Brown Sugar (2002 film)

Last updated
Brown Sugar
Brown sugar poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Rick Famuyiwa
Screenplay by
  • Michael Elliot
  • Rick Famuyiwa
Story byMichael Elliot
Produced by Magic Johnson
Peter Heller
Starring
Cinematography Enrique Chediak
Edited byDirk Westervelt
Music by Robert Hurst
Distributed by Fox Searchlight Pictures
Release date
  • October 11, 2002 (2002-10-11)
Running time
109 minutes
LanguageEnglish
Budget$8 million [1]
Box office$28,316,451 [1]

Brown Sugar is a 2002 American romantic comedy film written by Michael Elliott and Rick Famuyiwa, directed by Famuyiwa, and starring Taye Diggs and Sanaa Lathan. The film is a story of lifelong friends, A&R Andre and Editor-in-Chief Sidney. The two can attribute their friendship and the launch of their careers to a single, seminal childhood moment – the day they discovered hip-hop on a New York street corner. Now some 15 years later, as they lay down the tracks toward their futures, hip-hop isn't the only thing that keeps them coming back to that moment on the corner.

Contents

The movie was released in the US on October 11, 2002, and ran for 16 weeks, grossing $27,363,891 domestically and $952,560 in the foreign sector for a worldwide total of $28,316,451.

Plot

Childhood friends Sidney (Sanaa Lathan) and Dre (Taye Diggs), who originally bonded over their love of hip-hop, face an evolving relationship as adults. Sidney has just been appointed the editor-in-chief of the hip hop magazine XXL , and Dre is an A&R for Millennium Records. While Sidney's career is flourishing, Dre is increasingly frustrated with his label's preference for marketable artists over true talent.

Dre meets and falls in love with Reese (Nicole Ari Parker), a successful entertainment attorney, and soon becomes engaged to her. The night before Dre's wedding, he and Sidney kiss and almost have sex, but they stop themselves. At the wedding, Sidney's cousin Francine (Queen Latifah) deduces the romantic tension between Sidney and Dre and encourages her to object during the ceremony. She does not and Dre settles into married life with Reese. Sidney, meanwhile, begins dating professional athlete Kelby Dawson (Boris Kodjoe).

Dre sees Cavi (Mos Def), a rapper who works as a taxi driver during the day, perform and is impressed with his talent, but Cavi isn't interested in signing with Dre's label because he doesn't like the music they produce. Dre's boss meanwhile pushes him to manage an untalented but commercially viable rap group, forcing him to choose between his income and his love of hip hop. He decides to quit and form his own label, focusing on bringing back the real hip hop that his generation fell in love with, and manages to sign Cavi.

Reese is unsupportive of Dre's new business venture, concerned it will fail and they will be forced to live in reduced circumstances. Meanwhile, Sidney draws closer to Dre due to their partnership in the label, and Reese develops jealousy over Dre and Sidney's friendship, while Cavi falls for Francine but struggles to muster the courage to ask her out.

Sidney also grows closer to Kelby, who proposes to her. Dre tells her he's against her marrying Kelby because he thinks he's inauthentic. Sidney doesn't agree, but begins to have doubts when she discovers that Kelby doesn't read her articles.

When Dre discovers Reese has been cheating with a man from the gym, he brings Sid to catch her in the act. This leads to a night of shared passion between Dre and Sid and opens Sid's eyes to the fact she is not prepared to marry Kelby. She calls off the engagement and while searching for Dre sees Reese and Dre in a parting embrace that she misconstrues as more.

While at Hot 97 waiting for Cavi's first single to play on the Angie Martinez show, Dre hears Sid talking about her new book I Used to Love H.I.M. Though based on her love affair with hip-hop, it really is a chronicled timeline of her love affair with Dre. He recognizes this and rushes over to the station to confront his feelings, as well. Meanwhile, in the production booth, Cavi stumbles in trying to ask Francine out again. She recognizes their attraction and asks him out on a date.

The film ends with Cavi's song playing in the same park where their love of hip-hop began.

Cast

cameo appearances

Reception

Brown Sugar received generally positive reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 66% based on 88 reviews, with an average rating of 6.2/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Though predictable and possibly too sweet, Brown Sugar is charming, well-acted, and smarter than typical rom-com fare." [2] On Metacritic, the film holds a score of 58 out of 100, indicating "mixed or average reviews". [3] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale.

In the Chicago Sun-Times , Roger Ebert gave Brown Sugar three out of four stars and said it was "more like a slice of black professional life" than a rap comedy, a film thoughtful about its characters, who he said were as deep and complex as those in Terry McMillan novels. [4] Dave Kehr of The New York Times praised the film, saying it "sustains the charm of an early 60's New York romance," and noted that "It resembles one of those films like Peter Tewksbury's Sunday in New York or Vincente Minnelli's Courtship of Eddie's Father , in which the city is a wonderfully bright, benign, fulfilling place and nothing really bad could ever happen." [5]

Awards and nominations

2003 NAACP Image Awards (nominations)

Soundtrack

A soundtrack containing hip hop and R&B music was released on September 24, 2002, by MCA Records. It peaked at #16 on the Billboard 200 and #2 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums.

Related Research Articles

Lynise Walters, known professionally as Queen Pen, is an American rapper, record producer, and novelist. Born in Brooklyn New York, she was discovered by record producer Teddy Riley at a local IHOP restaurant in Virginia Beach. Riley later invited her to "spit lyrics" for Blackstreet's "No Diggity" 1996 hit. Riley produced her debut album, My Melody (1997) and she coproduced her second album Conversations with Queen (2001) with Kedar Massenburg.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Queen Latifah</span> American recording artist and actress (born 1970)

Dana Elaine Owens, better known by the stage name Queen Latifah, is an American rapper, actress, and singer. She has received various accolades, including a Grammy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award, three Screen Actors Guild Awards, and two NAACP Image Awards, in addition to a nomination for an Academy Award. In 2006, she became the first hip hop artist to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Angie Martinez</span> American radio host and rapper

Angela Martinez is an American radio personality, rapper, singer, and actress. Nicknamed "The Voice of New York" during her two-decade tenure at New York City station HOT 97 (WQHT), she left that position in 2014 to join crosstown competitor Power 105.1 (WWPR). Martinez won the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) Marconi Radio Award for "Major Market Personality of the Year" in 2018, and was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sanaa Lathan</span> American actress (born 1971)

Sanaa McCoy Lathan is an American actress. She is the daughter of actress Eleanor McCoy and film director Stan Lathan. Her career began after she appeared in the shows In the House, Family Matters, NYPD Blue, and Moesha. Lathan later garnered further prominence after starring in the 1998 superhero film Blade; which followed with film roles in The Best Man (1999), Love & Basketball (2000), Disappearing Acts (2000), and Brown Sugar (2002).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taye Diggs</span> American actor

Scott Leo "Taye" Diggs is an American actor. He is known for his roles in the Broadway musicals Rent and Hedwig and the Angry Inch, the TV series Private Practice (2007–2013), Murder in the First (2014–2016), and All American (2018–2023), and the films How Stella Got Her Groove Back (1998), Brown Sugar, Chicago, Malibu's Most Wanted (2003), and The Best Man (1999) and its sequel, The Best Man Holiday (2013).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nicole Ari Parker</span> American actress

Nicole Ari Parker Kodjoe is an American actress and model. She made her screen debut with a leading role in the critically acclaimed independent film The Incredibly True Adventure of Two Girls in Love (1995) and went on to appear in Boogie Nights (1997), directed by Paul Thomas Anderson.

<i>How Stella Got Her Groove Back</i> 1998 American romantic comedy-drama film

How Stella Got Her Groove Back is a 1998 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by Kevin Rodney Sullivan, adapted from Terry McMillan's best-selling 1996 novel of the same title. The film stars Angela Bassett, Taye Diggs, Whoopi Goldberg, and Regina King. The original music score was composed by Michel Colombier.

<i>Love & Basketball</i> 2000 film by Gina Prince-Bythewood

Love & Basketball is a 2000 American romantic sports drama film written and directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood in her feature film directorial debut. The film is produced by Spike Lee and Sam Kit and stars Sanaa Lathan and Omar Epps. It tells the story of Quincy McCall (Epps) and Monica Wright (Lathan), two next-door neighbors in Los Angeles, who are pursuing their respective basketball careers before eventually falling for each other.

<i>The Best Man</i> (1999 film) 1999 American film

The Best Man is a 1999 American comedy drama film written and directed by Malcolm D. Lee in his directorial debut. It was produced by 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks, with Lee's cousin, Spike Lee, serving as producer. The film stars an ensemble cast led by Taye Diggs and Nia Long, with the debut of Regina Hall.

<i>The Wood</i> 1999 film by Rick Famuyiwa

The Wood is a 1999 American coming-of-age comedy drama film directed by Rick Famuyiwa and starring Omar Epps, Richard T. Jones and Taye Diggs. It was written by Famuyiwa and Todd Boyd.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Used to Love H.E.R.</span> 1994 single by Common Sense

"I Used to Love H.E.R." is a hip hop song by the Chicago-born rapper Common Sense. Released on the 1994 album Resurrection, "I Used to Love H.E.R." has since become one of Common's best known songs. Produced by No I.D., its jazzy beat samples "The Changing World" by George Benson. A music video directed by Chris Halliburton was made for the song. The song is also found on Common's greatest hits album, Thisisme Then.

<i>Something New</i> (film) 2006 American romantic comedy drama film by Sanaa Hamri

Something New is a 2006 American romantic comedy drama film directed by Sanaa Hamri. The screenplay by Kriss Turner focuses on interracial relationships and traditional African American family values and social customs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rick Famuyiwa</span> American film and television director (born 1973)

Rick Famuyiwa is an American filmmaker and television director. He is best known for the films The Wood (1999), Brown Sugar (2002), and Dope (2015), as well for his work on the television series The Mandalorian. His films have been nominated for or won multiple awards, including in 2008, when he received an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Writing in a Motion Picture for the film Talk To Me (2007).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sterling K. Brown</span> American actor (b. 1976)

Sterling Kelby Brown is an American actor. He is the recipient of various accolades, including three Primetime Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe Award. He was included in Time magazine's list of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2018.

Erik Weiner is an American actor, writer, comedian, and producer best known for co-creating the play The Bomb-itty of Errors and his role as Agent Sebso on HBO's Boardwalk Empire.

The 3rd BET Awards took place at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles, California on June 24, 2003. The awards recognized Americans in music, acting, sports, and other fields of entertainment over the past year. Comedian Mo'Nique hosted the event for the first time.

<i>The Best Man Holiday</i> 2013 American comedy-drama film

The Best Man Holiday is a 2013 American comedy-drama film written, co-produced and directed by Malcolm D. Lee. A sequel to Lee's The Best Man (1999), it stars Morris Chestnut, Taye Diggs, Regina Hall, Terrence Howard, Sanaa Lathan, Nia Long, Harold Perrineau, Monica Calhoun and Melissa De Sousa, all reprising their roles from the previous film. Along with Lee, the film was produced by Sean Daniel.

The 13th BET Awards were held at the Nokia Theatre L.A. Live in Los Angeles, California on June 30, 2013. The awards ceremony recognized Americans in music, movies, sports and other fields of entertainment over the past year. Comedian and actor Chris Tucker hosted the event for the first time.

<i>Flyy Girl</i> 1993 book by Omar Tyree

Flyy Girl is young adult/new adult literature and an urban fiction book written by Omar Tyree. The book was originally published by Mars Productions in 1993 and republished by Simon & Schuster for adults in 1996. The novel is regarded to be the genesis of the modern urban-fiction/street-lit movement that would later gain momentum in 1999 with the publication of Sister Souljah's The Coldest Winter Ever.

<i>On the Come Up</i> (soundtrack) 2022 soundtrack album

On the Come Up (Music from the Motion Picture) is the soundtrack album accompanying the 2022 film of the same name. The album was released on September 23, 2022 by Paramount Music and featured 12 tracks, which were sung by Jamila C. Gray, Lil Yachty and Rapsody, who executive produced the soundtrack with 1500 or Nothin' Bobby Francis and Larrance "Rance" Dopson.

References

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.