Love Jones (1997) R - 3 Stars

I'll never forget Larenz Tate in "Menace II Society" and it's nice to see him in a different role where he's not playing a juvenile delinquent. This is your typical love story, where boy meets girl and fall in love, but then neither will let on to the other until their exes and one night stands send them back into each others arms.

Darius Lovehall (Larenz Tate), is a novelist in Chicago, who brings his upscale bohemian style of poetry to the stage. This night club is famous for jazz and poetic readings and while another performer is on stage, Nina Mosley (Nia Long), walks up to the bar to order a drink. Darius takes one look at her and instantly feels something no other woman has been able to produce in him. Could this be love at first sight?

Nina is a photographer looking for work and as the two exchange chit chat, Darius is called to the stage to preform. To her surprise, Darius starts to recite a love poem entitled, "A Blues For Nina." The feelings start to grow but Nina leaves alone that night. Later, when she pays for a CD at the video store when Darius works, he is able to get her address and phone number. Being very daring, he shows up at her door step with the CD she'd been looking for. What woman can say no to a man who makes such a production over her and soon she finds herself saying yes and letting him in. The flirting is on and one sexy thing leads to another but neither know how to explain it. Darius has not been known to care about the women he sleeps with and Nina just got out of a relationship so they pass it off to just being "friends."

When Nina is called out of town for work, the two have the chance once again to tell each other how they feel. Instead, Nina leaves and encounters her ex boyfriend while Darius makes the best of it with a girl from the club. Nina returns only to see Darius with another girl so she hooks up with one of Darius's best friends. Will the two be able to get back to each other or will in be a case of you snooze you loose?

1997 - Love Jones - Sundance Film Festival - Audience Award

New Line Cinema
Director: Theodore Witcher
Writer: Theodore Witcher
Producers: Jeremiah Samuels, Nick Wechsler

I viewed 11/08