Showcases Denzel's limitations (and strengths) as an actor
I say this in acknowledgement of his outstanding talent. But even the great Denzel has his weak points.
First the strengths: Denzel has extreme believability when it comes to the character's bootstraps ideology and discipline. That's always been a Denzel trademark, last seen to good effect in The Great Debaters. So the single best moment is Denzel's flareup of anger at his younger brother's indolence. ("You can wear these big-ass...." Brother: - "Hey!") You can see the ambition and determination in Denzel's eyes, and you just know he's never going to give up. He's going to make it. We know it, Mina knows it.
He also has an excellent final scene over the phone with his Dad. Filial piety is another believable Denzel trait.
But the liabilities loom just as large: Denzel is a cold lover and no amount of charm can change that. He's just aloof, period. I found little screen chemistry between the two leads and this, after all, is supposed to be a romance. Nope. I didn't believe it for a minute.
Too bad. The courtship should have sizzled. It should have been "hot and spicy" as the title promises. But with Denzel playing the romantic lead, this might have just as well been called "Mississippi Iceberg."