At first, Jumping The Broom looks like any other black wedding comedy where two opposite families come together through the realization that they both have issues. Usually one side is black and the other is white or latin or one half is ghetto while the other is uppity. Jumping The Broom does stick to that formula, but it has something that all the rest are missing: substance. Typically black movies are all face value going after the quick laughs and familiar antics. Jumping The Broom, however, goes deeper and is actually a well crafted film with great acting…finally transcending those racial conventions. It’s not just a run of the mill romantic comedy or urban movie shot in Atlanta.
The story is the heart of any movie and this one is great. It starts off with a terrible narration by Paula Patton where the writer is obviously obsessed with cookies. Luckily that doesn’t last long and after the opening credits, the good movie begins. You’ve been here before: weddings are hectic and they bring a lot of drama…this one is no different. It’s the days leading up the big day for Sabrina (Paula Patton) and Jason (Laz Alonso) and they have yet to meet each other’s families. Sabrina was brought up by rich parents who live in Martha’s Vineyard and Jason, while doing well for himself, is from a less fortunate family in Brooklyn. The typical scenarios ensue but with a lot of satisfying twists thrown in.
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The ensemble cast is a wonderful mix of comedic and dramatic actors that allow the writers’ side stories to really play out well on their own without getting in the way of the main premise. The best subplot is between Romeo’s character, Sabrina’s 20 year old cousin Sebastian, and Shonda (Tasha Smith), Jason’s auntie. She’s over twice his age and has to keep escaping this playboy’s advances to not become a cougar. Then you have the stunning Meagan Good playing a golddigger named Blythe who falls for the sweet taste of the seductive wedding Chef played by Gary Dourdan (you may remember him from CSI). The mothers in the film are two legendary actresses: Angela Bassett and Loretta Devine. They set the foundation for this film. Loretta Devine once again blew me away with her screen presence.
The magnificent Loretta Devine and Angela Bassett in Jumping The Broom
Most of the comedy is helmed by veterans DeRay Davis as Malcom and Mike Epps as Willie Earl…both from the Brooklyn side of course. For some reason Julie Bowen is also thrown in there as Amy, the wedding planner, and she’s just a fish out of water in this cast as well as the movie itself. She’s fascinated by black people and their customs and is your source for most of the racist jokes. I didn’t think that character was needed and it felt a bit backwards with the rest of what this movie was trying to accomplish in terms of breaking the black movie mold. Other than her, I think all the other white people in the movie were extras. As uncle Willie Earl points out, “look at them, they got white people working for them.”
The thing that makes this movie special is the heartfelt emotions that ooze out from pivotal scenes. Bring your kleenex, because you will tear up. The movie is written by women (Elizabeth Hunter, Arlene Gibbs) and you can tell they play to the female audience but past writer and director Salim Akil makes sure there’s still plenty of stuff for guys. I love that they didn’t have to be foul or nasty and I’m amazed that this is rated PG-13 rather than PG because it is pretty wholesome. T.D. Jakes, who is a Dallas megachurch pastor, is also a producer of the film and cameos as the raspy reverend. The movie preaches abstinence until marriage and has a lot of religion baked in but nothing too blatant. Still, there’s eye candy for both sides (I mean come on, Meagan Good) but nothing too raunchy. It’s just enough of what you expect tied together with a lot of what you wouldn’t expect which makes this so enjoyable in the end.
DeRay Davis, Meagan Good and Paula Patton in Jumping The Broom
I hope the marketing for this movie doesn’t scare you away because Jumping The Broom is genuinely a good fun film. It’s not your cookie cutter stereotypical black comedy…it’s a hilarious melodrama with a deep soul and twisted storyline that will keep you engaged for the entire picture. No matter what background you are, you’ll be able to relate and appreciate this story. With an ensemble cast of many familiar faces, you’ll feel right at home as if you were a guest invited to the wedding. Women, drag your men…guys, take your ladies and go see Jumping The Broom, you’ll be pleasantly surprised…pinky swear.
You can still find advance screenings in your area here!
I wasn’t expecting much when I went into the screening of Lottery Ticket and I definitely did not expect to see what I saw. Lottery Ticket is not a family film…it’s a lot more vulgar, sexy, and serious than it seems. It’s a decent movie that’s entertaining at times but doesn’t add much to the cinematic world except more fire on the stereotypes. The ensemble cast is comprised of your usual suspects in an “urban” movie but still great including Loretta Devine, Keith David, Terry Crews, and comedians Mike Epps, Charley Murphy, and Bill Bellamy.
With such an amazing cast including some of today’s best comedians, how could this comedy turn out so shitty? (pun intended) Death at a Funeral goes for the quirky everything that can go wrong does go wrong feel but ends up with a plain old movie that’s as stiff as the body in the casket they’re having the funeral for. Chris Rock, playing Aaron, has been living with and supporting his father, mother (Loretta Devine), and wife (Regina Hall) who is trying to get pregnant. Martin Lawrence is Aaron ‘s younger and much more successful brother Ryan who everyone adores…except, of course, Aaron. Joined by the rest of his family, Aaron tries to hold a service for his late father but one thing leads to another and you’re supposed to laugh.
