Something New (2006)

People are voting emotionally.

This film is so real. It treats its characters with so much care and sensitivity.

While it is a pity that the story wasn't told with more visual finesse, this is trivial compared to our real-world problems. It takes a good movie to put that into perspective.

The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;

As an African American male who has seen the growing divide amongst African American men and women, I was a bit hesitant to watch this film. However, I have to say that I enjoyed the majority of the content and can relate to certain aspects.Surprisingly I found myself relating to the female protagonist due to my experiences in corporate America and surprisingly to none other than the White male love interest.There was some questionable content. Several scenes bothered me. The Starbucks scene projected a negative image of middle class Black culture. Watch it again. It just speaks buffoonery and dysfunction.The delivery and presentation of Black men was performed with bad taste. Mike Epps character and Kenya's brother, although employed appeared to be immature and inarticulate fools.Although Kenya's brother was a lawyer, he could not stop lying and keep a single female. In addition, he had a car, although a gift was a present from his parents. Epps seduced Kenya's friend with tired recited lines.Blair Underwood's character, was the ideal Black man, who could not deliver the one thing that was missing from Kenya's life… direction and purpose.I have a question. Why couldn't the White character in this film have been a Black man instead? In fact, I felt like this character. As an individual who left corporate America and started his own successful company, I feel as though corporate America is one of the main reasons why there is so much division amongst African Americans. From the moment we are teenagers, we're focusing on college, then our careers.The problem that African American men and women have had is that we both have to work harder just to be accepted into the work force. We sacrifice so much to obtain a certain status or position and before we know it, we're pushing 30, wondering what happened.There are many male Kenyas. I was one of them. I can honestly tell you something, I never really started listening to Black women until I left corporate America.My career was my life and it distorted my view of reality. This is a problem with Kenya in this film. She is driven and lives so that she can work instead of working in order to live.Something else that I found to be interesting was the changes that Kenya made when with the White guy. He took her hiking and then she removed her weave. During that scene, there was a song playing, with the lyrics "What you do to me!" Who did what? Did Black men make Black women put weaves in their hair? We're partly to blame. So many brothers have chased after White women that sisters have found themselves changing their features to appeal to us. In addition, the media in this country has manipulated our sisters for too long. How can you feel good about yourself when every image you see on the way to work is of fair skinned women with features that you do not have? The only thing that Kenya and her IBM could relate to was problems about being Black. The IBM was lame. The only thing that he could do with her was take her to play golf and that is him imitating a White man. Brothers should take notes.We're all being assimilated. Instead of being African Americans, we've become a nation of dark skinned White folks.Our inception into this country is unique. No one is suggesting that we stay angry, but this movie is divisive.Brothers dating White men is nothing new. For years, too many of us have had trophies and it had a rippled effect.This movie sends the wrong message. I'm not suggesting that beautiful women stay sad and oppressed. It suggest that a White man is going to take you somewhere that a Black man can't.This is wrong.Although this is a film, it has become gospel for some Black women. The negative imagery in this film along with Tyler Perry's films have assisted in destroying the image of Black men in this country.I have a question for all sisters. Put yourself in Kenya's shoes. Perhaps you're not as accomplished in your career, but find yourself relating to Kenya. You have a nice job, apartment and find yourself single.Okay. What about the Black men who don't have corporate jobs or perhaps don't have a career with the same stature or prestige. Would you date a Black landscape artist? What about a bus driver? Some of the dialog in this film seemed so contrived and it seemed as though the writer was trying to make every excuse for Black women too date White men. The father's bathroom speech and Michael Epps speech about color not being relevant were ridiculous. No Black man in this country will tell you that color isn't relevant. This is dialog from a Black woman who isn't dealing with the reality that is still this country.This country's current structure was founded on racism, don't think that this will ever change.Why is it that a White man can only deliver SOMETHING NEW?

I saw this movie on cable because I like Sanaa Lathan and I think she's a really good actress. I also Like Simon Baker. I thought he was great in The Guardian and The Mentalist. But this movie was a dumb poorly done story. The characters were stereotypical. The single love seeking Black Women who can't find any decent Black men (tired of that, I have one), the fun-loving, liberal, color-blind white guy (don't know any of those) and the outraged Black parents (please!). 'm just as liberal as everyone else but I just didn't believe any of this. I saw Guess Who's Coming To Dinner (the original) and we all loved it not because of its subject but because it was the first time that a Black man was portrayed as something other than a thug or drug dealer (beside Shaft). In fact most Black women hated the content of the movie but praised Poitier for his performance. And let's face it what self respecting Black woman would choose Simon Baker over Blair Underwood- not me!

I have to agree with a previous post. This movie was better than probably 99% of all romantic comedies. It had depth, gave you something to think about and left you with that feel-good feeling. I am a married white woman. I have seen this movie so many times I can't count them. I taped it, rented it, and bought it. It is a refreshing look at two people who are in love. I think it is better than Guess Who's Coming To Dinner because it just seems more honest and real.I've been seeing a lot of Blair Underwood lately, which is great. I wish there were more movies out there with Sanaa Lathan and Simon Baker. They make a terrific couple. I can't see Matthew McConaughey doing nearly as well.I too liked the soundtrack. I didn't know Jill Scott, but now I have one of her CDs. I also am sorry this movie didn't get the proper publicity. I can't understand why. Are they asleep over there in Hollywoodland. They spend so much money on those slash and dash movies. This one deserves more. They are showing it a lot on HBO. Maybe someone of the "powers that be" woke up.

Well I loved the movie, I liked Simon Baker in it a lot. He made the movie worth watching. Kudos to the casting people. Of course it is a romantic comedy and the outcome is predictable.But, as for me, a European, I think it's pretty normal to date someone from a different race. Love is colorblind anyway, I personally would not have gone for that boring girl, she was way too conservative and not that cute. She reminded me of a reborn Christian I was dating some time ago.But I was more than a bit surprised to see that it's such a big thing in the States, to date someone from a different race. I thought you guys were over that long ago.