![]() ![]() This dynamic helps the film complicate popular notions of blackness – it’s not a monolith nor is it strictly American. The Watson family speaks French and references “the island”, which could possibly be Haiti, but is never identified. I was also intrigued by Jumping the Broom’s attempts to create African diasporic connections. ![]() The film’s conclusion was slightly disappointing and would’ve been much more believable if the complexities of the situation were allowed to breathe and play out. While I appreciate Jakes’ nuanced approach to faith and religion, scenes where prayer and God are introduced to the plot are forced and awkward, stifling the powerful sentiment lying behind its purpose. Cast of jumping the broom movie#The plot develops too quickly and falls into procession with such run-of-the-mill movie plots: families don’t like each other, gossipy friends judge their friend’s significant other while battling their own romantic demons, somebody drops an explosive family secret in front of everyone (which is never their business to discuss), the couple splits, someone prays, miraculous reconciliation, and scene. Sabrina never met Jason’s family before the wedding? I flashed back to my own “courting” days, remembering being interrogated whenever I announced I was seeing someone new: As a southern African American woman, I couldn’t get with that. Taylor heavily objects to the union, lamenting over how Sabrina introduces herself and communicates with her– “a text message?! She sends me a text message?!” This scene struck a chord and I found myself talking to the movie. The story rolls along quickly, building on the understanding that the Watsons and Taylors have never met each other nor has the bride met the groom’s family. Taylor’s best friend, who is kept hilariously aloof by the pursuits of the (much) younger Sebastian (played by Romeo Miller). The only female characters that display any kind of balance are Geneva and Shonda (played by Tasha Smith), Mrs. Bassett’s character is further miffed at the interaction between Geneva and Sabrina, the cause of the tension revealed later in the film. Watson’s anger is heightened upon the arrival of her sister Geneva, played by actress Valarie Pettiford. Watson, Sabrina’s overly controlling and angry mother. Taylor, Jason’s overprotective and seemingly bitter mother, Angela Bassett plays Mrs. Unfortunately, Jakes’ maintained close proximity to popular (mis)conceptions: Loretta Devine plays Mrs. Cast of jumping the broom series#And, amazingly, comedian Mike Epps’ delivers a refreshingly subtle yet memorable performance.įocused on the whirlwind romance, engagement, and wedding of Jason Taylor (Laz Alonso) and Sabrina Watson (Paula Patton), Jumping the Broom takes on a series challenges and beliefs that are linchpins of the African American community: family, marriage, gender roles, and, wait for it, identity politics for black women. Jakes recruited some of the best eye candy on the planet for his leading roles – Laz Alonso, Pooch Hall, Gary Dourdan, and Romeo Miller, rapper Master P’s now grown son who I swore if I kept looking at him I’d go to jail for harassing a minor. Not because I was taken over by the spirit or outraged by the film’s representations of black women. I was ready to voice my concerns throughout the movie like it was revival Sunday. Two of his works adapted into movies, Woman Thou Art Loosed and Not Easily Broken. Many of those renditions of “the word” are directed towards (black) women – Woman Thou Art Loosed, The Lady, Her Lover, and Her Lord, and Loose that Man and Let Him Go are only a sample of the titles Jakes released over the past 20 years. Jakes, a popular minister and founder of the megachurch The Potters House in Dallas, Texas, is known for his sermons and books about healing the human spirit, faith, and resilience. I expected to see a similar “woe the black woman” narrative. And Tyler Perry.Īs I watched Jumping the Broom, the latest film endeavor by Bishop T.D. In other words: when in doubt, talk about black women. I’m often taken aback about the usual stories of black women: why black women can’t find (and keep) a man, why black women are angry and bitter, why black women can’t breathe on their own…apparently women of color are just a monolith of black problems and despair with hips. ![]()
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