I don't see what all the hype is for.

It seems to me when they try to portray Blacks in a upper-middle class mold, most of them do come off as pretentious and arrogant, as if the common folk is lucky enough to be in their presence (this movie, Cosby Show, etc....). No one has really ever captured the true working class Black man, woman, or family. When your a Black character in Hollywood, you have to be either rich, poor, or be a rags-to-riches story. TV programs like Family Matters (pre-Urkel) and Roc does a wonderful of capturing the working class Black family, and I would like to see more of that.

But then again, you don't have to be Black, or White to witness horrible scripts.

I completely disagree. This is the only American black oriented movie since Spike Lee's heyday with which I identify. Additionally, it is one of the few movies depicting educated upper middle class black characters whose sensibilities are consistent with reality. I can't stand movies wherein black characters who are supposed to be second generation doctors and business executives sound like, and are only concerned with things of interest to, unemployed inner-city playground denizens. It is as if there is an unwritten law that all American black oriented movies have to hinge on hip hop, crime, pimps, hoes... and of course, basketball. I, for one, am glad to see a film that reflects the fact that black people are not a monolith. Stories of the bourgie black upper middle class are as relevant as, and of greater redemptive value than, are the antisocial street tales about 40 year old pimps aspiring to be rappers.

My only critique of this movie is the the tacked-on ending and the inappropriate soundtrack. I greatly suspect that the distributors of the movie are responsible for both. I would love to see this movie in its original pre-Babyface form. As far as I'm concerned this was the black Annie Hall.

I find the discussion of this movie both interesting and revealing. I love this movie and never get tired of watching it. I don't think White people get this movie. I also don't think most Black people get this movie either. I'm a bourgie Black 2nd and 3rd generation (father and mother respectively.) This is the most authentic and accurate movie of my world that I have ever seen. It is the first movie that I have ever viewed where the characters talk just like me! I found the dialogue totally authentic and accurate. White reviewers complain about how the language would not be appropriate for "polite society." They mean polite White society. I speak 2 or 3 American dialects and this movie uses my native tongue. That's how we talk. One commentator said that you could replace the actors with white actors and it wouldn't make any difference. I disagree. bourgie Blacks use an amalgam of standard English and Black colloquialisms. We have to. It depends on who we are talking too. If we speak standard English around our working-class Black friends, they think we are being "upitty." If we use Black colloquialisms around White people, they might think that we are too ghetto. We have to walk a tightrope between both worlds, never being accepted by either, as many of the previous comments suggest. The "silent Black middle-class" is starting to emerge as a separate entity from working-class Blacks. We have our own values, language and culture. And we are achieving the American dream without selling out. I feel bad that I even had to even have to add "without selling out." I'm tired of Blacks being portrayed as either Ghetto or acting White. This movie portrays a seldom observed segment of the Black community and my hat goes off to the writer, director and star for not selling out our experience.

I think the real problem with this movie is the poor editing, and Cherot tried to do a little too much by acting in the lead role which probably took away from the directing. There were situations which the emotions the actors evoked weren't in sync with what was intended for the character. But it was real close. The movie just missed enough that the potential for how good it could have been makes it worthwhile. Black people aren't depicted with as much honesty and inegrity as this film attempted even though there are black people like this. That's what makes the movie so charming. There are maybe only five movies like it wheras there are about 5 movies a year like "knocked up" made about white people. But there will be. Just wait for me world.

You're so cool, You're so cool, You're so cool- Alabama Worley

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Just because YOU can't relate to this film dosen't make it a bad film--I'm still watching it at the moment--it's a low budget indie flick, and with these kinds of films what you see is what you get. SO what if it was made by college-educated black folks? If you can't relate to it, there's more than enough stupid, tired-ass gangster 'hood films that you can watch. Also,there is MORE than one way to interpret or reveal black culture---we as black people are NOT all the damn same,we did not ALL grow up in inner-city 'hoods (and I am not putting down anyone who has because I live in the inner city myself). I think that remark about college-educated blacks was so stupid---I'm college-educated (still trying to get my degree,though) so what the hell is that supposed to make me---automatically stuck-up and thinking I'm better than those who don't have a degree---which I don't as of yet,plus I know hard it is to have to struggle to get that piece of paper. You obviously don't have a college degree,or you wouldn't be putting down others who do have one. So is that supposed to make YOU better or more real or something? I guess we're just supposed to stay ignorant and stupid like you,huh? (I meant that in a sarcastic way, don't take it personally). Oh,well. The truth is, because of different backgrounds,lifestyles and other things,sometimes all some black people are going to have in common is the fact that they're black---that's just human nature---we're NOT going to always have everything in common simply because we share the same skin color.

You didn't know this was a film about educated black people before you even popped the disc in? Didn't you see Cherot's outfit?

This film is what it was. It was a little overrated because it was put out by Tracey Edmonds (Babyface's ex wife), who was really trying to promote her film company at the time. This film got major promotion, especially on BET. But I agree, the film didn't live up to it's promotion, as most films don't.

That being said, I still enjoyed it. I found the characters to be authentic. The '90s setting is sad to me, reminds me of a time long gone (that didn't have to be gone...). Better economy...well, maybe not for Plenty, but for the rest of the characters. I don't think you could make this film today without a tragic side story.