Review by Doug Cooper
Stars Queen Latifah, Common, Paula Patton, James Pickens Jr, Phylicia Rashad, Pam Grier, Laz Alonso, Mehcad Brooks,
Michael Landes, Bobby Simmons Jr
Written by Michael Elliott
Certification UK PG | US PG
Runtime 111 minutes
Directed by Sanaa Hamri
Queen Latifah is certainly a charismatic presence and talented performer – it's not often that you get to see big boned women carrying Hollywood romantic trifles – but in this mild effort she doesn't get a chance to really stretch herself. It's an easy role in an easy movie, agreeable enough but no great shakes.
She plays caring hospital therapist Lesley Wright, the number one fan of a top New York basketball team. One night she meets NBA star player Scott (Common) and is completely smitten with him. Unfortunately, her best friend, gorgeous but shallow Morgan (Patton) inveigles herself into his affections and he falls for her. Lesley is relegated to the role of best friend, especially when he is injured on the court and is unable to play for a number of months. Morgan dumps him as his fame is blighted and it's up to loyal Leslie to help him get back to full physical strength again. Naturally they fall in love and naturally Morgan comes back into the picture to complicate matters when he is well again.
It's a saccharine romance and utterly predictable, but the adept performers never embarrass themselves. Latifah and Common play off each other well – she lively and confident, he shy and unassuming. Patton makes the most of her unsympathetic supporting role. She's beautiful and imbues her character with the right amount of energy and smarts to make one never dislike her totally. It's overlong and could do with more pace, but is a perfectly serviceable time-filler.