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By CitySomething New
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Something NewMovie Review
2006-02-24
Article Written by: Sami Jo
Sanaa Hamri’s directorial debut written by TV writer Kriss Turner (“Everybody Hates Chris”) turns a fantastic concept into a predictable romantic comedy. Predictable romantic comedy – now there’s an oxymoron. Romantic comedies are prone to formula scripts. Boy meets girl, boy runs into an obstacle and loses girl, then finds girl again and they live happily ever after. If, for instance, boy and girl do not live happily ever after, the film gets categorized as a drama instead of a romantic comedy. Indeed, there’s nothing romantic about a couple that doesn’t last. In Something New, Turner switches up the formula a little – girl chases boy in the end – and she adds the complexity of interracial dating.
Kenya McQueen (Sanaa Lathan) is the beautiful, independent, senior manager at a prestigious Los Angeles accounting firm. Even though she was born with a silver spoon in her mouth, she’s worked hard for everything she’s earned and found everything she’s looking for except love. Type A all the way, Kenya knows exactly what’s she’s looking for – her IBM (ideal black man). After spending another Valentine’s Day alone, she agrees to go on a blind date with a friend of one of her coworkers. When her blind date turns out to be a sexy landscape architect, a white, sexy landscape architect named Brian (Simon Baker), she dismisses the idea before giving it any thought.
Of course, following formula, the couple is bound to meet again. The second meeting comes at the engagement party of their mutual friend. Kenya compliments the landscaping, only to get introduced to the landscaper who is, of course, Brian. In desperate need of landscaping herself, Kenya hires Brian to fix up the backyard of her new home. The obstacle Kenya runs into is the whole black/white thing. Hamri and Turner do a fantastic job at brining the social implications of interracial dating to the forefront. Kenya finally meets her IBM, but only after Brian pulls her out of her shell and adds color to her beige life. Kenya must choose which man she wants, but since the film is a romantic comedy, you already know whom she ends up with!
Since romantic comedies are endlessly predictable, people must go to them for the entertainment value. Something New is both funny and enjoyable. Lathan (Brown Sugar) and Baker (The Ring Two) are both pleasing to look at, but neither demonstrates exceptionally impressive acting. Alfre Woodard, Blair Underwood and Donald Faison make up the supporting cast.
