Directed by Steve Pink
Written by Leslye Headland, Tim Kazurinsky; based on the Mamet play SEXUAL PERVESITY IN CHICAGO
Starring Kevin Hart, Michael Ealy, Regina Hill and Joy Bryant
It was a cold and snow day, and it seemed like a movie would be a good idea. I had semi-fond memories of this film back in the 80s with Demi Moore, Rob Lowe, Jim Belushi and Elizabeth Perkins. I had an even better memory of the play, which was a fairly damning look at the mating practices of a group of friends in Chicago. Naturally Mamet gave the story a nervous, angry energy.
This time the cast was African-American and the humor a little rawer than what we got from the eighties version. It is the story of two couples and the mating dance they engage in. Couple No 1 (Ealy and Bryant) are the more likable and traditional, if far less interesting, pair. Couple No 2, Hart and Hill are the sort of couple where sparks fly and so they are more fun to watch. It was nice seeing black actors helm a movie not made by Tyler Perry, and not showing them as victims or criminals. But the story was overly predictable even if the dialog was sharp. You could spot the twists and turns early on. And frankly Ealy and Bryant are not very compelling actors. Neither really succeeded in bringing their character to life for me. Recommended for a snow day or for people who really dig a romance.
Patti Abbott