Guest Author - Rain Battle

What do you get when you combine the confident sexiness of Nia Long and the laidback masculinity of Larenz Tate? A steamy, jazzy urban love story that is one of your editor's all-time favorite films. "Love Jones" is aptly titled. A "jones" is a slang term used to describe an intense yearning and both of these characters yearn intensely for love.

Larenz Tate is Darius Lovehall, a poet who is struggling with his first novel and a frequent performer at a club featuring spoken word poetry. It is there that he spots Nina Mosley and quickly performs a clever poem to woo her. Nina proves to be a tough nut to crack and Darius tries hard to win her over. After a fun, romantic date, the two soon become hot and heavy and the couple's friends even tease them about the intensity of their romance.

Complications arise when the two find their goals conflict. Consumed with not being the one to get "played" they ignore their true feelings for each other and eventually drift apart. When Nina is offered a job in another city, she takes the job, leaving Chicago and Darius - seemingly for good.

Over time, Nina wonders if she's made the right choice in going back to an old boyfriend and Darius wonders if he might have let the love of his life get away. When Nina returns for a visit, can they rekindle their love despite now leading completely separate lives?

I love this movie! "Love Jones" is such a hip, sexy film. You'll want to move to Chicago and be a part of Darius' tight knit group of friends. The actors in this film had an amazing chemistry. Isaiah Washington (Savon), Leonard Roberts (Eddie), Bernadette L. Clarke (Sheila), and Khalil Kain (Marvin) were all delightful and completely belivable as good friends who love to dish. The chemistry between Tate and Long was steamy and realistic, heating up the entire film. Lisa Nicole Carson who played Josie, Nina's best friend, was also very good though I wish we could've seen a bit more of her in this role. Bill Bellamy was a surprisingly great villain as Hollywood, Darius' jealous, backstabbing friend.


Extra! Extra! Tidbits About the Movie:

*Quote: "I just want to save something for later." "You don't have to say anything for me, baby, I want it all right now." Nina to Darius on why she wants to wait before they become intimate.

*Songworthy: "Hopeless" - Dionne Farris