`SOUL FOOD' LEAVES YOU PLEASANTLY FULL.Byline: Bob Strauss Daily News Film Critic Dished dished adj. 1. Concave. 2. Slanting toward one another at the bottom. Used of a pair of wheels. Adj. 1. dished - shaped like a dish or pan dish-shaped, patelliform concave - curving inward up with relish, cliches can be the dramatic equivalent of comfort food. ``Soul Food,'' the movie, cooks along in this manner with satisfying gusto. Like ``Big Night'' and ``Like Water for Chocolate,'' this episodic film is a combination of family soap opera soap opera Broadcast serial drama, characterized by a permanent cast of actors, a continuing story, tangled interpersonal situations, and a melodramatic or sentimental style. and cinematic cholesterol fest. It charts the fortunes of three Chicago sisters and their assorted loves, rivals and children as they're hit with just about every problem middle-class African-Americans conceivably could deal with. Told, sporadically, from the viewpoint of preadolescent pre·ad·o·les·cence n. The period of childhood just before the onset of puberty, often designated as between the ages of 10 and 12 in girls and 11 and 13 in boys. pre Ahmad (Brandon Hammond), this sentimental smorgasbord locates the disintegration of his extended family in the stroke that sidelines his grandma, Mother Joe (Irma P. Hall). It was her big Sunday suppers that kept everyone spiritually as well as gastronomically contented, and without her nourishing influence they all go a little crazy. Ahmad's mother, middle sister Maxine (Vivica A. Fox), fares best because, as it's at least implied, she has the stablest husband and kids of her own. Eldest Teri (Vanessa L. Williams) is a hotshot lawyer and loves to remind everyone else how much she's achieved. Her husband, Miles (Michael Beach Michael Anthony Beach (born October 30, 1963) is an American actor. Beach was born in Boston, Massachusetts, of Cape Verdean descent. He attended the prestigious Noble & Greenough School in Dedham, Massachusetts on scholarship from ABC (A Better Chance). ), is an attorney, too, but he'd rather make music. This annoys Teri to no end; black-sheep cousin Faith (Gina Ravera Gina Ravera (born May 20, 1966[1]) is an American actress. Ravera was born Gina D. Ravarra in San Francisco, California. Her father is Puerto-Rican and her mother is African-American. Filmography
Baby sister Bird (Nia Long Nia Long (born Nitara Carlynn Long on October 30, 1970) is an American actress and occasional music video director. She is best known for her roles in Big Momma's House, Soul Food, and Are We There Yet?. ) runs a beauty salon and just married an ex-con, Lem (Mekhi Phifer Mekhi Phifer (born December 29, 1974 or 1975[]) is an American actor. He has a starring role as Greg Pratt on NBC's television program ER, and won season four of Bravo's Celebrity Poker Showdown. ). He wants to make good, but his record makes getting a decent job hard. Bird teases a predatory ex-boyfriend into giving Lem work. This, as you might well imagine, is more trouble waiting to happen. The movie heads in the direction of ``A Thousand Acres'' as a fight brews over the ancestral home, but, miraculously, ``Soul Food'' remains a lot of fun just the same. The large, game cast plays all the heartaches and complications out with conviction, as if they didn't know (although we do) that a hearty cry of ``Let's eat!'' will take care of everything in the end. If anyone stands out, it's Williams; she hits just the right note of self-parody as the humorless overachiever o·ver·a·chieve intr.v. o·ver·a·chieved, o·ver·a·chiev·ing, o·ver·a·chieves To perform better or achieve more success than expected. o . Teri isn't the only thing to laugh at. Writer-director George Tillman Jr.'s script is seasoned with good laughs, which greatly help to leaven leaven (lĕv`ən), agent used to raise bread or other flour foods. Physical leavens include water vapor, which is released as steam at high temperatures (as in popovers), and air, which is incorporated by beating. its predictability. Also as expected - and we wouldn't have it any other way - the film is slathered in terrific music. Kenneth ``Babyface'' Edmonds and his wife, Tracey, were producers, and he and his brothers play members of Miles' band. Yes, ``Soul Food'' is basically movie junk food junk food n. Any of various prepackaged snack foods high in calories but low in nutritional value. junk food . It's fluffily reassuring and easy to swallow and light on real narrative protein. But sometimes you just want to go to the movies and get pleasantly stuffed. ``Soul Food'' fills that order. THE FACTS The film: ``Soul Food'' (R; language, sex, mild violence). The stars: Vanessa L. Williams, Vivica A. Fox, Nia Long, Michael Beach, Mekhi Phifer, Brandon Hammond, Gina Ravera, Irma P. Hall. Behind the scenes: Written and directed by George Tillman Jr. Produced by Tracey E. Edmonds and Robert Teitel. Released by 20th Century Fox. Running time: One hour, 54 minutes. Playing: Citywide. Our rating: Three Stars. CAPTION(S): Photo Photo: ``Soul Food'' charts the fortunes of three Chicago sisters, played by Vanessa L. Williams, left, Nia Long and Vivica A. Fox, and their assorted loves, rivals and children. |
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