Blu-Ray Review: Queen Latifah, Common Charm in Romantic ‘Just Wright’

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CHICAGO – Romantic movies thrive on cliches in the same way that slasher movies need a body count and musicals need a bit of song and dance. Success or failure is all in the execution of the known commodity of cliche. With actors as charismatic as Queen Latifah and Common in the lead roles, it’s easy to overlook said commodity in the relatively-charming “Just Wright,” now on Blu-ray and DVD.

Blu-Ray Rating: 3.5/5.0

Likable leads go an awfully long way for me in the world of the romantic dramedy. So much of their success comes down to if I actually want to see the two leads find happiness together; something that’s shockingly rare in the filmographies of regular romantic stars like Kate Hudson, Matthew McConaughey, Jennifer Aniston, Ashton Kutcher, etc.. From the minute that Queen Latifah and Common share a scene together in this relatively light romantic tale, their combined screen charisma blends together in way that makes the generic script that follows much easier to take.

Just Wright was released on Blu-ray and DVD on September 14th, 2010
Photo credit: Fox Home Video

Director Sanaa Hamri could have used Latifah and Common more effectively and surrounded them with a stronger script, richer supporting cast, and less predictable arc, but just seeing two people this likable find predictable love supplies enough old-fashioned romantic charm to make the film’s flaws bearable. Get over one of the worst titles of the year and check out “Just Wright.”

Just Wright was released on Blu-ray and DVD on September 14th, 2010 Photo credit: Fox Home Video

Lesley Wright (Queen Latifah) is a personal trainer who has long-struggled with being the best friend instead of the girlfriend. She’s close with her supportive father (James Pickens Jr.) but seems the opposite of her shallower-than-believable God-sister Morgan (Paula Patton), who happens to be crashing at her house.

Wright has never missed a game of the New Jersey Nets but she’s the real fan while Morgan joins her just to catch the eye of a player and become a spoiled player’s wife. That’s exactly what happens with Nets superstar Scott McKnight (Common) but we all know that McKnight will eventually see past the shallow Morgan to the much-deeper Lesley.

Common and Queen Latifah have instant chemistry, which kind of makes some of the rest of the movie something of a chore in that we see what’s so obvious a romantic couple that it’s somewhat hard to believe that they wouldn’t instantly see it themselves. It doesn’t help that Patton’s Morgan is such an unbelievable, two-dimensional plot device. It’s hard to say if the script, director Sanaa Hamri, or Patton herself are to blame but the character of Morgan is misplayed, coming off almost cartoonish opposite two actors who feel completely genuine. It’s hard to believe that Lesley would even stay friends with her much less that someone like McKnight would instantly fall for her see-through traps to snare him, something one would assume he had an eye for after a decade in the NBA.

As for the Blu-ray release of “Just Wright,” it’s a little lackluster, probably due to the relative failure of the film at the box office (not even breaking $22 million worldwide). This is a crowd-pleasing film that will find a satisfied audience on the home market even if it couldn’t do so during a crowded summer season.

Special Features
o “The One You Can’t Live Without”
o “Common on the Fast Break”
o “When Amazing Happens”
o Gag Reel

By BRIAN TALLERICO Content Director HollywoodChicago.com brian@hollywoodchicago.com