Ed's Review Dot Com

Kandoo Films, Forward Movement

Salli Richardson-Whitfield, Tracie Thoms, Omari Hardwick, Michole Briana White, Beverly Todd, Dijon Talton, Damone Roberts, Phalana Tiller, Royale Watkins, Owen Smith, Blair Underwood

Maye (Sally Richardson) is devastated after her beloved aunt, Amanda (Beverly Todd), dies of breast cancer. Maye (Salli Richardson-Whitfield) has moved out of her home and put her career on hold (She is a very successful make-up artist in Hollywood) and moved into her aunt’s house to spend her aunts last days and to take care of her, but now she must move everything out of the home they shared, move back into her own home, and resume her career while still coping with her grief. Maye’s life is touched by other mourners, giving her the strength to carry on. Yet Maye’s healing is complicated by the jealousy of Amanda’s estranged daughter, Fran (Michole White), who resents Maye’s close relationship with her very unusual mother.

This is an independent Black film, but race has very, very little to do with the story. It is a slow moving and thought provoking film that examines the relationships that Maye has with the people who either hate her or support her. She has a boyfriend who does not support her and cannot face death in the least. He was completely absent through the whole ordeal. The friction between Maye and Fran is very fascinating too. Neither is right, and neither is wrong. Fran wants what Maye has, but is completely unable to face it. She wants to be close to her mother without putting the effort because she can’t understand. She blames Maye for taking her place, and doesn’t hesitate to point that out, but yet everyone knows she couldn’t have done what Maye did anyway.

This is a very intellectual film, and there’s very little action or heavy drama, but it is a relationship film. Much like “Soul Food” this is a good look inside a Black family giving us a feel for some of the dynamics of the families involved. The characters are very well developed, and though the cast is not extremely well known, they are very good and do a great job bringing the look and feel to the film. This is not everyone’s cup of tea, but if you like good family relationship films, this is one of the best I have seen in a long time.

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