Black Coffee
Fired and Dumped Dude Finds Soul Mate on Rebound in Faith-Based Romantic Romp
Black Coffee
In Theaters: Jan 10, 2014 Limited
Rated PG for mild epithets, sexual references and mature themes
Running time: 85 minutes
Comedy, Romance
Directed By: Mark Teiteleman
Written By: Mark Harris
Distributor: RLJ Entertainment
Film Review by Kam Williams
Good (2 stars)
Robert’s (Darrin Dewitt Henson) whole world collapses the day he’s fired from
the business founded by his late father only to come home to an unsympathetic
girlfriend (Erica Hubbard) who has decided to dump him because he can’t afford
to take care of her. To add insult to injury, Mita drops the bomb that she’s
been cheating on him with Nate (Josh Ventura), the guy who just terminated him.
But the jilted housepainter isn’t down in the dumps for long, since he soon
crosses paths with Morgan (Gabrielle Dennis), a gorgeous attorney he falls
head-over-heels for at first sight. The available divorcee happens to be moving
into a drab office that’s crying out for a makeover, a condition which
conveniently dovetails with housepainter Robert’s need for a job.
He closes the deal by offering the “pretty woman discount,” so it looks like
clear sailing at first blush. Not so fast, Kimosabe, since the tired-and-true
modus operandi of the stock romantic comedy is to keep the leading man and woman
apart until the very end when they disappear into the sunset together.
Such is the case with Black Coffee, a pleasant, if predictable affair written
and directed by Mark Harris (Black Butterfly). For, every time Robert and Morgan
appear ready to take the relationship to a deeper level, a monkey wrench is
thrown into the works, like the return of her ex-husband (Lamman Rucker) who
wants to reconcile.
Too bad much of the dialogue strains credulity here, such as Morgan’s cruel
cross-examination of Robert when she asks whether he can read, why black people
always have to talk while they’re working, and whether he’s a man of God. Of
course, the perfect gentleman passes the test with flying colors, but isn’t
there a less antagonistic method for a sister to find her soul mate?
A pat, if unconvincing, romantic romp determined to march inexorably to an
implausible, happily ever after finale, whether you like it or not.