Ngala Robinson I am so glad I discovered this gem of Canadian cinema. The performances, especially by the two leads, Hill Harper and Marlyne Afflack in the roles of Michael and Jasmine, were gripping and heartfelt. Harper and Afflack were so natural and appealing in portraying the chemistry and the many emotional upheavals of their characters' relationship, that I found myself rooting for this couple to survive against all the odds (Michael is addicted to porn and a regular customer of the video store Pornucopia). The film explores some thought-provoking and somewhat dark themes, such as obsession, sexual dysfunction, escapism and the frustrations of aspiring artists. But comedic touches abound: Mark Taylor (Romeo in the sitcom Student Bodies) puts on a very respectable "Jafakin" accent as Michael's mama's boy/playa friend; there's outrageously campy fake porn scenes from Michael's imagination and from the tapes he loves and much, much more. As a Jamaican Canadian, I loved the elements of black Canadian culture that shine through in the film: the dance hall songs in the soundtrack, eating chicken bones, Caribbean slang, Haitian Creole, lack of punctuality...The black characters also experience the subtle, but damaging form of racism prevalent in Canada when they are dismissed and typecast. However, the viewer is constantly reminded that black people are and will always be an integral part of Canadian life: the characters speak to each other in English and French, Barenaked Ladies and hip hop go hand in hand and hockey brings everyone together. Sudz Sutherland deserves some serious props for his screen writing/direction: the film is well-paced, nice to look at, smart, sexy, stylistically innovative in blurring the lines between fantasy and reality and full of wry, self-mocking, distinctively Canadian humour. I was very satisfied with the quality of the DVD in general, which includes an insightful making-of featurette, but the quiet sound and lack of subtitles were disappointing. I recommend this film highly to all film lovers and especially people who like their romantic comedies with a strong twist (think of Mambo Italiano, another Canadian classic).

tvalstar99 This is a nice relation drama/comedy flick.After all the films I've seen in the past months it is nice to see a movie that has a convincing story and is situated in a place thats looks like it is on earth. Man meets woman and they fall in love. The comedy about it is that the leading character, Michael, only gets a hard one if he watches porn. Too bad. But his girlfriend makes a big fuzz about it. Enough stuff for director and writer Sutherland to let us feel with Michael and maybe understand its problem (hey, thinking of it is alway hornier than doing it. Forget it, I had this discussion with my friends and we agreed about it). His lover Jasmine is not very into the porn and she sees it as a big problem. But hardly talks about it and lets poor Michael onto his own. Hey, it is the millennium, talk about it, pay a shrink for him! All is fair, this movie is very nice. It's interesting, funny and the main character Michael is likable and all actors do a great job. Ik give it a well deserved 7.

ali_ali_aii Aside from Ed Robertson's performance this movie had absolutely nothing new to offer. It was a cheap version of African American projects like 'LoveJones' with some American Pie-type humour. There was no real depth to the characters and the script was just weak. If you want formulaic blandness check this film out.You see some folks seem to think that audiences REALLY want to be reminded that men only think about sex, Black men try almost anything to get a woman and ditzy blonde women really want Black men. This film needed a big dose of Dan Savage -why couldn't jasmine orally pleasure hill harper? why is the film so heteronormative? Why did it need to rely on imported African American caricatures (professional Black woman - check; gold digger out for a loaded man - check; 'artsy' Black man who is troubled but has talent to show the world if only he'd be given a break by the SYSTEM - check; hypersexual black females in beauty salon - check; Jamaican caricatures - check)? If Toronto wants to avoid celebrating mediocrity it needs to challenge complacent artists that think they can just roll out American cliches with some Scarborough flava and Haitian tokens.

ldr1swak Saw this @ the 12th Pan African Film & Arts Festival in Los Angeles @ the Magic Johnson's Theatre... and LOVED IT!!! "...Bones" was funny, poignant, heartbreakingly sad & erotic (in a fun/nasty sort of way)... I felt the Hill's portrayal of no focus w/ his photography & h is pain & sadness & deep, intense love... what a great job. The film offers a most realistic portrayal of a situation that many men & quite a few women have no doubt experienced-quite realistic & very much "oh-no-I-know-this-is-not-happening-to-me". When it plays in your neighborhood, GO SEE IT!