Sanaa Hamri directed Something New (2006) which was a really wonderful little movie exploring race relations in Los Angeles. Something New was the primary reason that my wife and I wanted to see Hamri’s latest effort, Just Wright. Well, Just Wright is definitely several steps down from Something New, but it is a smart, classy and well-made little film, given the limitations of its genera.

A good amount of Just Wright is devoted to showing real NBA players interacting with the stars of the film – it’s the film’s gimmick, clearly. I must say, the NBA players are not too bad playing themselves, but it definitly does not make for a movie that you would want to watch over and over! I didn’t hate all the “let’s show this guy is friends with Dwyane Wade and Dwight Howard” stuff, but it didn’t do a lot for me either.

Besides all that, Just Wright is a nice little story of a black sheep getting her due – always a winner of a theme! I am not a Queen Latifa fan, but I must say this is probably the only film I have ever liked her in. It’s not a great performance, mainly because the material is just not written well enough, but she is likable and winning in the black sheep role. The fellow playing the basketball star is also solid – he is warm and earnest on screen, which is pretty much all he needed to do.

I would recommend the film, tentatively. I mean, it may not be great, but compared to crap like The Social Network this film looks outstanding. At least it has female characters who are dignified, can speak, and who hold real jobs!