I would call the "hip When Harry Met Sally" description ethnocentric. Trying to compare it to another movie when the film simply had no comparison at that time is to completely misunderstand the entire film and the circumstances surrounding its release.
What I don't like is the idea that the movie is just a copy of a white movie. That couldn't be further from the truth. If I hadn't seen Love Jones and someone described it as a "When Harry Met Sally" (WHMS) deal, I would be highly disappointed once I saw the film. It's nowhere near the same thing. WHMS is a romantic comedy. "Love Jones" is a drama. Even the characters are completely different people and not just in ethnicity.
I don't think we should be surprised, though. When the film was first released, the critics completely panned the movie and most of them were white critics whose comments seemed to have a common thread - namely, "What's the big deal? It's just another love story." What they didn't see, however, is that it was just another love story *for them*. Our community rarely had such beautiful love stories that were evolving in a backdrop other than poverty and violence. "Love Jones" was the genesis of films concentrating on our community's love between talented, gainfully employed educated black men and women. I don't expect most white people to understand that. Thus, a critic's trite, lacking, weak description of a rich and important film.
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justinl_1
19 years ago
Yeah I have alot of trouble getting my white narrow minded attitude around the idea of a successful black male.thats exactly the way I think.pssh as a matter of fact thats the way all white males think you know us so well ..keep your iopinions to yourself A* hole
"Yeah well, the Jerk Store called, there running out of you!" - George Costanza
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reisinger_carie
19 years ago
WHAT is racist about this movie??? Are you serious? Please give concrete examples - not referring to what is on the jacket of the movie or what critics have wrote. The MOVIE itself. I am anxious to read your response.
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Warmfire
18 years ago
"Yeah I have alot of trouble getting my white narrow minded attitude around the idea of a successful black male.thats exactly the way I think.pssh as a matter of fact thats the way all white males think you know us so well ..keep your iopinions to yourself A* hole"
You might want to hone your reading comprehension skills, sweetheart. What I said you were having trouble "getting [your] white narrow minded attitude around" was that a love story of African-Americans without poverty and violence as a backdrop is what made this movie so unique and is what the white critics who panned the movie couldn't understand.
If you want people to keep their opinions to themselves, you might want to avoid public message boards or, even better, refrain from expressing your own. Especially when your post is based on a gross misunderstanding of what was clearly written in black and white.
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JAG2005
18 years ago
Justin,
"Hip" could also refer to the fact that the cast was youthful compared to Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal when Harry Met Sally was made. It may have nothing at all to do with race. That's your own interpretation. And, furthermore, if this is the most racist movie that you have ever seen, you must not watch many movies.
"smile. be happy"
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