Black Coffee

Just caught the movie Black Coffee on BET tonight. I wasn't familiar with the director (Mark Harris) nor the two lead actors, and I have to admit my expectations were not high, as a matter of fact, the only thing I was expecting was to be changing the channel after about fifteen minutes. Well, let me just say, that as the final credits rolled by, I found myself having been pleasantly entertained.

First, let me give you a synopsis of the film; Robert (the charming Darrin Dewitt Henson) is having a bad day. First he gets fired from the company his father started, by Nate (Josh Ventura), the man he brought in to resurrect the business. The cloudy day continues when Robert arrives at home only to find his gorgeous but vapid girlfriend of two years Mita (Erica Hubbard of BET's Let's Stay Together) is leaving him for another man. Robert's luck doesn't get any better when he later finds out that the man Mita is leaving him for, is none other than Nate. At his lowest ebb, no job, no woman, betrayed, Robert has a quick encounter with a beautiful woman named Morgan (the enticing Gabrielle Dennis) at his local bookstore. With a little push from his hustler cousin Julian (Christian Keyes), Robert arranges to meet Morgan, and after some initial hesitation, Morgan soon finds herself as attracted to Robert as he is to her.

From this point, the film turns into a romantic comedy with Robert and Morgan going through the usual motions of falling in love, with several potholes in the road as expected. Where this movie falls short is in its ability to build up emotional conflict and drama. For example, one of those potholes the couple encounters is Morgan's ex- husband Hill (the versatile Lamman Rucker) who, unable to keep his wife from leaving, refuses to release a million dollar property to her unless she keeps away from other men. This, and Mita's attempt to come back into Robert's life should have provided ample conflict, but unfortunately, become merely a soft sub-plot. Now please understand me, I was not looking for Tyler Perry crack mama, sadistic husband, drag queen crazy aunts, type drama. What this film lacked were the stair steps that make us invest in the characters, and reveal how deep or shallow their love is.

That being said, where Black Coffee does work is in its funny, witty dialog, charismatic, lovable characters, and an attractive cast, that makes this movie a pleasure to watch. Henson as Robert shows great chops as a leading man, and if this performance is any indication, he should be showing up in more films. Keyes as hustling, wise- cracking Julian steals the scenes he is in and Hubbard's Mita takes a role which could have been annoying but adds just the amount of sass to make her believable. The star of the movie for me is Dennis, who blends a mixture of sophistication and sexiness to her role that rivals any of the A-List girls such as Halle Berry or Kerry Washington.

Director Mark Harris pulls everything together smoothly; reining in his actors so that there is no Perry-ish moments of over-acting, and allowing the movie to glide along at a steady, if not spectacular pace. Adam Lee's cinematography is as smooth and mellow as Harris' direction, allowing the actor's charm and attractiveness to be the film's finest special effect. While you're not going to be taken on the head-spinning roller coaster ride of most of today's romantic-comedies, just like Black Coffee, the film will stimulate and satisfy.

Director, Mark Harris has taken another leap forward in his career with this latest addition of "Black Coffee."

The delicate balance of black relationships is hard to capture in an authentic and heart felt way for most filmmakers, but Mark's command of subtle nuance pulls it off brilliantly here. I am particularly impressed with the way the storyline remains entertaining and sexy without ever going "raunchy". I appreciate Marks level of sophistication and taste.

Black Coffee is a great relationship film for anyone of any background and especially those brothers and sisters in the world looking for love today. Great insights into the minds of men and women.

A must rent for date night.

A great date movie, Darren Dewitt Henson and Gabrielle Dennis have undeniable chemistry in this light romantic comedy. Christian Keys and Erica Hubbard provide the laughs. I saw this at the first matinée showing in Alexandria, VA and there were a lot of laughs in the theater. This indie is set in LA. With cinematography by Adam Lee, Black Coffee has a glossy and finished look. All the actors look beautiful and director Mark Harris's earnest message of black professionalism and empowerment is a refreshing change from the stereotypes of African-Americans all to frequently seen on film. Currently in limited release, in Chicago, D.C., Baltimore and Atlanta, it deserves a wider release. Go, you will be glad you did.

Poor Robert (Darrin Dewitt Henson). First, his boss fires him, even though Robert's father actually started the company! It's a surprise. Then, when this handsome man gets home, his mercurial girlfriend declares that she is moving out, since no ring has appeared. It looks like a double whammy for Rob! His crazy, coffee seller cousin Julian (Christian Keyes) is there to help him adjust. But, sometimes things happen for the better. First, Robert can devote more time to his side business and true love, interior painting. His skill can transform office space into something magic. Then, at a secondhand bookstore, Robert spies a beautiful lady, Morgan (Gabrielle Dennis). Although he doesn't get a chance to introduce himself, SHE calls him soon, for she wants her office redecorated, as she is a lawyer. But, curiously, Gabby doesn't seem to want to respond to Robert's obvious interest. All too soon, Robert learns that her ex-husband may want her back and is messing with her mind. Then, Robert finds out that his ex-girlfriend is having an affair with his former boss. So, that's why he was fired! Will Robert be able to win Morgan's affections? Maybe so, as he hatches a brilliant idea in his mind! This movie, to some, has an obvious agenda. African Americans need to become small business owners in order to truly make the big bucks. Yes, this may be a great idea to ponder. But, even when the flick is most blatantly persuasive, there is still a nice romantic comedy at the core. We fans care most about this! The cast is nice, with Keyes, especially, very funny. Also, the setting, costumes, story and direction are quite capable, resulting in an enjoyable watch. If you love your romcoms, like me, pick this one, brew up some coffee and gobble some cookies, too.

This film begins with a young man by the name of "Robert" (Darrin Dewitt Henson) getting fired from a job at a company his father started, but now being managed by a man named "Nate" (Josh Ventura). Needless to say, since he is a hard worker and Nate was his friend, this news comes as quite a shock to him. Not only that, but when he returns to his home, he finds that his girlfriend "Mita" (Erica Hubbard) is leaving him as well since, now being unemployed, he obviously cannot continue to support her in the manner she is accustomed to. He later discovers that Mita has been cheating on him with Nate. It's during this time that he meets an attractive female lawyer by the name of "Morgan" (Gabrielle Dennis), and sparks fly between them. The problem is that Morgan's ex-husband, "Hill" (Lamman Rucker), is pressuring her to reconcile with him, and this makes any romance with Robert extremely difficult. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that this was a cute rom-com, helped in large part by the chemistry between Darrin Dewitt Henson and Gabrielle Dennis, along with the comedy supplied by Christian Keyes (as Robert's cousin "Julian") and Erica Hubbard. Admittedly, the focus seems to be geared more towards a black audience, but even so, I still enjoyed this film, and I have rated it accordingly. Slightly above average.