'3BlackChicks Review...'
DISAPPEARING ACTS (2000) unrated (for cable); running time 115 minutes Genre: Romantic Drama Seen at: Detroit's Masonic Temple (Detroit, Michigan premiere) Official site: http://www.hbo.com/disappearing/ IMDB site: http://us.imdb.com/Details?0243220 Written by: Lisa Jones (Based on the novel by Terry McMillan) Directed by: Gina Prince-Bythewood Music by: Meshell Ndegeo'cello with Cato Cast: Wesley Snipes, Sanaa Lathan, Regina Hall, Lisa Arrindell Anderson, John Amos, Clark Johnson, Michael Imperioli, Kamaal "Q-Tip" Fareed, CCH Pounder, John Beasley, Aunjanue Ellis (Pam) Home Box Office Premiere Saturday December 9, 2000, 9pm Eastern
Review Copyright Rose Cooper, 2000 Review URL: http://www.3blackchicks.com/bamsdisappearing.html
The name "Terry McMillan" on a book cover, seems to strike fear in the hearts of [SOME] Black men; one glance, and [SOME] guys automatically decide that the book will be filled with Black feminazi-ism at its worse. A deserved reputation? Maybe; her WAITING TO EXHALE novel (and its film adaptation) certainly did little to dissuade [SOME] of My Brothers' belief that she's Out To Get Them. By all rights then, DISAPPEARING ACTS, one of McMillan's earlier works - and this film adaptation of it - might also be seen as more of the same bashing. Not by me, though; at least, not the film. If anything, I saw the film as a celebration of the struggles, and triumphs, people in love go through every single day.
Which is to say, don't believe the hype, fellas; Ms. McMillan doesn't have it in for alla y'all. Just the triflin' ones...
The Story (WARNING: **spoilers contained below**): Zora Banks (Sanaa Lathan) is a struggling singer-songwriter looking for her big break. Franklin Swift (Wesley Snipes) is a construction worker also struggling - just to keep a gig in the sometimey construction business. Zora and Franklin have big dreams: she, of quitting her job as a music teacher and recording her songs; he, of renovating Brooklyn brownstone buildings in his own contracting business. They cross paths when Zora moves into a brownstone Franklin is helping rebuild - and their lives will never be the same.
Both Zora and Franklin have Issues in their lives that they don't fully disclose, that threaten their burgeoning relationship when those issues come to the light. Zora is used to some of the finer things in life; Franklin's a down home guy doing the best he can to get by. Neither of them were looking for love: but as it tends to, love found them. But is love enough to keep two such different people together?
The Upshot: I liked McMillan's book well enough when I first read it years ago (back before anybody ever told me she was a "man-hater"); but there's something about the film adaptation of it that raises it to another level. Was it the electrifying chemistry that stars Sanaa Lathan and Wesley Snipes had as lovers Zora and Franklin? Was it director Gina Prince's magical touch behind the camera? Was it screenwriter Lisa Jones' softening of McMillan's original harsher tone? Was it the beautiful musical score and soundtrack?
Yep; you betcha. It was all that. And a tasty bag 'a chips.
I was skeptical about the romantic pairing of Snipes and Lathan, but they pulled it off beautifully. In fact, their coupling overshadowed much of the rest of the story, to the point where the co-stars all seemed to be an afterthought. With a lesser cast, this might not have been as big a deal; but when you have talent like CCH Pounder (as Franklin's mother), John Amos (as Franklin's father), John Beasley (as Zora's father), and Clark Johnson (Franklin's friend Jimmy) going to waste, it lessens the experience somewhat. As Zora's bougie girlfriends and her would-be music producer, Regina Hall (Portia), Lisa Arrindell Anderson (Claudette) and Q-Tip (Reg) got a good bit of screen time, but I would've gladly reduced their time to see more of Franklin's interactions with his friend Jimmy, their relationship with her father and his mother and father, his sometimey boss Vinny (Michael Imperioli), his "Issues" from his past, and his implied problems with some his White co-workers. In other words, it would've been good to see more of those outside life forces driving Zora and Franklin in their everyday lives.
Still, for each moment of my missing the potential of a supporting cast member, Snipes and Lathan made up for it, and then some. Theirs was a very credible, and evenhandedly-told, love story portrayed in all its hills and valleys. My assessment of Franklin (the movie version, if not the book) differs with 3BC Guest Star Apryl Voner - my companion for the Detroit premiere - in her review of DISAPPEARING ACTS. But for one or two scenes, I felt that Snipes, with the help of the director and writer, flavored Franklin with something more than the bland "No Good Man" spice - for which I applaud them all. Lathan's lip-synching was off - hopefully, she won't play a singer in the future - but given the interplay between Lathan and Snipes, her missed attempts in this aspect were easy enough to ignore.
Due to Prince's unique director's eye (her black and white stills were a brilliant move), Jones' understanding of the heart and soul of McMillan's written word, and especially Snipes' and Lathan's steamy love scenes - in *and* out of bed - DISAPPEARING ACTS is a movie that, even moreso than HBO's production of INTRODUCING DOROTHY DANDRIDGE, could've easily been released as a feature film. But I ain't mad at HBO; I'm just glad I'm a subscriber.
The Interview: I had an unexpected chance to interview Sanaa Lathan before the premiere; and though I wound up asking her only a couple, fairly lame, questions, Lathan graciously responded, abating some of my nervousness. When asked how she sees herself in the brave new world of Black actors finally getting some meaningful roles in mainstream Hollywood films, Lathan said she hopes to maintain her integrity, and get the kinds of roles she is capable of doing great things with.
If Lathan keeps going down the same trail she blazed with films like THE BEST MAN, LOVE AND BASKETBALL, and DISAPPEARING ACTS, she'll do just fine.
The "Black Factor" [ObDisclaimer: We Are Not A Monolith]: [Watch Bammer get her Eviction Notice from the 'hood...]
Ok, put the kiddies to bed; I need to talk to the Grown Folks. *My* Grown Folks.
My People, My People...can I be for real tho'? Too bad, I'm gonna: We need to stop clownin' in the theater. Yes, I *did* say that. And I'll do it again: We need to quit.
I was too through with the premiere audience's chatter, with their laughter at inappropriate times (the girl was *sick*; since when is that funny?) and with all the childish, loud giggling during Franklin and Zora's sex scenes. Fine, We don't know what head is all about - or so the myth goes. But dag, was it necessary to drown out relevant dialogue with all the tittering whenever Wesley's bootie showed on screen? Yes, it *was* fine...but get over it already, okay? Can We *pretend* that We've been out before? I'm just glad I get HBO, and can watch this show tonight in the comfort of my own bed.
Hey, if it gets my Ghetto Pass revoked, so be it. Y'all know I ain't lyin'.
Bammer's Bottom Line: If you have access to HBO [and no, that *doesn't* include hot-wiring cable in just so you can get this flick. Ya Heard.], by all means, catch DISAPPEARING ACTS as it premieres Saturday December 9 at 9pm Eastern. "Acts" is must see-TV: Wesley Snipes and Sanaa Lathan positively SIZZLE on the screen, Gina Prince's direction is top-notch, and screenwriter Lisa Jones does a good job of toning down Terry McMillan's perceived bent towards men-bashing.
DISAPPEARING ACTS (rating: greenlight): Here's to more of these types of mature, realistic, sensuous slice-of-life movies starring Black actors, coming to screens big and small.
[Catch the premiere of the HBO original film DISAPPEARING ACTS on Saturday December 9, 2000, 9pm Eastern, with additional air dates on December 12, 17, 20, 25, and 28].
Rose "Bams" Cooper Webchick and Editor, 3BlackChicks Review Movie Reviews With Flava! Copyright Rose Cooper, 2000 EMAIL: bams@3blackchicks.com http://www.3blackchicks.com/
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