Originally published Thursday, May 5, 2011 at 11:57 AM
Comments (0)
E-mail article
Print
Share
Movie review
'Jumping the Broom': a nice outfit with too many accessories
"Jumping the Broom," with Angela Bassett, Paul Patton, Laz Alonso and others, is a romantic comedy with much to enjoy, but it has too many subplots.
Seattle Times movie critic
'Jumping the Broom,' with Angela Bassett, Paula Patton, Laz Alonso, Loretta Devine, Tasha Smith, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Valarie Pettiford. Directed by Salim Akil, from a screenplay by Elizabeth Hunter and Arlene Gibbs. 108 minutes. Rated PG-13 for some sexual content. Several theaters.
There's an old fashioned adage that says that to avoid over-accessorizing you should always look in the mirror before leaving the house and remove one thing. "Jumping the Broom," before it left the house, should have looked in the mirror and removed one plotline, or maybe a few. This likable romantic comedy/ drama, about two socioeconomically diverse African-American families coming together for an elaborate Martha's Vineyard wedding, is wildly overaccessorized, giving virtually every character an elaborate subplot (sometimes more than one). This results in a long, lumpy middle section of the movie, before everything comes together for a sweetly romantic ending.
But there's much to enjoy here, particularly the great Angela Bassett (whose trademark glare reduces a wedding planner to dust) and Loretta Devine as dueling mothers of the bride (Paula Patton) and groom (Laz Alonso), respectively. And, in a time when too many rom-coms present an ugly version of love (yes, I'm looking at you, "Something Borrowed"), it's nice to see a movie that remembers to deliver a little romantic fantasy along the way.
Moira Macdonald: 206-464-2725 or mmacdonald@seattletimes.com
Comments (0)
E-mail article
Print
Share
News where, when and how you want it
- McNerney: Boeing will squeeze suppliers and cut jobs
- No question: Russell Wilson's in charge now
- Percy Harvin already impressing Seahawks teammates, coaches
- Amazon’s plan for giant spheres gets mixed reaction
- Sinking Mariners lose sixth straight game; changes ahead?
- Man shot by FBI had ties to Boston bombing suspect
- Is Catholic Church taking over health care in Washington? | Danny Westneat
- Ex-Great Wolf Lodge lifeguard charged with rape of guest, 14
- Turmoil surrounds program to help prostitutes
- High-level Starbucks exec heads to Kohl’s
- Is Catholic Church taking over health care in Washington? 367
- Official: Treasury played no role in IRS targeting 318
- Vote on gay Scouts comes at emotional moment 143
- Mariners head home facing key decisions as losing streak hits six 129
- McNerney: Boeing will squeeze suppliers and cut jobs 119
- Mariners veterans call team meeting after getting routed again 87
- Official bowl schedule released 79
- Mariners option Jesus Montero to AAA, all but ending catching career 77
- Mariners routed by Angels again, 7-1 76
- First shoe drops: Montero headed to Tacoma 54
- Is Catholic Church taking over health care in Washington? | Danny Westneat
- McNerney: Boeing will squeeze suppliers and cut jobs
- Amazon’s plan for giant spheres gets mixed reaction
- Catholic schools update to compete with charter schools
- Careers carved at wood-tech center
- Doctors save Ohio boy by ‘printing’ an airway tube | Close-up
- Food-video site launched by Bellevue consumer-research firm
- UW Medicine, Catholic health system to have ‘strategic affiliation’
- China’s wealthy paying cash for Eastside luxury homes
- Council panel OKs zoning for big pot-growing operations
Start the conversation >