Python Hyena How Stella Got Her Groove Back (1998): Dir: Kevin Rodney Smith / Cast: Angela Bassett, Taye Diggs, Whoopi Goldberg, Regina King, Suzzanne Douglas: Dull to the point where I didn't care whether Stella ever got her groove back. What she needs back is her dignity after being part of this hokey flat romance. Stella is a mother and career woman who travels to Jamaica with a friend. Stella finds romance where age difference becomes an issue. Angela Bassett plays Stella whose job is written off inappropriately before sending her through predictable developments. Director Kevin Rodney Smith is aided by beautiful photography but his screenwriter must have been basking in the Jamaica sun too long because the story written here isn't anything to summarize on a post card home. Taye Diggs is the one performance that survives obvious clichés because he is the one with the plot point to prove. Whoopi Goldberg plays Stella's friend whose conclusion is pointless. She just throws in the odd one-liner to remind viewers that she is indeed a comedianne. Regina King also makes an appearance that she hopefully won't have to regret. This is not a good film. In fact it is not even romantic for those couples into a date night. Convincing argument about age and romance watered down with boredom to the point where I wished Stella would take her groove elsewhere. Score: 3 ½ / 10

vincentlynch-moonoi Angela Bassett was, of course, well-known by the time she made this film, and here she proved once again why she is one of America's better actresses. But the real story here was the film debut of Taye Diggs. As an old white guy, I first saw this film when it premiered on cable, and I thought Diggs was certain to become a popular actor. Now, 25 films later, not to mention an active career on prime time television, Diggs has become just that -- a fine and respected actor with a captivating on-screen persona that just always seems to work.Here it's the 21 year old Jamaican fellow who seduces (and I mean that in the best sense) the 40 year old businesswoman from San Francisco. The romance sizzles, despite reservations, while Whoopi Goldberg provides a bit of light-hearted comedy. The question, of course, is whether the age difference will divide two people in love. And the film does keep you guessing as to which possible ending it will be.Diggs' character's last name here is Shakepeare, and while this film hardly reaches the level of a Shakespearean tale, it's engaging, romantic, and great fun. But that doesn't mean it's all love and roses. True love never is, and meanwhile Whoopi's character is dying. So this is not just another feel good movie; there's some drama here, including making a relationship with a diversity of ages work.I give this film much higher marks than the overall rating here. It's easily worth a "7".

DrkHartGrl The first time I saw this movie I wanted to immediately hop a plane to Jamaica! I don't think it was the "meet the man of my dreams" part, but the scenery. It was just breathtaking (although the men aren't too bad to look at either!). As for the story, it was a good distraction from typical reality, because, let's face it ladies, we believe that doesn't happen everyday (especially to ourselves). The soundtrack was another good part of the movie, I just loved it. This movie is the kind that gives you hope for true romantic love, but in this cynical day and age most people don't let themselves be pulled in, or fooled, by the seemingly unrealistic situation. For those of us with a little romance still left, this is a wonderful movie. For those without, I'm sorry. (These are my thoughts excluding the latest headlines, I don't want to spoil my original feeling toward the movie).

bob the moo When her young son goes away from a few weeks to be with his father, Stella feels the void in her life and when an advert for Jamaica comes onto television, she has a momentary flash of madness and rings friend Delilah to ask her to go. Despite changing her mind a second later, Delilah makes her stick to it and soon both the middle-aged women are in Jamaica with a drink in their hands. Delilah starts chasing men, but Stella just wants rest, running and relaxation – a plan that changes when she meet the 20 year old Winston who woos, and ultimately beds her. He helps refresh her and she returns home she is a new person, but is it enough to help her cope with the challenges that await her back in the US.I have watched and enjoyed plenty of "chick flicks" and "weepies" so the vibe surrounding this film didn't put me off from trying it – plus I think Bassett is great and always worth seeing. However this film wasn't a problem for me because of genre, it was a problem because none of it rang true and none of it really engaged me on any level. The plot offers the chance for a real character piece on a middle-aged woman but if it even tries then it never gets close because it is so superficial that it doesn't do it in the slightest. However her character doesn't come through at all and it doesn't matter how many times she stares into the Caribbean landscape. The script matches this effort by just letting things happen rather than drawing us into them – this is best seen in the death of Delilah, a heartless affair that just left me cold. Likewise the relationship with Winston just didn't convince me or make me care, I was actually surprised at how little that it involved me.The whole film has this glossy, slick polish and it can even be seen in the choice of music – mostly very bland stuff with a sugary core. The direction matches this but it does the job if you are looking for a holiday brochure – Jamaica looks beautiful and fun although it does tend to add to the "superficiality without substance" feel of the film. Bassett tries to make it work but without material she can't do it; that is not to say that she doesn't try because she does put a lot into her performance and she was the main reason that I stuck with it. Diggs is a gorgeous man and the film uses his body well but in terms of acting he has been much better elsewhere. Here he can't do the accent and make a person at the same time and sadly he goes for the accent more, he has great physical chemistry with Bassett but when it comes to speaking they show no reason why they would be a couple. Goldberg is poor and (literally) phones some of her performance in before popping her clogs. King provides an ethnic stereotype so general that it is nearly offensive and Douglass does little else other than look beautiful (which she does well admittedly).Overall a remarkably bland film that just never engaged me at all. The writing and characters are soulless and none of it rings true at any point. It looks nice and it goes through the motions well enough for genre fans but even they may admit that this could and should have been a lot better than it was. A real disappointment of a film that left me with nothing to show for 120 minutes invested in it.