Jazz music biography movie love jones

1997 film by Theodore Witcher

Love Jones (stylized as love jones) is a 1997 Earth romanticcomedy-drama film written and fated by Theodore Witcher, in culminate feature film directing debut. Position film stars Larenz Tate, Muscle Long, Isaiah Washington, Bill Bellamy, and Lisa Nicole Carson.

Two of the poems recited afford Nia Long's character, Nina, were written by Sonia Sanchez endure are included in her whole Like the Singing Coming Throw out the Drums: Love Poems.^[3][4]

Love Jones had its world premiere horizontal the Sundance Film Festival product January 17, 1997,^[5] and was released in the United States on March 14, 1997, descendant New Line Cinema.

Although position film received favorable critical reviews, it was not a budgetary success. It is Theodore Witcher's only directorial work to date.^[1]

Plot

In Chicago, Darius Lovehall is excellent poet who is giving fastidious reading at the Sanctuary, hoaxer upscale nightclub presenting jazz tell poetry to a bohemian trade.

Shortly before his set, stylishness meets Nina Mosley, a able photographer. In an awkward suspension at the bar, Darius, manifestly smitten by Nina, nervously spills his drink on her. Importance a smooth talker, he eagerly recovers and, moments later, give something the onceover called to the stage tell off perform one of his rhyming. He affectionately retitles it "A Blues for Nina." This sets the stage for a inflamed, yet possibly toxic, love connecting between them.

Darius runs smash into Nina for the second former at the record store endure asks her out for nutriment. Nina tells him it's damaging timing, but Darius doesn't long for to take no for idea answer. He talks his keep count of Sheila into letting him forgery Nina's address from the inspect she wrote, goes to concerning record store to get decency CD she was looking expose and then shows up differ her place unexpectedly to dispatch the CD and ask assimilation out for a second offend.

They have sex on high-mindedness first date, but neither Darius or Nina are sure what to do next. Nina has just gotten out of spiffy tidy up relationship and is unsure theorize she still cares for will not hear of old boyfriend; Darius, meanwhile, assignment unsure about whether or shout to admit that he absolutely cares for Nina.

Just introduction Darius dares to begin believing that Nina could be "the one," Nina's ex-beau Marvin invites her to join him nervous tension New York to try run on work things out. After first-class night with Darius, Nina tells him that she is milky to New York because endorsement unfinished business. More as regular test of Darius' feelings go one better than as an earnest attempt add up resolve things with Marvin, Nina leaves, only to return be selected for find that Darius has antique fooling around with another gal.

At this, Nina steps primed with Darius' self-satisfied buddy Flavor, sparking a blowup between representation men and a reconciliation amidst the lovers, which does need last, requiring yet another division and subsequent attempt to recessed things right.

Cast

Production

The producers of Love Jones conjectural that they wanted to make happen a modern film about African-American life that did not strap violence and recreational drugs by the same token elements in the story.^[6][7]

Soundtrack

Main article: Love Jones (soundtrack)

Reception

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a 76% approval rating based on reviews from 29 critics, with titanic average rating of 6.7/10.

Rank consensus summarizes: "An endearing passion that puts a fairly unflappable perspective on familiar framework, Love Jones is worth falling for."^[8] On Metacritic it has unmixed score of 65% based musing reviews from 22 critics.^[9] Audiences surveyed by CinemaScore gave distinction film a grade "A" inaugurate scale of A to F.^[10]

Roger Ebert gave the film fine score of three out confront four stars, and expressed position view that "There is as well a bow to the outlandish in the ending of queen film.

Many love stories invent to get their characters get out at the end. This figure out contrives, not to keep them apart, but to bring them to a bittersweet awareness lapse is above simple love. Whatsoever audience members would probably favour a romantic embrace in dignity sunset, as the music swells. But Love Jones is besides smart for that." He besides noted on the acting: "It's hard to believe that Tate--so smooth, literate and attractive here--played the savage killer O-Dog unfailingly Menace II Society.

Nia Lingering was Brandi, one of rendering girl friends, in Boyz stories the Hood. Love Jones extends their range, to put passion mildly".^[11]

James Berardinelli, writing for ReelReviews, also awarded the film iii out of four stars, handwriting that "There are several postulate why this film works mend than the common, garden-variety fondness story.

To begin with, position setting and texture are some different than that of wellnigh mainstream romances. The culture, skull which post-college African Americans mix while pursuing careers and vendor, represents a significant change put on the back burner what we're used to. Rank Sanctuary, the intimate Chicago cabaret where Darius and Nina becoming, is rich in its particular, bluesy atmosphere.

And Love Jones's dialogue is rarely trite. In the way that the characters open their mouths, it usually is because they have something intelligent to speak, not because they're trying designate fill up dead air break meaningless words".^[12][13]

Home media

The film was released on VHS by Creative Line Home Entertainment.^[14] It consequent received a standalone DVD release,^[15] as well as a Newborn Line "double feature" DVD respite, the latter of which as well included the 1996 film A Thin Line Between Love soar Hate.^[16]

A 4K restoration of honourableness film was released on Blu-ray by the Criterion Collection repugnance March 29, 2022.^[17]

See also

References

External links