“Something New” (Focus Features)
Something Old Is New Again
There are only so many plots that can be played out in a love story. The basic one is boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy gets girl back. How many times have you seen movies that feature that same old line The new film “Something New” not only weaves that plot but also takes the subject matter of “Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner” and reverses the races of the characters to show a different slant on racial prejudice. Add in some above average performances and “Something New” is something old made new again.
Sanaa Latham plays Kenya, an ultra successful executive in the modern business world. She is black, bright and on her way. All she needs is a man and she is searching for an IBM (ideal black man). Her friends say she is too picky so she finally agrees to a blind date. A white co-worker sets her up with Brian (Simon Baker), an oh so white landscape architect. Kenya is shocked because she doesn’t do white.
Although she abruptly terminates their date, she does hire Brian to landscape her backyard. In the course of doing this they, of course, fall in love. Still Kenya is hesitant to commit to Brian. She does not feel her parents will approve of her getting involved with a white man. Her mother (Alfre Woodard) is very involved in the black social scene and wants Kenya to marry someone like her son’s mentor (Blair Underwood).
Latham is very good in the role of Kenya She conveys the complexities of her personality and the frustrations and anger she has because of her parent’s biases and her own insecurities. Her scenes with Baker are excellent as Kenya struggles to maintain her isolation even as she is falling in love.
Baker is equally good. He makes Brian so endearing and so approachable that you wonder what is taking Kenya so long to fall for him. Baker then completely establishes Brian’s frustrations and fears that Kenya will never be able to accept him as worthy of entering her world.
The supporting cast is as good as the leads. Woodard is perfect as the society minded mother. Donald Faison is a standout as Kenya’s snobbish brother. Underwood makes the man he plays seem like the perfect catch, while Taraji P Henson adds humor as one of Kenya’s best friends.
The movie is rated PG-13 for profanity and sexual situations.
Every once in a while you have an average story that is made better by the talent of the cast. In “Something New” Latham and Baker make the story, the characters and the overall effect of the movie more than it should be. The two leads have so much sparkle and charisma that the love they project is infectious.
“Something New” is predictable but who cares when the progression through the love affair is so much fun. They say everything old is new again, and in “Something New” it is!
I scored “Something New” a refreshed 6 out of 10.
