Loving Jezebel (1999)

I'll tell you why so serious

good back-story, and good acting

An Exercise In Nonsense

A clunky actioner with a handful of cool moments.

In a normal romantic comedy Theodore would be dashing and suave trying to win the love of his soulmate from her less deserving suitor.Unfortunately he seems to find a lot of ' soulmates' in his travels.Recently there's Frances ( Parker) who has more issues then Time magazine. Not to mention the sophisticated Mona ( Holt ) who is world wise and is pretty sure that Theodore is the one for her. Pity her boyfriend and Theodores best friend doesn't agree.Finally we come to Samantha ( Holloman) off centre but filled with hope that is the perfect match for him. Unfortunately for them both there's her self centered jerk of a husband Gabe ( played with smooth smugness by Moscow) that could end that match stone cold dead.I like Theodore because he isn't going around causing havoc just to add names to a book, he isn't being the typical stud that finds love. There is something lovable about him that wins both these women and the audience over.Its different, its not about being a player but being a man looking for true love.How can you not like that.

The movie is great, especially for the clever dialogue and believable characters. It uses stereotypes in a very original manner to advance the storyline and narration. The acting and directing is first rate all the way. It is however a very sentimental story sometimes becoming almost farcical! However this does not ultimately spoil the pleasure you get in viewing this memorable film. It also includes one of the most believable inter-racial relationships yet put on the silver screen.

"Loving Jezebel" tells of the romantic misadventures of a young black New York man, Theo (Harper), who falls in love too easily and too often. With the look of a color blind, low budget indie full of fresh faces, "LJ" is a sweetly sentimental musing on love by the principal and narrator. An okay watch with a plodding pace which will grow tedious for some, "LJ" will be most appreciated by young adult romantics.

While there is some decent acting in this trite "comedy", (unfortunately not by the lead), how completely unbelievable that these charming women would fall head over heels with such a charmless character. Confessing their innermost desires, jeopardizing their relationships, talking the way only people in the movies talk... for THIS guy? Yeccch. There was not one reason for any of it. I can't stand movies like this, where the characters' only motives for their actions is "because it's in the script." Definitely another unrequited and unbelievable adolescent male fantasy that somehow found its way to film.