Hav Plenty

The very first time we (myself and 16 year old daughter) viewed this film, we found it to be hilarious. I'm happy my daughter watched with me for the first time however, due to the clitoris comment made by Hill Harper. It was too mature for her but luckily I was there to bring her back. So, parents take the "R" ratings to heart. Chris Cherot evidently has the same type of sense of humor as we because we were cracking up. It was refreshing to watch normal(educated, well-versed) black folks interacting. It seemed more like a documentary to me. The acting was so natural and I appreciated how true the characters were to their feelings. They all seemed to be so comfortable in their own skin. I would like to know if they ended up together though. Or was the ending a part of Chris's comment at the end "I only sold out a little bit". Also, is there a book available if anyone knows?

I was offended, bored and annoyed while watching this. I don't usually agree with many of Maltin's summaries but his take on this one is right on the money (except I'd only give it 1/2 a star - just for being able to get distributed and those celebrity cameos - terrible waste of connections). As well as being smug, the movie was colorist, classist and disturbingly close-minded.

Besides the fact that this quasi-movie could have gotten funded and distributed, when quality projects are struggling to get produced, the most disturbing thing is that there are people who have watched this and thought it was anything more than horrid.

Sorry, but no thanks!

Lee Plenty is house sitting for his friend Hav Savage. The pair have a frosty relationship but also have slight crushes on each other. When Hav invites Lee down to her parent's house in Washington for New Years eve he travels down but finds himself involved in the lives of all the women under that roof. Every time he tries to leave something comes up.

The plot of this film is a little vague to say the least – it is really based on real life so the rambling story can be excused. It even has a story within a story and finishes with a point that's hard to understand in context of the true story context. However that's not to say that it is without charm, despite not moving in one clear direction it is quite nice. The relationships between all the main characters are quite witty and involving – making the story good despite it's weakness.

The cats are generally good. I felt that Cherot did well as a writer and director but as an actor his performance wasn't good enough to carry the film. His mugging is quite irritating at times and makes it hard to believe that anyone would fall for his `charms'. In fairness he's not terrible but someone else could have done it better. Maxwell is frosty, sexy and vulnerable all at the same time and is really good in an initially unlikable character. Similarly her sister Leigh (played by Lee) is cute and does well with a complex role. The cameos in the movie within the movie are also quality but only really for laughs – Nia Long, Lauryn Hill, Mekhi Phiffer and TLC's Chilli.

Overall this struggles from a narrative that lacks direction and a lead star who maybe thinks he's funnier than he is. But the overall film is witty and charming, the cast are young and sexy and interesting and it's nice to see a black comedy that doesn't have the terrible Master P in it!

I saw Hav Plenty when it was first released back in 1997 and i still feel about it today the same as i did when i left out of the theater back in '97. I left the theater feeling uplifted about love. And not only was this a very likable little love story, but it was an incredible character study on how opposites can come to attract and how best friends may sometimes make the best lovers. The performances were flawed at times but what the film lacked in the strongest of performances it more than made up for by the overall chemistry of characters and the general likability of them as well. It's a good love story. It certainly didn't reinvent the wheel but it certainly is worth a viewing.

I saw Hav Plenty on cable one night. I thought the movie was good. The characters were interesting and Lee was a very likable person to me. He had an off-wit charm yet caring demeanor that I could see different types of women falling for. I appreciated the fact the movie was different and introduced more middle-class African-Americans, which are often neglected.

The plot was a bit fuzzy and had the makings of a first time director but overall entertaining.