Funny Valentines

When I first read this short story by J. California Cooper I was blown away. When I heard about the movie I got excited and viewed it whenever possible on BET. It should be joined by other stories that Ms. Cooper has penned since her writing career got started by Alice Walker. Maybe one of her novels can be adapted to the screen or produced as a movie for TV. This is a story that needed to be told and shown in schools, churchs, reunions and public gatherings. Now I want to know when will it be availible to purchase? It has been 5 years and there still is no outlet for distribution. As a member of a book discussion group for 8 years, people ask me when will this movie be released? I have no answer and am not in a position to effect the release of this movie. Who can and will? Please hurry...

This was the best made for tv movie i have ever seen. It was a good movie about a rich woman from the city who gets mad at her husband and movies to live with her cousin Dearie B for a while. From there they recollect on memories of their childhood, good and bad. Loretta Devine and Alfre Woodard both did an excellent job in this movie.

I simply cannot say enough about this movie. I am watching it right now on Starz in Black, and I cannot understand why there is no DVD of this available! With all the trash out on DVD, why is this lyrical,inspiring, fantastically cast and acted film not offered for sale? I myself want 10 copies to give as gifts. The relationship between Dearie B. and Joyce May is so loving and special, and the picture of small town life is movingly drawn, even the locations are so carefully chosen, every aspect of the movie is so exquisitely perfect. The story is unforgettable. The first time I saw it I was thunderstruck that it did not get more press when it was released.This is film-making at its absolute finest.

There are several things about this movie I liked and nothing that I didn't like. The way the movie is written, the viewer is left to conclude for themselves how relationships between the characters will play out (much like a John Sayles movie, i.e. Passion Fish, Lone Star.) What I liked most, however, is even though the main cast is entirely Africian-American, the issue of race never enters into the picture. It is a movie any race can watch, enjoy, and identify with, and not feel guilty or blame about who or what they were born. As each character came across the screen, I either knew a person like that or had been in a situation similar to the character myself. We all want a life free of complications, good relationships with our family and friends, to honestly care for someone, and to be honestly cared for. Overall, it is good to watch an intelligent, well acted black movie and not get cussed out and shot at in the process.

"Funny Valentines" tells of a well to do middle aged wife and mother of two daughters who returns to her rural southern roots when she learns her husband is cheating on her only to resurrect old issues while discovering new ones. "FV" is a syrupy feel good chick flick which will likely make the sentimentalists laugh through tears while the realists are gagging and changing channels. A good production with good talent, the film deserves credit for doing what it does well and carving out a particularly delightful character in Dearie B (Devine). (B-)