Movie Reviewed: Just Wright
Directed By: Sanaa Hamri
Starring: Queen Latifah, Common, Paula Patton, Pam Grier, Phylicia Rashad, James Pickens Jr., Michael Landes
Rated: Rated PG for some suggestive material and brief language.
Runtime: 100 minutes
Studio: FOX Searchlight

Sports and romantic love is a favored film theme . And why not? Trolling the sports stands for love just might be more viable than the often cumbersome online dating scene. In my humble experience, some sporting events mirror singles bars with many of the women dressed up in night club attire to attend a Phoenix Suns basketball game. Sports Fan, and New Jersey girl, Leslie Wright, however, would not dream of wearing anything to a sporting event, but jeans, tennis shoes and her team’s jersey.

Queen Latifah is Leslie Wright, a physical therapist who loves being herself, an unpretentious “what you see is what you get” woman, who is a sweet, down to earth woman in search of a man. Unlike her conniving cousin, Morgan Alexander (Paula Patton) whose dream is to be a player’s wife. “You are not supposed to show him your regular self for the first five years!” insists the plotting gold digger. A regular ‘Jezebel’ Morgan has turned preparation for her goal, to catch a rich sports figure, into a wicked art form.



Common is a natural as McKnight! All of his basketball moves are as smooth as his chemistry with his all of his female peers. A gorgeous man, Common and the camera lens have their on secret affair. Though the film is for anyone who longs for love.

Big, beautiful women, are you tired of all of the films that don’t include you in any roll other than a nanny, a supportive best friend or they just leave any character that looks like you out of the film?

If you like sports action with a loving twisted subplot about women who usually don't get the guy, self-esteem, and parental sabotage/ support, “ Just Wright” is the film for you! Oh and it is a film that totally and completely validates all the women who love sports. Rapper Common is Scott McKnight a basketball superstar who sustains a career threatening injury. By fate Leslie Wright crosses paths with McKnight, and the rest is of the film is in the movie trailer. I’m not joking!

Television stars stepped up to the big screen for this film, two legends and beauties serve the Cosby Mom, Phylicia Rashad stars as McKnight’s loving mother, Ella, support system, while cable television’s “The L Word” star Pam Grier is Leslie’s well meaning, but condescending mother, Janice Wright. James Pickens Jr., Dr. Webber on Grey’s Anatomy, is Wright’s quirky, and loving father.

When the characters are interacting with their parental units, the film seems more genuine; as does the unspoken competition between Wright and her beautiful man magnet cousin, Alexander.

“Just Wright” is a sports love story that is predictable, charming and sometimes really odd. Wright, a loving daughter, great friend and sports fanatic happens upon McKnight at a gas station where, for whatever reason, McKnight supposedly does not know how to open the gas cap on his vehicle. No! Really? Latifah is more than happy to jump out of her jalopy and come to the aid of her hero! But I ask you, what man doesn’t know how to put gas in his car? Do not answer that!

Just Wright is a satisfying “chick flick” and sports film combination; similiar to “Love & Basketball”, the baseball focused "Fever Pitch" or “Bend It Like Beckham” which explores Indian culture, love and women's football. The official "Just Wright" film trailer literally showcases the entire film in a few minutes. Director Sanaa Latham(Something New, Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants 2)has stamped the film with her special talent of positioning expressions of love in all of the right spots. Fairly solid acting and the sweet, often playful nature of the characters makes this film worth your time, and that recipe feels, well, “Just Wright”!