Brown Sugar (2002)

"Sweet. The pun is unavoidable. It's the only adjective that fully captures the flavor of the romantic comedy Brown Sugar.  Carrie Rickey, Philadelphia Inquirer
"...slick and sexy with a hip-hop beat!  Earl Dittman, Wireless Magazines
"Smart and consistently funny, with sharp performances.  J.R. Jones, Chicago Reader
"A good cast, terrific soundtrack, and genial spirit all help the film go down smoothly.  Nathan Rabin, The Onion A.V. Club
"Fresh, fast and right on righteous.  Northwest Cable News

Editor's Note Rick Famuyiwa breathes a refreshing burst of air into the romantic comedy genre with BROWN SUGAR, a film that is as much a tribute to hip-hop as it is a celebration of friendship and love. Dre (Taye Diggs) and Sidney (Sanaa Lathan), best friends since elementary school, have been in love with rap music since they can remember. It has even carried through into their adult lives. Dre is making a successful living as a record executive, while Sidney has just taken over as editor-in-chief at one of the hip-hop community's most popular magazines. Somehow, romance has never been an issue between the two, until they both find new loves of their own--for Dre, it's the beautiful Reese (Nicole Ari Parker), for Sidney, it's basketball star Kelby (Boris Kodjoe). Disillusioned with the lackluster music that his label continually puts out, Dre decides to branch out on his own. Sidney gives him a loan to support his bold new venture, but it is this unflinching support that eventually begins to grate on Reese and Kelby, forcing Dre and Sidney to confront their true feelings. Famuyiwa's crowd-pleasing film is boosted by Mos Def and Queen Latifah's hysterical supporting performances.

	Method Man
	Mos Def
	Sanaa Lathan
	Boris Kodjoe
	Nicole Ari Parker
	Taye Diggs
	Queen Latifah
	Enrique Chediak - Director of Photography
	Michael Elliott - Screenwriter
	Robert Hurst - Music
	Earvin "Magic" Johnson - Executive Producer
	Darryle Johnson - Costume Designer
	Dana Dane - Cameo
	De La Soul - Featured
	Slick Rick - Cameo
	Rick Famuyiwa - Screenwriter
	Kool G. Rap - Cameo
	Tariq Trotter - Featured
	Peter Heller - Producer
	Kool G. Rap - Featured
	Doug E. Fresh - Cameo
	Russell Simmons - Cameo
	Method Man - Featured
	Rick Famuyiwa - Director

Box Office
"...[A] surprisingly thoughtful and well-handled romance..." 10/01/2002 p.58

New York Times
"...[The film] sustains the charm of an early 60's New York romance..." 10/11/2002 p.E26

Los Angeles Times
"...A sly and sophisticated romantic comedy with a depth of characterization matched by its appreciation of the world of hip-hop..." 10/11/2002 p.C6

Variety
"...Sufficiently smooth, sexy and tuneful....Parker and Kodjoe sizzle..." 10/07/2002 p.23-4

Chicago Sun-Times
"...A romantic comedy, yes, but one with characters who think and talk about their goals, and are working hard on decisions....It's observant..." 10/11/2002 p.35

Entertainment Weekly
"...A film whose tough choices and bittersweet ending keep it real..." 02/14/2003 p.61

ReelViews 8 of 10
Those looking for a concise description of Brown Sugar could refer to it as the "African American When Harry Met Sally." After all, it is a romantic comedy that asks the popular movie question of whether a man and woman can be platonic friends without sex becoming an issue. Predictably, as was the case in the Billy Crystal/Meg Ryan pairing, the answer is no, but Rick Famuyiwa's feature deals with its subject matter in a tasteful, intelligent manner, rather than forcing us to endure every plot contrivance that the cliche-riddled genre can offer...The backdrop of Brown Sugar is the world of hip-hop music, and rapper Mos Def has a role as an artist that Dre decides to back. The soundtrack is loaded with hip-hop numbers, and will prove to be a "must have" for fans...Lead actors Taye Diggs and Sanaa Lathan generate enough chemistry to ignite a few sparks. The two previously appeared together in The Best Man and The Wood (also directed by Famuyiwa). In Brown Sugar, they have no difficulty convincing the audience of their love for hip-hop and for each other, even though they consistently delude themselves about any feelings pertaining to the latter. The supporting cast is solid, with Queen Latifah stealing her share of scenes as Sidney's cousin and confidante...Despite having an all-black cast, Brown Sugar is essentially color-blind. Or, to put it another way, the film's intrinsic appeal is not confined to African American audiences. There are undoubtedly some who will complain that Brown Sugar's screenplay has been homogenized for mass-market consumption, but it doesn't seem to me that there's anything wrong with making a movie that can attract both black and white viewers. And, if you want edgy, looking to a romantic comedy to provide it is ill-advised. Brown Sugar is undemanding fun capable of providing two hours of entertainment for anyone who enjoys a smart story with plenty of romantic tension. - James Berardinelli

Chicago Sun-Times 8 of 10
She is the editor of an important music magazine. He produces hip-hop for a major label. They've been best friends since childhood, but never more than that, although they came close a few times. Now, as both approach 30, Dre (Taye Diggs) feels his career has lost its way. And Sidney (Sanaa Lathan) is working so hard she doesn't have time for romance..."Brown Sugar," which charts romantic passages in these lives, is a romantic comedy, yes, but one with characters who think and talk about their goals, and are working on hard decisions. For both Sidney and Dre, hip-hop music symbolizes a kind of perfect adolescent innocence, a purity they're trying to return to as more cynical adults..."Brown Sugar," advertised as a hip-hop comedy, is more like a slice of black professional life (there's not even an entire hip-hop song in the whole movie). Directed and co-written by Rick Famuyiwa, the movie returns to a world similar to his "The Wood" (1999), but the characters are deeper and more complex...Consider Reese, the Nicole Ari Parker character. In a less thoughtful movie, she'd be the shallow, bitchy life-wrecker. Here, she is blameless and basically reasonable: mad at Dre for quitting his job without talking it over with her, jealous of Sidney because she (correctly) suspects Sidney and Dre have always been in love but lied to themselves about it...There's a scene in "Brown Sugar" I never thought I'd see in a movie, where after Reese and Dre have a "final" fight, and in a more conventional film she would disappear forever from the screenplay, but here she returns to suggest counseling and says they need to work harder at their marriage. How many movie romances are that thoughtful about their characters? "Brown Sugar" may be pitching itself to the wrong audience. The ads promise: "The Rhythm ... the Beat ... the Love ... and You Don't Stop!" But it's not a musical and although it's sometimes a comedy, it's observant about its people. - Roger Ebert