Something old ... and Something New and different
At the core, this movie is not about interracial romance. It is the classic movie about love that transcends societal boundaries. Had the main characters been of the same ethnicity, this movie would be some variation of "Pride and Prejudice," "Pretty in Pink," "Two Weeks Notice" or the many similar movies in existence.
But there were three key elements of the movie that set "Something New" apart from other movies of this sort:
(1) The protagonist, Kenya, is not a part of the "underdog class." In other movies, the protagonist develops an "outside looking in" view of the relationship. Brian, the male lead of "New" becomes a part of Kenya's world and, while his position is not ignored, the focus is on Kenya's experience. With this new perspective (pun almost unintended), the audience develops a better understanding of the protagonist's inner conflict instead of forging sympathy through a series of events.
(2) The movie sought to explain why/how the societal boundaries presented a problem with the relationship. In most other movies, the audience does not get a clear view - other than the protagonist's insecurities - why the boundaries are a problem. "New" did an admirable job of presenting both the external and internal obstacles to Kenya and Brian's relationship.
(3) The movie tackled the still-taboo issue of a white male/black woman **romantic** relationship. And it was very well done. The primary objective was to tell a story, not make some global political statement. There are many that may argue the opposite and claim that there are many outdated or unrealistic events throughout the movie. But the truth is that, even in the 21st century, the story was frighteningly representative. My only complaint was that, unlike most romantic comedies, external disapproval was one sided. In reality, disapproval comes from both sides of the societal line. A 1-2 minute scene could have made this point without slowing down the flow of the movie.
As a Romantic Comedy enthusiast, I can say that "Something New" is definitely among the best written Romantic Comedies to date. In fact, I believe that the movie as a whole is at least as good as my personal favorite "Love Actually." My hope is that people will view this movie for what it is - a Romantic Comedy - instead of another "urban" movie centered on interracial dating.
But there were three key elements of the movie that set "Something New" apart from other movies of this sort:
(1) The protagonist, Kenya, is not a part of the "underdog class." In other movies, the protagonist develops an "outside looking in" view of the relationship. Brian, the male lead of "New" becomes a part of Kenya's world and, while his position is not ignored, the focus is on Kenya's experience. With this new perspective (pun almost unintended), the audience develops a better understanding of the protagonist's inner conflict instead of forging sympathy through a series of events.
(2) The movie sought to explain why/how the societal boundaries presented a problem with the relationship. In most other movies, the audience does not get a clear view - other than the protagonist's insecurities - why the boundaries are a problem. "New" did an admirable job of presenting both the external and internal obstacles to Kenya and Brian's relationship.
(3) The movie tackled the still-taboo issue of a white male/black woman **romantic** relationship. And it was very well done. The primary objective was to tell a story, not make some global political statement. There are many that may argue the opposite and claim that there are many outdated or unrealistic events throughout the movie. But the truth is that, even in the 21st century, the story was frighteningly representative. My only complaint was that, unlike most romantic comedies, external disapproval was one sided. In reality, disapproval comes from both sides of the societal line. A 1-2 minute scene could have made this point without slowing down the flow of the movie.
As a Romantic Comedy enthusiast, I can say that "Something New" is definitely among the best written Romantic Comedies to date. In fact, I believe that the movie as a whole is at least as good as my personal favorite "Love Actually." My hope is that people will view this movie for what it is - a Romantic Comedy - instead of another "urban" movie centered on interracial dating.
- DevastatngDiva
- Feb 4, 2006