MOVIE REVIEW: Just Wright

 Cute and Heartwarming

On Thursday, May 13th, I went to see an advance screening of "Just Wright" at the Southfield AMC. I received the tickets courtesy of Fox Searchlight Films.

The movie stars Queen Latifah as Leslie Wright, a 35 year old physical therapist who is looking for Mr. Right, but having some trouble in the dating department.  She believes in just being herself and not playing games, which means she has lots of friends of both sexes, but not lots of dates.  Her beautiful cousin Morgan (played by Paula Patton) cannot keep a J-O-B because her time is spent trying to meet and marry a basketball star so she can be the wife of a franchise player (SAD).

Leslie meets basketball star Scott McKnight (played by Common) by chance at a gas station.  Leslie discovers that Scott is a generous, down-to-earth man who just loves playing basketball.  Scott invites Leslie to his birthday party where he meets Morgan and falls hard for the scheming money-chaser. But when Scott is hurt during an important game, it looks like his career is over and also his relationship with Morgan.  But Leslie becomes his physical therapist and refuses to give up on Scott. She makes sure that he knows he is a champ on and off the court.  While Scott's body is healing, so too is his heart and he finds himself falling for Leslie and having to decide which is the (W)right woman for his future.

I am a big fan of Queen Latifah and this movie really gave her a chance to show she can carry a movie and be a leading actress.  Although Common does not have a lot of acting experience (and it shows at times in this movie) he did an overall good job holding his own among seasoned actors.  The best scenes of the movie are when all the other characters fade away and it is just Queen Latifah and Common on the screen.  They had a real chemistry between them and gave a strong convincing portrayal of a couple learning about each other and falling more in love each day that they are together.  Phylicia Rashad as Scott's mother also gave a funny and serious performance as the NBA mother that you don't want to mess with.

NBA fans will love all the cameos from their favorite players such as Dwight Howard, Dwyane Wade, and Rashard Lewis. And of course, there was tons of NBA balling action.  This movie is very cute and heart warming - a great family movie.

"Just Wright" opened in theatres nationwide Friday, May 14, 2010.

For a FREE 50 minute "Just Wright" inspired music download put together by Common, click here.