Loving Jezebel (2000)

Review from the Slamdance Film Festival!

It's easy to like "Loving Jezebel," even though it is nothing new, even if it is just a typical story. The film concerns a young man who always seems to make the wrong choices when it comes to women. Nothing new there. The fact that the male protagonist is African-American isn't new either. Not in reality, anyway. Only in the cinema.

Like any American minority relegated to the sidelines, African-Americans are still struggling to tell even their most typical stories. This film isn't so much a "were just like everybody else" film as it is a film for all audiences that just happens to have an African-American male lead. The film would work equally well with a white protagonist; It just wouldn't be unique.

What makes "Loving Jezebel" work more than anything is the lead actor. Hill Harper is a revelation as Theo. Able to play a character that goes from puberty to adulthood, Harper slowly and congenially wins his way into our hearts. We end up just loving this guy. And we want to see him succeed.

The script by Director Kwyn Bader is full of typical screenwriter's devices. Bader falls for that old adage that a film has to start with a powerful punch, so he skips ahead in time for now good reason to the climax, cuts it off before we see the turning point, and then has Harper narrate the pieces of his life as a continuing flashback. It's such a tired device. But Harper makes it work for us because his Theo is so charismatic. We forgive pretty easily.

A bevy of beautiful women, black and white, parade through Theo's life. I am going to admit something I'm terribly ashamed of. When the young African-American Theo (kindergarten age in some early flashbacks) falls for a little white girl, I felt uncomfortable. I don't think it was because I felt this was wrong or unnatural or anything like that. I think it was because I was afraid Theo was going to get hurt by this relationship. It was a scary kneejerk reaction that I'm still not sure I should try to justify. It may be some deep-seated white-skinned racism that I should work on. And it was something I don't recall ever seeing in film before. Not with such easy reality. Not something accepted as nothing unusual or different. Unapologetic. And rightly so. I'm embarrassed about my reaction. And, in this way, grateful to the film for making me experience it and attempt to come to terms with it.

To continue with the film: Suffice it to say that when Theo becomes older, these feelings, on my part anyway, disappeared. And when the interracial relationships in Theo's young adult life continue, I felt no discomfort at all. I still hoped that Theo would find happiness no matter who he falls in love with. And, finally, Bader gives Theo a remarkable little monologue about loving women, regardless of color, that is just wonderful. It's one of the finest moments of the film.

Bader's script does have sweet moments like that. And Harper makes good usage out of each and every one of them. With humor, honesty, great characters and capable filmmaking, "Loving Jezebel" becomes a film that fits well. It's a film that is easy to cheer for.

Note:

With Phylicia Rashad as Theo's mother.

Report Card

Script: B-

Acting: A+

Cinematography\Lighting: B

Special Effects\Make Up: C

Music: C-

Final Grade: B