After Oprah, I had to submit my overdue review. We all here know what this film is about. Black woman falls in love with white man. It was a sweet story that was muddled by pretentiousness and caricatures. I went in with an open mind, after reading all the reviews in IMDb.com and I must admit, much better than I had expected. Does that mean I was moved by the performances? No. Does that mean it should be nominated for Oscars? No. Does that mean it is a thought provoking film that is going to open up the floor for dialogue amongst great minds? No.<br /><br />Downside: I totally do not approve of the "proving I'm a down a** sister scene." It was pointless and too obvious. It would've probably worked much better with subtlety. But the final cut I had seen doesn't show much room for correction.<br /><br />Upside: I can tolerate the irony of Brian and Kenya meeting again in the next scene at the garden party. However, does the film benefit from irony in a closely examined issue in America like race relations? Downside: Kenya admitting that she was being rude to Brian wasn't believable for her character. She comes off as a strong headed, stuck in her ways type of girl. It comes too early in the film, showing us her in this sort of "Hooray, I survived the three ghosts of Christmas past," dramatic change.<br /><br />Upside: I did like the scene where he explains what needed to be done for her garden. For me, that's how real people talk no matter what their objectives or unconscious desires are. It's smart and it will be the only scene of subtlety from here on end in this film.<br /><br />Downside: Donald Faison's character sounds too ignorant to make me believe that he's as educated as the film wants us to believe. His "cartoonish" behavior only overshadows any sign of his supposed intellect. I not only didn't believe that he was Kenya's brother, I didn't believe that they lived on the same block or were even in the same film. He was also offensive for no reason and annoying. Didn't do much for his character. He needs to stick to "Scrubs." Donald's ignorance only echoes throughout the film with other annoying characters like Mike Epps' character. Why would he even come at Brian like that when they were double dating? Wasn't he new to the picture as well? Who gave Mike Epps' character permission to be the designated older bro of Kenya? I didn't believe it. Just more time to saturate the characters, making their efforts seem that much more irrelevant.<br /><br />Downside: Kenya's friends are these supposed success stories, but they sound like Dashieky and them on the corner. I know plenty of educated sisters and their so used to "reeling it in" that you'll never hear them talk that ignorant, talking about "having big head kidz" and all that bull. They were talking crazy in the back office of a synagogue during a Jewish wedding, very loud and "ghetto." I didn't believe it for a single second.<br /><br />Oh, it gets better.<br /><br />Downside: Now let's all agree that Blair Underwood's character came off as the supposed "I.B.M." Educated, handsome, successful, whatever, right? Kenya had even expressed to the people close to her how great he was. Then why would the writer and director allow his character to totally go left only to make the crisis that much more easier for Kenya? Why would they bring down the value of the telling by making him become that superficial, weirdo that we all love to dislike? Doesn't that make the right choice blatantly obvious for Kenya? It was an easy way out and it wasn't even believable. It would've worked better if Blair Underwood were still a great guy until the end, exemplifying the patience, sincerity and charming qualities that made Brian the winner, and then some. It would've worked better if Blair Underwood's character were beyond competition for Brian, allowing Kenya to make the hard choice to follow her heart, regardless of how she would make "white" look "right." Those are the best love stories, when a man or woman has to choose between two great people, leaving them no choice but to follow their hearts. Wouldn't that had made a bigger statement? And why did Kenya feel the need to bring Brian back to the cotillion in that Mexican suit? Could both the writer and director have made us see how much Kenya accepts Brian for who he is no matter what her friends and family say in a different, more profound way? It killed the film. Now she has something to prove. Pity. And she's using poor Brian to prove it.<br /><br />Memo to the writer and director: "back to the drawing board with this one." Memo to Oprah: "you need to stick to talking about nothing rather than what films are good. Let's not forget Beloved the countless other films you had put your stamp of approval on; White Chicks, Diary of a Mad Black Woman, Madea's Family Reunion, Crash and many, many more."