"SOMETHING NEW"
(2006) (Sanaa Lathan, Simon Baker) (PG-13)

Alcohol/ Drugs	Blood/Gore	Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude	Frightening/ Tense Scenes	Guns/ Weapons
Heavy	None	Heavy	Minor	None
Imitative Behavior	Jump Scenes	Music (Scary/Tense)	Music (Inappropriate)	Profanity
Mild	Minor	None	*None	Heavy
Sex/ Nudity	Smoking	Tense Family Scenes	Topics To Talk About	Violence
Heavy	Minor	Mild	Moderate	None

---

QUICK TAKE:

Romantic Dramedy: A black woman must deal with her and others' racial issues when she starts dating a white man.

PLOT:

Kenya McQueen (SANAA LATHAN) is a black senior manager at a prestigious accounting firm in Los Angeles who seems to have it all. She's poised to become a partner at her firm, she has supportive friends in the form of Cheryl (WENDY RAQUEL ROBINSON), Suzzette (GOLDEN BROOKS) and Nedra (TARAJI P. HENSON), the love of her parents Joyce (ALFRE WOODARD) and Edmond (EARL BILLINGS), and a new home.

Yet, with a long list of what she wants and needs in a man, she's single. Accordingly, a friend sets her up on a blind date, but Kenya is shocked to learn that landscape architect Brian Kelly (SIMON BAKER) is white. With him not meeting her unspoken but most important criteria, she calls off the date, but later meets him again at a wedding where, feeling guilty about the way she treated him, hires him to redo her backyard.

After working together for a while, he eventually wins her over and the two become an item. That doesn't sit well with her mother, brother Nelson (DONALD FAISON) -- who always has a different girlfriend every time she sees him -- or Cheryl's new boyfriend Walter (MIKE EPPS) who isn't sure of Brian's motives. As he and Kenya become lovers, they must deal with her and others' reactions to their mixed race relationship, as well as Nelson introducing her to the handsome and debonair Mark (BLAIR UNDERWOOD), who just so happens to be black.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?

Teens looking for a date movie might be interested in it, as might anyone who's a fan of someone in the cast. Beyond that, it doesn't seem too likely.

WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG-13

For sexual references.

CAST AS ROLE MODELS:

SANAA LATHAN plays a black account manager with strict criteria about the perfect man who ends up dating and sleeping with Brian, who's white. That's despite her having racial issues/hang-ups, while she also uses some profanity, drinks, and generally isn't happy with the men she's dating because she isn't happy with herself.

SIMON BAKER plays the white landscape architect who wants to date her, but must overcome and deal with her various racial issues. He ends up sleeping with her.

WENDY RAQUEL ROBINSON plays Kenya's friend who commiserates with but is concerned about her and her dating issues.

GOLDEN BROOKS and TARAJI P. HENSON play their other friends who are also concerned about her dating Brian.

MIKE EPPS plays Cheryl's new boyfriend who questions Brian's motives for dating a black woman.

ALFRE WOODARD plays Kenya's conservative mother who isn't pleased with the way her daughter is acting.

EARL BILLINGS plays her more supportive father.

DONALD FAISON plays Kenya's brother who questions her dating Brian, all while always showing up with a new girlfriend each time we see him.

BLAIR UNDERWOOD plays a successful and handsome black businessman who tries to sweep Kenya off her feet.

CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO

HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE

---

Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit?
Then read OUR TAKE of this film.

(Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below).

---

OUR WORD TO PARENTS:

The following is a brief summary of the content found in this romantic dramedy that's been rated PG-13. Profanity consists of at least 8 "s" words, while other expletives and colorful phrases are also uttered. Sexually related dialogue (covering various topics) and innuendo are present, as are views of a couple fooling around in a highly sensual manner (sex is implied). Varying amounts of cleavage are seen, as is a highly sexualized modern dance performance. Various characters drink (one to the point of some inebriation), while brief smoking also occurs.

Various bad attitudes are present, including some related to racism and racial issues that constitute most of the film's thematic elements. Should you still be concerned about the film's appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home, you may want to look more closely at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content.

For those prone to visually induced motion sickness, there's some camera movement from time to time.

---

ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE

Kenya and her three friends have martinis in a restaurant/bar where others drink.

Kenya, Cheryl and others drink at a reception (the ladies have champagne).

Miscellaneous people have drinks.

Kenya and Brian have wine with some take-out food.

Kenya has wine.

Kenya, Brian, Cheryl and Walter have drinks in a comedy club where others also drink.

Kenya and her friends drink at Kenya's open house party where others drink, including Brian who has a beer.

Kenya has wine by herself.

Kenya and Mark have wine in a restaurant where miscellaneous people drink.

Joyce's family and significant others have wine with dinner.

Seeing that she looks upset, Kenya's assistant tells her that he has a bottle of tequila in his desk, but she waves him off.

Kenya has wine by herself.

Miscellaneous people have drinks at a social event where Kenya guzzles her wine and makes a scene (with Joyce telling her to slow down and stop acting up).

BLOOD/GORE

None.

DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE

Kenya's older, white male client wonders if someone else will be coming to their meeting (showing that he doesn't think she's up to the task by herself due to being black and/or a woman).

When Kenya (who's black) realizes her blind date is Brian (who's white), she doesn't react nicely, thus showing some signs of racism on her part.

Kenya is again cold to Brian upon meeting him the second time.

When Kenya calls her brother on the way he treated Brian, he replies that Brian is "the help."

Seeing that Kenya is attracted to Brian, Nelson asks if she's "sleeping with the enemy" (referring to Brian being white).

We learn that Nelson lied to his latest date about his job at a movie studio (saying he was a producer rather than a lawyer).

Seeing how Kenya is still acting, Brian says, "I take it you don't do white guys." She says it's a preference, not a prejudice, but he calls her on that.

Some viewers might not like a joke a stand-up comedian says about the D.C. sniper (saying he was a black man who took his child to work, etc.).

A black woman jokingly refers to Brian as Kenya's "nightlight" (since he's white) and that she's either "getting your swirl on" or that Brian is her probation officer.

Walter initially isn't nice to Brian (being suspicious of him dating a black woman).

After a falling out and two weeks have passed, Kenya tells Brian that she's now dating Mark.

Kenya comments on one of her friends who's "screwing married men."

Kenya's client isn't happy with her or her business advice, and she's unhappy when her boss meets privately with the client (making her think her race and/or sex is the cause), but her boss then comes in and says she was right (and makes her a partner at the firm).

FRIGHTENING SCENES

Kenya walks into some spider webs between bushes and briefly freaks out (we don't see any spider, but those afraid of them might not like the scene).

GUNS/WEAPONS

None.

IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR

Phrases: "Black sh*t," "White sh*t," "Sh*t-load," "Bullsh*t," "I don't do dogs," "Are you sleeping with the enemy?" "I hope she has a magic cootchie," "Get yourself a little something-something," "He did it so good to me that I woke up with my hair braided," "Frickin," "IBM" (Ideal Black Man), "She's a bitch," "You must think I'm a freak," "My bad," "Shut up," "Bright colors are for children and whores," "You're a piece of work," "Fool," "Let it go, let it flow," "I know he's being an ass," "Jerks," "Screwed up" and "A pot to piss in."

We see a modern dance performance featuring a scantly clad couple (she in a bra-like top and very small panty-type bottom) where the man runs his hand over her chest and covered breasts (we can see the shape of her nipples) causing her to do some exaggerated, sexual shaking. We also see sexualized movement with them separately and as a couple.

JUMP SCENES

Nelson suddenly shows up in front of Kenya on the other side of her sliding glass door (played for laughs).

MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE)

None.

MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE)

None that we heard, but some songs had lyrics that we couldn't understand.

PROFANITY

At least 8 "s" words, 5 slang terms for sex ("do," "bone," "did it" and "screwing"), 1 for female genitals ("cootchie"), 2 asses, 5 uses of "Oh my God" and 1 use each of "G-damn," "For Christ's sakes" and "Good Lord."

SEX/NUDITY

We briefly see a miscellaneous couple making out in a restaurant/bar.

Listing what she's looking for in a man, Kenya says "no kinky sex," adding that she likes to switch it up now and then, but obviously isn't into that.

Kenya, some of her friends, many of Nelson's various dates, occasionally Joyce and some miscellaneous women show cleavage (sometimes a little, sometimes a lot) in various outfits throughout the movie.

Watching Kenya walk away (and checking out her body), a male acquaintance reacts with "Ooh..."

When Kenya asks Cheryl if she has some place to go (after that friend complains about where they are), Cheryl says "I could be home pleasuring myself."

Moments after Walter (who's working as a food server at a reception) asks Cheryl if she wants something hot and sweet, she suggestively replies that she does.

Seeing Brian's dog, and not being happy about that, Kenya tells Brian, "I don't do dogs." He then jokes back that he doesn't either, that they're just friends.

Kenya stares at Brian's muscular arms as he works in her backyard (he's wearing a shirt).

About Nelson's latest date, Kenya sarcastically tells him, "I hope she has a magic cootchie." In response, he tells Kenya that she needs to get herself "a little something something."

Seeing that Nelson has a new date, Kenya sarcastically asks what happened to the one with the implants.

We see a modern dance performance featuring a scantly clad couple (she in a bra-like top and very small panty-type bottom) where the man runs his hand over her chest and covered breasts (we can see the shape of her nipples) causing her to do some exaggerated, sexual shaking. We also see sexualized movement with them separately and as a couple, with the camera often in close-up on the woman's covered body parts (chest and butt).

Kenya says that her mom says that bright colors are for children and whores.

Seeing how Kenya is still acting, Brian says, "I take it you don't do white guys." She says it's a preference, not a prejudice, but he calls her on that.

Kenya and Brian passionately kiss outside in the woods. We then see them doing the same back in her place, where Brian grabs her clothed butt, pulls her leg up alongside his body and puts her up on a small table where he gets between her legs and they continue making out (she removes his shirt and we hear heavy breathing). We then see them talking in bed after sex, with him running his finger along her chest (in close-up with nothing explicit seen). We then see that she's in a nightgown that shows some cleavage (he's shirtless). After she gets upset by him saying she shouldn't have a hair-weave, he says that he just wondered what she looked like completely naked.

Kenya admits to her friends that she slept with Brian, with one asking if he can "bone." After a momentary adverse reaction, Kenya says he can and one then asks if it's big (his penis), but we don't hear an answer. One friend then says that what Kenya is enjoying is some "good old-fashioned sex."

The camera goes down Kenya's body as she lies on the bed (we see her lacy bra and cleavage, her bare midriff and her panties) until we see Brian down by her legs where it turns out he's painting her toenails. He then kisses up her leg, pauses near her panty-covered crotch and then works his way up to her mouth that he passionately kisses.

We then see a montage of them hanging out as well as rolling around, kissing, etc. (nothing explicit, although we see him on top of her - clothed).

A stand-up comedian says she had a sex with an African man and that he "did it so good to me" that she woke up with her hair braided.

A woman wears a tight top that accentuates her covered breasts.

Referring to Kenya's open house party at night, Joyce says that it looks like a bordello in Bangkok. She then asks Kenya, "What's gotten into you?" but seeing her with Brian she then quickly adds, "Don't answer that."

Kenya comments on one of her friends who's "screwing married men."

Mark tells Kenya that he'll wait for her as long as she wants (meaning having sex), but she leaves and nothing ever happens.

SMOKING

Some miscellaneous people smoke cigars.

TENSE FAMILY SCENES

Kenya briefly mentions her grandfather passing away two years ago.

Joyce tells Kenya that she should blame the one responsible for her (Kenya's) unhappiness and that's Kenya herself.

TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT

Racism and other racial issues.

Mixed race relationships.

The comment that more than 42 percent of black women are yet to be married.

Kenya and Brian hide under a tree outdoors (to get out of the rain) during a thunderstorm.

Kenya refers to "black tax" where she says black people have to work twice as hard to prove they're equal.

When Brian tires of Kenya often talking of racial issues, she tells him that unlike black people, the only time white people are reminded of their race is when they're in a room full of black people. She then says that being black, you never get a night off (being that).

Walter tells Kenya that relationships are not about skin color, but rather love connections.

Joyce tells Kenya that she should blame the one responsible for her (Kenya's) unhappiness and that's Kenya herself.

VIOLENCE

None.

Reviewed January 13, 2006 / Posted February 3, 2006

Other new and recent reviews include:

Privacy Statement and Terms of Use and Disclaimer
By entering this site you acknowledge to having read and agreed to the above conditions.

All Rights Reserved,
©1996-2022 Screen It, Inc.