Something New is a great film! You heard me! That’s right - I said it! The GB LOVED the co called chick flick, which came out on DVD this month. Yes, Blair Underwood and Simon Baker are (mighty) pleasant on the eye, but the films exploration of a taboo subject was really moving (even with its corny parts). The film is perceptive, honest and smart where it counts. And ow many films are there that come from a Black woman’s perspective? Not many. How many of them deal with inter racial relationships honestly, apart from Spike Lee's Jungle Fever? Don’t even try to tell me about ‘Guess Who?’ Starring Ashton Kutcher…
Something New is about an African American business-woman, Kenya McQueen (played by Sanaa Lathan) who is looking for her Ideal Black Man (played by the one and only Blair Underwood). The thing is, she ends up falling fo a (whisper...) White Man (played by Simon Baker).
The issue of inter-racial relationships, especially between a black woman and a white man, is a touchy one for a lot of people. Positive images of black people at work, play or in love are rarely seen in the world’s media. And this, along with the fact that there has never been an honest public discussion on the legacy of racism, slavery or colonialism means that the issue of inter-racial dating is divisive. People who date or marry someone outside of their race are more often than not judged as somehow rejecting themselves, rather than accepting love. But, as Alfre Woodard, who stars in the film points out, black women in mixed relationships are often conflicted and hypersensitive to the judgments of wider society. Its not surprising, then, that some people claim that Something New advocates rejecting the brotha, no matter how perfect he is (the Ideal Black Man), for ‘The White Guy’ who plants flowers for a living.
But that isn’t what the film does – and The GB wouldn’t be raving about the film if it did. The film advocates taking a chance at real happiness and love by opening up, or ‘Letting Go and Letting Flow’, as Kenya and her girls (all rich, attractive, professional women, looking for their Ideal Black Man) say. And letting go isn’t chasing the hot, white dude for the sake of it – for a different flavor. ‘Letting Go and Letting Flow’ is allowing yourself to follow where your heart takes you, no matter how much that might scare you, rather than follow some socially prescribed list to make others happy. Kenya’s friend, Cheryl, who is a judge (played by Wendy R Robinson), ‘Lets go…’ and finds happiness with not an Ideal Professional Man, but with a cook, Walter (played by Mike Epps). Kenya’s heart takes her to a more controversial place – outside of her race.
Something New intelligently explores the difficulties and responsibilities that come with being in an inter-racial relationship. From learning to accept that that the person you love doesn’t LOOK like the KIND of person you had in mind, to dealing with the times when you just don’t get each others cultural code or historical perspective. Brian has no idea about the Black Tax; black people working twice as hard to prove themselves, and the couple clash after Brian says he needs a ‘night off’ from talking about race, just when Kenya, who was smarting from ill treatment at the hand of an ignorant client, needs a shoulder to cry on. Kenya voices her frustration at his attitude, by pointing out that when you are black, you cant get a night off from talking about race, because you are always having to protect yourself from members of the old (white) boys club have a problem with your skin color.
In the end, the film’s message is - because of our inability to talk about race in an honest way - brave. And the message is this: Follow you heart. It may be scary, it may get ugly at times, but if you know that is where happiness lies, even if that path wasn’t in your plan, take it. And be brave enough to not worry about what others say. Life will always get in your way and mess your isht up.
What has also moved me is the response to the film. Despite the relative lack of publicity, the film did OK at the box office; it was in the top ten in its first week and made around $11 million. But this pales in light of the qualitative impact the film has had. It has given many black women license to speak out about their experiences in the dating world – and Something New has also told their side of the dating story. As one woman wrote:
‘I saw this movie twice because I saw so much of the main character in myself. It was eerie…being an African-American woman who has never dated a white man before, I can appreciate the film's focus… People just don't understand the hell a sistah will get if she dates and marries a white man--hell from her parents, from her friends/community, from his parents and family, not to mention, society in general.’
Something New has clearly struck a real chord, it would be a real shame if the rest of America continued to ignored the voices…
And read this interesting review, by Chris Utley (courtesy of 3BlackChicks Review)
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