gregeichelberger Originally published on Jan. 31, 2006:Guess who's coming to dinner? Sanaa Latham and Simon Baker, but the meal is a rather unappetizing one.It's "Stella Gets Her Groove Back" meets "Jungle Fever" in this modern tale of an African- American woman who has it all – looks, body, success, brains, ambition – everything except an IBM (Ideal Black Man). Kenya (Latham, "Alien vs. Predator") is a smart, beautiful account lawyer climbing the corporate ladder in a white man's world. After a recent promotion, she moves into her first home in an upper middle class section of Los Angeles.Having just broke up with her Muslim boyfriend, she is now cocooned in her work and moving chores, despite the attempts of her slutty best friends to set her up with a man as quickly as possible.She is then set up on a blind date (that she does not want to go on) with Brian (Baker, "Ring 2," "Land of the Dead"), a handsome, muscular man, who also happens to be white. Embarrassed and a bit racist, she excuses herself from the situation.Attending a friend's party, she raves about the garden's landscaping, only to discover it was Brian's handiwork. Reluctantly, she takes his card and later calls him to transform her barren backyard. As usual, in films like these, a love affair slowly develops between the two seeming polar opposite individuals (she's subdued, prissy and anal retentive; he's a free spirited nature lover), but complications arise soon enough.All of Kenya's friends tell her she should not get involved with someone not of her race, while her mother (Alfre Woodward) openly disdains the relationship. Negative comments are made about Brian's ethnicity as if being white is somehow an unbelievable evil. Who wrote this script, anyway, Louis Farrakhan?!In addition, Brian does not always understand her constant obsession with being black, and, after making love one night, he makes an innocent remark about Kenya's hair (saying she should take out the extensions and be more natural), and she goes ballistic over it (yeah, I didn't quite get her reaction, either) and throws him out.Meanwhile, her lawyer brother (Donald Faison, "King's Ransom," TV's "Scrubs") introduces her to another attorney, Michael (Blair Underwood, "LA Law"), and those two hit it off, based on their common occupations and race.Still, Kenya misses the electricity and spontaneity she had with Brian, but should she buck her parents, friends and peers by actually getting serious with a Caucasian, or be safe and stay with her own kind?It is interesting that most of the black characters are successful (lawyers, doctors, judges, etc.), while the one white lead is a gardener. It's a welcome diversion from all of the films in which a black is either a rapper, a thug, a drug dealer or a prostitute. We've come a long way, baby.Directed by Sanaa Hamri (it's her feature debut), "Something New" is a compelling diversion, at times, and boasts decent performances from the leads, but seems to have trouble deciding whether it wants to be a deep drama about racial division in this country or a smart-aleck jivefest.I also could not help thinking that if the situation were reversed, with a white woman wanting to date a black guy (like any Julia Stiles film), would the negative comments about HIS race be as tolerated? I think not.

cinmoon2 I loved how the movie showed all different sides of the race issue, racism, reverse racism, how we all black and white try to make the other races uncomfortable like they shouldn't be with another race besides their own. I also happen to be in an interracial relationship, I am white, and he is black. Sometimes it is really hard to be on both sides of it. The white community and the black community act the same towards us...they either love us or hate us. I don't see what the big deal is, I have dated all kinds of different races, i don't see color, I just see a good man! Finally find one that happens to be black. I hate that I have to hear comments from white guys, and the black girls about who I am with. It doesn't happen all the time, but hate it when it does. Society really has to come into the new millennium about it!! I am so glad that there is finally a movie about it all!! loved it...loved it.... loved it!!!!

fierypoeticgirl Very charming movie. I loved all the "natural" acting talent that each character displayed. As Kenya's father tells her, "The boy isn't a Martian, he's just white." He goes on to bring out the main point of this film which is that we're all mixed up no matter race, color, etc. One of the black male characters even says, "It's not about color, it's about the love connection between a man and a woman." A-men! I adore this film. There should be more like it. Every racial point was hit upon too. In one scene, Brian says, "I just need a night off." Later, he realizes that most blacks don't get a night off, and that he should be there to hear her complaints. What is a soul-mate if we cannot share our woes and joys with him/her?

tachante Definitely a film for all mixed race couples to watch...full of emotion and a great movie to watch. It goes through the tough times of a couple - one of them is white, one of them is black. It goes through how their family and friends react, how they deal with such reactions but how their hearts react too. Due to the tensions that still exist between whites and blacks, especially in America, this movie is a complete icebreaker and it teaches that it isn't race that matters in a relationship or what anyone thinks, but love. It has an interesting ending and perfect for a night in with the ice cream. Definitely one of the better romance films of 2006.