Girls Trip

First Hit:  Some very funny scenes, a few overly gross scenes, all in a satisfying but too long film.

I don’t mind grossness in a film. However, when more than one person pisses on a crowd from a zip line and the amount of piss and the way it sprays around is totally un-real, it is a turnoff, adds no value and is not funny. This and other stupid scenes when juxtaposed against some very fine and really, out-loud, funny scenes, could keep this film from being a classic hit, years from now.

Strong friendships between four black women is the basis for this strong film as they reconnect and re-find their deep love and respect for each other. Many of us have friendships that have lasted through the years. I’ve got two friends, whom I’ve known for over 50 years. Although we may not speak with each other very often, but when we do we find the place where trust and having each other’s backs rises to the top.

This film explores all this and more because, Ryan (Regina Hall) is in a farce of a marriage, promotes her life as having it all, and subjugates herself for money, her husband’s infidelity and fame. Then there is Sasha (Queen Latifah), who is financially struggling because, her once strong communication skills are being wasted on her TMZ type website that has no viewers. She found herself in this position because Ryan quit their business partnership. Lisa (Jada Pinkett Smith) has become a protective stay at home divorced mom. The fun, strong, smart girl has been both emotionally and sexually suppressed. Dina (Tiffany Haddish) is the wild girl, the fun girl and the bold girl. She’s the one in the group that pushes the edge of experience for all of them through her boldness.

They get together in New Orleans because Ryan gets an all-expenses paid trip to promote herself and husband Stewart (Mike Colter) to a possible television production company while at a conference. Although the unraveling of their back stories’ is predictable, the humor used is, at times, sparkling and strong. One example was the demonstration of using a grapefruit in sex, very funny. All of these women were perfect and well chosen for the character they represented and it showed that they became friends during the filming.

Hall was perfectly reserved, suppressed, and wanting to live her truth of having it all. She showed the rediscovery of her true self well. Latifah was wonderful and didn’t dominate the film as she has in other films. She fit effortlessly and was perfect as the woman who had Ryan’s back no matter what. Smith’s character evolved the most during the film. The opening scenes where she acts repressed were on the edge of being pressed, but her clothing made it all work. Then as she evolves you can see how she fit into the group years ago. Haddish was like having a wild animal loose in a positive way. She brought spark, edginess and bold fun to this role. She was the spark plug. Colter was strong as Ryan’s philandering husband. His voice is so soft and smooth which he uses as an asset for convincing Ryan to buy into the hype. Erica Rivinoja and Kenya Barris wrote a wonderful story that embodied some real insights to friendship. Malcolm D. Lee did a good job of directing this film. My criticisms are that he needed to remove 30 minutes of film, it was way too long, and that the overdoing of some scenes took it from being a strong film and moved it toward being silly.

Overall:  It needed some tightening up, but otherwise it was a very funny and strong film.

The Secret Lives of Bees

First Hit: This was a very touching film. It may have been idealized, however the acting and the overall subject, of being loved, accepted, and civil rights made this a winner.

I really liked this film. I was very touched by the characters.

The premise is that a young 4 year-old girl, Lily Owens (played by Dakota Fanning), participates in a traumatic event and from that event she gets caught into an abusive life with her controlling father (played by Paul Bettany).

Lily’s mother is gone and she feels alone and unloved. One day she and her nanny, Rosaleen (played by Jennifer Hudson), are walking into town so that Rosaleen can register to vote but are stopped and beat up by some very racist men. Lily breaks Rosaleen out of the jail/hospital and heads off to Tiburon a very small country town where there is a family that makes honey.

Lily picks this town because on one of the few possessions she has of her mother, there is a picture of a black Madonna and on the back it says “Tiburon”.

The home where the honey is made is run by August (played by Queen Latifah), May (played Sophie Okonedo), and June (played by Alicia Keys). May lost her twin sister and now feels the pain of everyone else (and the world). August is in charge of making the honey and June is a musician.

This group of women takes in Lily and Rosaleen and from their love and healing everyone grows.

This was a very special story. Fanning is growing into womanhood and in this role you know she is making the transition from child actor to grown up actress in a strong and powerful way. Hudson is wonderful as a young black woman wanting to exercise her right to vote and as Fanning’s nanny and friend. Latifah is great as the head of the household and keeps the film on an even keel. Keys is strong in her role as a woman who is afraid to love and commitment. However, I was truly and deeply touched by Okonedo in her role. I totally believed her and felt with her during the film.

Overall: I cried often during this film. It was touching and never when too far in any one direction.