Something New (I) (2006)

Kenya McQueen, an accountant finds love in the most unexpected place when she agrees to go on a blind date with Brian Kelly, a sexy and free-spirited landscaper.

Director:

Sanaa Hamri

Writer:

Kriss Turner

Stars:

Sanaa Lathan, Fuzzy Fantabulous, Golden Brooks

3 wins & 10 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Sanaa Lathan	...	Kenya Denise McQueen
Fuzzy Fantabulous	...	Himself (voice) (as DJ Fuzzy Fantabulous)
Katharine Towne	...	Leah Cahan
Stanley DeSantis	...	Jack Pino
K.C. Clyde	...	Waiter
Wendy Raquel Robinson	...	Cheryl
Golden Brooks	...	Suzette
Taraji P. Henson	...	Nedra
Marcus Brown	...	Rashid Mohammed
Russell Hornsby	...	Dr. Brockton
Simon Baker	...	Brian Kelly
Danny Wooten	...	Starbucks Employee
Mike Epps	...	Walter
Lee Garlington	...	Mrs. Cahan
Tonita Castro	...	Maria

Storyline

Kenya McQueen is a successful African-American CPA, working her way to the top of the corporate ladder -- but her life has become all work and no play. Urged on by her friends to try something new and to let go of her dream of the "ideal black man," she accepts a blind date with an architectural landscaper named Brian, only to cut the date short upon first sight, because Brian is white. The two meet again at a party, and Kenya hires Brian to landscape her new home. Over time, they hit it off, but Kenya's reservations about the acceptance their romance will find among her friends and family threatens everything. An intelligent romantic comedy that chooses to deal with issues of race and perception in a straight-forward way, from a point of view not often seen: that of a successful, upper-class black woman.

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Plot Keywords:

blind date | partner | landscaper | friend | accountant | 

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Taglines:

She had it all under control. Except her heart

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for sexual references

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

29 January 2006 (USA)

Also Known As:

42.4 Percent

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$4,879,736 (USA) (3 February 2006)

Gross:

$11,425,894 (USA) (3 March 2006)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Gramercy Pictures (I), Homegrown Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

99 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Sanaa Lathan's character, Kenya, is the daughter of Alfre Woodard's character. They share the same relationship in Love & Basketball and also in The Family That Preys.

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Goofs

Right after the Starbucks incident she arrives at a party with her friend. They enter the party and are offered Champagne, the waiter only has two glasses on his serving plate but on the next shot he has four.

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Quotes

Kenya Denise McQueen: [to Brian, after Nelson reluctantly shakes his hand] Forgive him, he was born arrogant.
Nelson McQueen: It's the help!

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Connections

Referenced in The Oprah Winfrey Show: Episode dated 8 March 2006 (2006)

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Soundtracks

"Tu Eres Bella"
Written by M. Miglis, R. Pencheff, J. Duran Webb
Performed by Topaz Sound & Cubanito 20 - 02
Courtesy of Topaz Records
By Arrangement with Zync Music

User Reviews

Enjoyable Romantic comedy with a flipside look at racial issues.

As a white, 60 year old retiree, I am a bit uncomfortable relating why I liked this movie so much, as I will probable say some politically incorrect things. But I enjoyed this movie for its thought provoking storytelling, so here are my thoughts.

I would think the Black Community (as I have heard Bill Cosby expounded many times) would love to see more stories about successful, professional people. The main character, and her girlfriend circle, seemed well grounded in their successful careers, but suffered real conflicted issues over their personal lives, the quest to find the "Ideal black Male" utmost on their minds. Fair enough! But, up pops an "Ideal White Male" and it is not easy to adapt their thinking. Their blind date meeting, the slow warming up, the problems that couples run into, were not earth breaking Romantic "comedy" ground. But the assimilation of a likable, white guy into the Black "experience" has some real impact. I felt the conversations rang true. Slow acceptance by her

friends seemed real. I was educated to the concept of the "Black tax" and the difficulty of "never having a day off from being Black". His request to "please take a night off from race issues" rang true from a person who wants to empathize and be supportive, but cannot really know the impact of the life. The fact that I am still thinking about the movie a few days later is meaningful (to me anyway!).

I wish the Mother character and probably the Brother as well, were more realistic in their haughtiness. Maybe the writer was looking for all attitudes to be explored, and, as likable as he was, the saintly Father may have been too good to be true. But the leads pulled off the underlying feeling that "love conquers all" and provided me with an entertaining, thoughtful couple of hours. It was the exact opposite of all those movies that I want "my two hours back!"