathan and Simon Baker, who have a natural onscreen chemistry. Enjoyed Lathan's subtle acting in which you could tell what she was feeling without any dialogue.
  The script and use of camera angles was great too. Highly recommended. This movie has real substance--not the mindless fluff seen in so many romantic comedies. And Baker's dog Max adds a lot to the movie.
  The bonus feature Making Something New is worth watching.
• Something New: This movie is hilarious and very entertaining. One and only of its kind. I love it!!!!!!!!!1
• Opposites attract in Sanaa Hamri's cinema directorial debut: I liked this movie more than I thought I would, mostly of course because it stars Sanaa Lathan. Anyone who's seen Love and Basketball (New Line Platinum Series) knows why. It's also nice to see Simon Baker here as a likable character, since he's best known (well, to me, at least) as being a bit of a cad in The Devil Wears Prada (Widescreen Edition). As an aside, I know this film is supposed to be an "opposites attract" type of thing, but with Baker the filmmakers have opted for the polar extreme. He's a gardener here, but you half expect him to ask if anyone has any Grey Poupon.
  
  Other enjoyable performances: Mike Epps, an engaging presence who I really like on-screen; and Taraji P. Henson, who I've described in other reviews as a Force of Nature, especially in Talk to Me (Widescreen Edition) and Hustle & Flow (Widescreen Edition).
  
  In addition to the movie's romantic theme, Lathan shows her comedic chops. The funniest scene is when Lathan's character - having just met Baker's character in a blind date set-up at a Magic Johnson/Starbucks JV (excellent touch by director Sanaa Hamri) - tries to assert her street cred on the way to a table by loudly asking questions of the employees like "How's Magic treating you, brother?" The stunned recipient of the question - while Baker looks on bemusedly and knowingly - scrunches up his face and says "I don't know, I've never met the man." It's a very well-done scene.