May contain spoilers...
I saw Just Wright with Queen Latifah, Paula Patton and Common last weekend and I liked it. The plan was to go see Robin Hood but what with Queen Latifa and her personal adverts, I changed our mind. She's one of my favorite comedy actresses and she did not disappoint. You may not agree with some of the things that happened in the movie (I know a lot of women still swear by the unwritten code that you do not date your friend's ex) but the chemistry between the main character, Leslie, and her love interest was off the charts. I had tears in my eyes for them at times and was happy in the end, you know..."and they lived happily ever after." Though I have to say that if it were Cupid's Risk, I would have rewritten that last scene. I want uninterrupted declarations of love biko, yes ke, lol...
So this review here gives a good synopsis. "Just Wright follows love triangle between three people. Leslie Wright (Queen Latifah) is a physical therapist who just can’t quite find a guy. She’s always looked at as the perfect friend as opposed to the perfect mate. A huge New Jersey Nets fan, she has a chance meeting with all everything NBA point guard Scott McKnight (Common) that leads to the ultimate invite: to his upcoming birthday party. Taking along her godsister (and gold digger wannabe) Morgan (Paula Patton), McKnight falls for her on the spot and dashes the quick chemistry the two had initially. After tearing up his knee, and Morgan’s subsequent departure, Leslie is there to pick up the pieces and help get him back onto the court in a contract year. When they fall in love, and Morgan comes back, McKnight is left with a dilemma."
To be honest, I didn't think Common was great in the role, at the same time I have to consider that he had a script and a director and so maybe that was what the role called for? Common is a fine man, eye candy I call them, and in very good shape. He fit right in with the other real life Basketball stars in the movie (all fine men too :):))and made me remember my teenage years when I was an avid follower of NBA's I love this game. However, he was quite bland and never had any internal conflict to show why he fell in love with Morgan and it wasn't also clear why he chose Leslie over her in the end. Except maybe she made him laugh, healed his knee and got him back in the championships. :(
I would have liked to know which type of woman he really preferred, and this could only have come from his self examination of what works best for him. A sort of personal growth which is almost compulsory in writing but which was a bit lacking in the movie. But where Common slacked, Queen Latifah and Paula Patton (BTW she's Robin Thicke's very pretty wife) were capable of filling the gap. Latifah as Leslie shines, she friendly, lovable and was actually the one that carried the romance in the movie. She was the one that made me smile, laugh, sad and almost tear up, lol. That woman is a true star. Her on-screen chemistry with Common was off the charts. It starts off platonic, and we see it morph into something more before our very eyes.
I give the movie 3 stars out of 5 which is what most of my rom-coms get except the very few that make it into a 4. I love romance but when it comes to movies especially cinema, I'm a big block-buster chick. Ride or die baby, while we wait for Prince of Persia, lol.
Finally, we had this game when I was a die-hard Mills and Boon reader and I have also heard people ask. After reading a romance novel or watching a rom-com, we will predict how long the couple will last. So if you've seen Just Wright, how long do you think those two will last? As for Leslie and Common's character, I give them 6months. Harsh eh?
You, what was the last rom-com you saw and how long do you think the love interests will last together. OK, I'll go out on a limb here. If you've read A Heart to Mend, how long do you give Gladys and Edward? Infact, chose your couple from a movie, a book or even from your real life, what do you give those your colleagues sleeping together? LOL....I'm waiting for your answers o...
Have a nice weekend my peeps...:):)
