The cast of stars on board for this film project include Oscar winner Lou Gossett Jr, Patti LaBelle, Vivica Fox, Leon, Razaaq Adoti and Aunjanue Ellis. Directed by Bill Duke
I am amazed at how often non black critics IMMEDIATELY pan a film that they have absolutely NO knowledge, interest or understand ing about. I think about all the non black film critics that panned Tyler Perry’s first major motion picture effort, Diary of a Mad Black Woman, something they had no knowledge about therefore they attacked it and Perry from every angle, now of course they’re sucking the sweat off of his balls no matter what he puts out. It’s no different here. Bill Duke was up against the odds from all angles in directing this film: the traditional media, the black church and the gay community. Everybody jumped on the film before it was done. The amazing irony of the external attacks on the film are the same reasons used by the antagonists IN the film for not coming clean.
I’ve been getting a lot of screeners and DVDs lately and it would only make sense that I review them for you from an OPEN MINDED perspective. I’ve certainly a person who believes what he SEES instead of what he reads, hears or sometimes even thinks. This movie is one of the BEST films I’ve seen in the past year. Duke manages to combine a thriller, mystery, comedy, educational film and tragedy in one single forum and he pulls it off without a hitch. No matter what background you come from, you owe it to yourself to see this movie (available on DVD May 13)
The movie is about a seemingly perfect young black family that has just relocated to Philly from Atlanta. The husband is reluctant about the move for fear that several secrets from his past will catch up to him but the increase in pay and the promotion itself outweigh the negative possibles. A former female interest Monica Wilson, played by Paula Jai Parker, is in a marriage of convenience to a gay man who is unable to have a relationship with her. In her frustration she reaches into her past and invites her married ex boyfriend and now business colleague Dutch Maas, played by Razaaq Adotito, an opportunity to move to Philly for a job that she has orchestrated with selfish intent. Dutch agrees to make the move and his greatest fear becomes reality as his past quickly catches up to him and the story unravels. His wife Valerie Moss, convincingly played by Aunjanue Ellis is a hardworking, faith driven woman who feels totally out of place without a church and her mission is to find one as soon as they arrive in Philly. Her focus is on her daughter, her marriage and being the perfect wife . She has put her own career as a photographer on hold to support her husband ‘s psychiatric practice. Her often suspicious and wise best friend Zahara Milton, played by Vivica Foxx greatly assists Valarie during the entire ordeal.
Ironically, the HIV issue is a big but very small part of the overall concept of the movie. The movie tackles the black church’s often egg-before-the-chicken belief system as well as the black community’s reluctance to take responsibility for our own shortcomings. I would love to hear what you think of this movie..
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