Just Wright (2010)

Starring Queen Latifah, Common, and Paula Patton
Directed by Sanaa Hamri

by Tim Rousseau
Guest Blogger

I don't want to spoil my review, but I bring you the never-gonna-be-classic, JUST WRIGHT.

Queen Latifah plays Leslie Wright, a physical therapist who lives in New Jersey with her gold digger god-sister and kooky parents next door. She likes sports, is funny, gets along really well with guys and never gets to second base. This is because she likes sports, is funny and gets along really well with guys. In other words, she’s the “girl buddy” which I never realized was a thing until Queen Latifah starting making films. Wait a second, just WRIGHT? Leslie WRIGHT? Oh...that’s where it comes from! Wow...

At any rate, Leslie has tickets to the Nets game and decides to take her promiscuous god-sister with her so she can stare down every man wearing high tops in the arena. During the game we are introduced to hot shot basketballer Scott McKnight played with all the personality of a guy who makes his money doing something else,played by Common. After the game the two fortuitously meet at a gas pump, they exchange a few similar interests and she ends up invited to his birthday party. Obviously the god-sister shows up with her and proceeds to “do her.” Fast forward, they’re engaged and he’s leading the East at the All-Star game and everything seems fine.

Something has to happen, Wright? I mean, right? Could it be a knee injury? It is a knee injury, I don’t know where that line of questioning was supposed to take me. Santa Monica perhaps. It never rains on the Pacific Coast Highway. Back to the movie, so he’s hurt, may never play the game professionally again. Anyone think the god-sister is gonna stay? Wrong. She’s out because she’s a bobblehead and he’s left twisting in the wind. If only he knew someone who was involved in Physical Therapy who has the good heart and the skill to mend him emotionally and physically while becoming transformed in her own way? Someone, JUST WRIGHT? Seemless writing here, folks. The story picks up from there and it actually is pretty decent. Good pacing, believable transitions. I enjoyed the themes of what makes the core of love. What’s broken can be fixed, belief in one self and in one another requires trust and the things that we share with each other can keep us immortal, if only in our minds.

Common wasn’t very good in it. Let’s hope this music thing he’s doing on the side works out. Fingers crossed.

FORCE THE BOYFRIEND:  4 out of 10 (Hey, he might like basketball)

Beer Pairing Recommendation

This is what I had while watching the movie. It had light citrus notes tickled my
palette while burning away all hints of pretention.

 For more on the chick flick, visit IMDB
For more on the brew, click here