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Something New
A high-flying black professional finally finds the man of her dreams, only for her family to disapprove because he’s a white guy.
Director: Sanaa Hamri
Overview
Kenya McQueen (Sana Lathan) is a highly successful professional with no time for romance, but who’s keenly aware the clock is ticking. When she does meet a man who bowls her over, landscape gardener Brian (Simon Baker), there’s only one problem – he’s a white guy, which arouses the disapproval of her entire family and friends.
Being one of the few romantic comedies to tackle inter-racial relationships, Something New received warm acclaim from some of America’s top critics including Manohla Dargis and Roger Ebert (who declared himself “unexpectedly moved”), despite never really puncturing public consciousness in the UK. More’s the shame as, if it may not be as innovative as its title suggests, there’s much to admire in this pleasingly effective romantic comedy. With sparkling performances from Lathan and Baker (the Australian actor best known for Land of the Dead, playing a Brit here), Something New is also heightened by a smooth score from onetime Prince cohorts Wendy and Lisa.
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