Karen’s Film Of The Week: Something New…
Monday, May 7, 2007Posted in: Recommended DVD, Sanaa Lathan, Simon Baker, Something New
So me and TTG watched two films this weekend, Something New, and the new Spiderman movie. Loved them both, but the DVD had the slight edge over Peter Parker and his funky dancing.
Hereโs the movie synopsis, stolen from Amazon:
Kenya McQueen is a successful African-American CPA, working her way to the top of the corporate ladder — but her life has become all work and no play. Urged on by her friends to try something new and to let go of her dream of the “ideal black man,” she accepts a blind date with an architectural landscaper named Brian, only to cut the date short upon first sight, because Brian is white.
The two meet again at a party, and Kenya hires Brian to landscape her new home. Over time, they hit it off, but Kenya’s reservations about the acceptance their romance will find among her friends and family threatens everything. An intelligent romantic comedy that chooses to deal with issues of race and perception in a straight-forward way, from a point of view not often seen: that of a successful, upper-class black woman.
I loved both central characters. Bryan was truly scrumptious, Kenya was repressed, but endearing, and the secondary characters were fun.
This is totally a girly film, but I did love the romance of it.
How hot was the love scene? *g*
If youโre looking for a deep and meaningful film about IR relationships, you wont find it here, but if youโre looking for a sensual love story, where the lead characters fall in love inspite of their differences, this film is totally for you.
You can buy Something New on DVD here.
Kristie (J)
May 7
11:08 am
Funny story on this one! I rented it a while ago. Here, if you rent a movie and then don’t take it back for a while, you have the option of buying it – or so the girl at the movie rental place told me. So when I went to watch it, I got calls and took them and someone came to the door etc – cause I figured right off I was going to keep this movie. I missed most of it. Then I kept getting calls from the video store wanting their movie back. I was somewhat disconcerted over that ’cause the first person didn’t say they would be calling. About a month later (and still not having watched it again) I took it back and said I wanted to keep it. Imagine my disbelief, horror, disappointment etc. when she said I couldn’t pay a few dollars more and keep it! “But, but, but” I wanted to say “I never really watched it!” So a few weeks later I ordered it on Amazon. Upshot – I STILL haven’t watched it! I’m waiting to have friends over so I can blow them away with what a good movie it is – cause I did see enough of it to KNOW it is so my kind of movie
(sorry to take so long – but as soon as I saw the movie on your blog it reminded me ๐
Kristie (J)
May 7
11:13 am
And I forgot to add – one of the scenes I missed was the one you have so thoughtfully provided!
I adore Simon Baker – have ever since The Guardian. And she is gorgeous!
Dionne Galace
May 7
4:07 pm
mmmmm… Simon Baker. He was delicious as the gardener/landscaper guy.
But my eyes were on Sanaa Latham. God, she’s sexy. She’s on my Island as my handmaiden. Her skin is just… gorgeous. She’s got pretty eyes, too. I developed a crush on her in Blade. She played Blade’s mom. Oh, and she was Dr. Christian’s girlfriend in Nip/Tuck. This girl should be A-list!
Shelia
May 7
5:17 pm
I saw this at the movie theater and in fact, I need to order the DVD. This was a good love story. I like the angle the producer/director chose to tell the story. Viewers will be so much into the storyline that the characters being IR is only an afterthought. Love is universal. I give it 5 stars!!!
Sarah S.G. Frantz
May 7
5:30 pm
I adore this movie! Thanks for letting me know it’s out. It’s going on my birthday list right now!
raine
May 7
6:03 pm
It WAS a good movie, enjoyed it very much.
I love seeing messed-up people find happiness. It gives me hope.
Karen W.
May 7
6:38 pm
I enjoyed the movie a lot too, and Simon Baker is really yummy in it… ๐
Dee
May 7
6:43 pm
Thanks for reminding me of this one! I meant to see it at the theatre but I’m cheap and dragging hubby to a chick flick is hard. (We plan 6 months ahead to see which movies…current debate over Harry Potter AND or Harry Potter OR Transformers, lol!)
Adding this to my Netflix!
Dee
Dalia
May 7
7:30 pm
And the cheese stands alone, the cheese stands alone…
I was disappointed in this one. I thought Kenya was ah-noi-ING. I wondered for a while if the producer/director/scriptwriter whoever had fallen in love with Bryan and made him in to some sort of perfect individual then got jealous of the action his woman would be getting with him and made her as whiny and ah-noi-ING as possible.
‘Oh, I’m so afraid of spiders’; ‘Oh, my hair got wet’; ‘Oh, why won’t my mother understand me?’; ‘Oh, beige is calming’ BLEH BLEH BLEH.
But the movie was good apart from her ๐ That said, I like Sanaa Lathan.
Jill
May 7
8:37 pm
I LOVE Simon Baker, and loved this flick because of him.
Eve Vaughn
May 7
10:05 pm
I saw this movie in the theatre and bought the DVD. Loved it, but Kenya got on my nerves the first half of the movie. She was way too uptight, but when she let her hair down, she became more likable, and Brian was delicious!
Camilla
May 7
10:50 pm
Love this movie–I saw it the weekend it was released and bought it the day it was in stores. *G*
I didn’t find Kenya annoying–perhaps because I can identify with the hair, etc–but yes, Simon Baker was delicious and unforgettable.
Anonymous
May 8
9:52 am
I agree. Kenya was uptight and had some chips on her shoulders, but believe me that’s “reality” for lots of BW especially in the USA. Hence the reason why I absolutely love this movie. It will help them to “get over their angsts”, move to hell on and, hopefully, find love irrespective if it comes in another colour.
As for the ABSOLUTELY PANTY WETTING SIMON BAKER, I could go all nutters on hiss tight butt, be all teenager again. Geez he’s HOT!
Chandra
Anonymous
May 9
12:29 am
I liked the movie but I’m with everyone else on the Kenya issue. Both Kenya and her mother got on my nerves.
I really couldn’t identify with the movie maybe because where I grew up it’s no big deal to have an ir family or be a product of an ir relationship. Either way, I think Kenya bought up race a lot more than the hero in the movie and sometimes I actually felt sorry for him because no matter what he said or did it wasnt going to be right.
Bonnie Dee
May 9
1:19 pm
Hey, thanks for the heads up on this movie, which I’d never even heard of. There simply aren’t enough good romance movies out there. Rented it yesterday because of your review. This was the most intriguing, hot, sexy romance I’d seen in ages. It had the potential to cross over into that Lifetime schmaltzy movie zone, but kept it together, managing the delicate balance that so many romance movies can’t quite achieve. (Although the toreador outfit was a bit much.)
Interracial issues aside, I love to see romances unfold between an uptight, buttoned down, type A personality (male or female) and their easy-going, sensual, earth-loving counterpart. Just love that theme to pieces.
Best part for me? I learned about weaves. I had no idea how those things worked. Cool.