By-the-numbers 'Just Wright' gets it almost right
There are moments in the trite rom-com "Just Wright" when executive producer Queen Latifah looks unbelievably stunning in an evening gown, or just swaddled in a set of overalls.
There are other moments in Sanaa Hambri's romantic fantasy that explode with genuine romantic fireworks, amazing little moments that transcend a formulaic, by-the-numbers plot.
In this almost-right, bland and overwritten rom-com, the size-plus woman gets the guy, because the guy gets her first.
But this only happens after he realizes that playing for a picture-perfect woman isn't always the best strategy in the metaphorical game of love.
Latifah plays Leslie Wright, a physical therapist who lives vicariously through the endless romances of her beautiful, model-esque best pal Morgan (Paula Patton, the knockdown gorgeous inner-city teacher in "Precious").
A shallow materialist and gold digger, Morgan can't wait to achieve her lifelong dream of becoming an NBA trophy wife so she can sit in the special bleachers and hobnob with the other trophy spouses.
One night at a gas station, Leslie has a chance meeting with New Jersey Nets superstar Scott McKnight (Common), who seems quite taken with her down-to-earth qualities and self-confidence.
Until he meets Morgan, who baits her feminine hook with the precision of a professional deep-sea fisherwoman. Soon, she's picking out silverware and dishes with the man whom Leslie really likes - and saw first.
How these two pals ever stayed friends with such polar opposite value systems is one of the story's quaint mysteries.
Another one is how Michael Elliot's screenplay could be so devoid of inventive twists or novel ideas that any viewer with minimal experience watching rom-coms could easily call the next play in the flimsy plot.
Morgan enjoys her status as a shopaholic trophy wife in-waiting.
Then McKnight severely injures his knee during a game, and doctors say he's out for the season. Maybe forever.
It doesn't take long before McKnight winds up alone in his big, expensive superstar house.
Good thing that he knows a wonderful physical therapist who might be able to restore his knee before the Nets go to the playoffs. (As I said, this is a romantic fantasy.)
Neither Latifah nor Common will ever be accused of being great actors, particularly Common, whose penetrating stare substitutes for a variety of projected emotions ranging from anger to love.
It doesn't help that both are stuck, as is Patton, with 1-D characters never allowed to be anything beyond a single sentence description.
Leslie is the deserving nice woman stuck forever in the friend zone of life.
McKnight is the deserving, nice sports superstar blinded by superficial values.
Morgan is the undeserving schemer with a (small) heart of gold.
Hambri, director of the underwhelming "Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2," hails from the school of music videos.
She does nothing here to dispel the widely held belief that creating visuals to accompany rock songs doesn't quite qualify a director to make a feature length movie, even a rom-com as edgeless and superficial as Patton's lovable bad girl.
<p class="factboxheadblack">"Just Wright"</p>
<p class="News">★★</p>
<p class="News"><b>Starring:</b> Queen Latifah, Common, Paula Patton, Phylicia Rashad, Pam Grier</p>
<p class="News"><b>Directed by:</b> Sanaa Hamri</p>
<p class="News"><b>Other:</b> A Fox Searchlight release. Rated PG. 100 minutes</p>
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