Jean of the Joneses

I loved this so much. I cannot believe how well the family dynamics fell in line with many of a West Indian households. Actors were great on timing, dryness, and humor. A real gem for those you get it or are open.

My wife and I came across this looking for something new to see and we were pleasantly surprised. I would describe this as a modern, slightly dark and dry humor film which combines the elements of a classic Woody Allen film as seen through the eyes of a middle to upper class African American / Jamaican / Caribbean family delivered in an style likened to that of the film, The Royal Tenenbaums (another personal favorite). You could even compare it in style to "The Meyerowitz Stories" a film "Jean" predates by a year. The film has a good script and a great flow and it never gets dull. The cinematography is wonderful, plus you get New York City as a backdrop. This kind of film might not fit everyone's style or taste, but it's definitely worth the try.

I enjoyed watching the actors. They did a fantastic job and the comedy was on point. I sent short clips to friends of funny scenes. I enjoyed the jazz music. Family secrets - they come out when people die.

This movie is centered around a dysfunctional African American family with Jamaican roots. There are some serious and comical scenes, but this movie will keep the attention of its viewers.

Taylour Paige got the advance for her first novel two years ago, but has been drifting since then. She moves in with her mother, but when the father she doesn't remember drops dead on the doorstep, she realizes that it's a downward spiral for her and her two sisters. But is this part of bottoming out, or merely a signpost on the way further down?

Stella Meghie wrote and directed this movie, and it's hard to not believe it's at least martially autobiographical. The characters are well written and performed, the setting ranges over Manhattan from Harlem down to Soho, and if the three sisters are in the grip of depression, their paralysis does not extend to their family relations. I don't find the story compelling, but the performances kept me watching.