Brown Sugar (2002)

User Rating:

5.9/10   

Director:

Rick Famuyiwa

Writers (WGA):

Michael Elliot (story)
Michael Elliot (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

11 October 2002 (USA)

Genre:

Romance | Comedy | Drama | Music

Tagline:

The Rhythm The Love The Beat ...and you don't stop

Plot:

Friends since childhood, a magazine editor (Lathan) and a hip-hop record exec (Diggs) stumble into romantic territory.

Plot Keywords:

Hip Hop | Writer | Record Company | Basketball | Pool Game

Awards:

1 win & 16 nominations

Cast

Taye Diggs	...	Andre Romulus 'Dre' Ellis
Sanaa Lathan	...	Sidney 'Syd' Shaw
Mos Def	...	Chris 'Cav' Anton Vichon
Nicole Ari Parker	...	Reese Marie Wiggam Ellis
Boris Kodjoe	...	Kelby Dawson
Queen Latifah	...	Francine
Wendell Pierce	...	Simon
Erik Weiner	...	Ren
Reggi Wyns	...	Ten
Melissa Martinez	...	Meghan
Aaliyyah Hill	...	Young Sidney
Marc John Jefferies	...	Young Dre
Venida Evans	...	Older Woman
Breece Wilson	...	Woman
Brette Taylor	...	Woman 2

Also Known As:

I Used to Love Her (USA) (working title)
Seven Days

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for sexual content and language.

Runtime:

109 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Australia:M | Iceland:L | South Korea:15 | Argentina:13 | Canada:PG | Denmark:A | Germany:6 | Singapore:PG | Spain:T | UK:12A | USA:PG-13 (certificate #39139)

Filming Locations:

Central Park, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Evergreen Productions

Goofs:

Continuity: At the party, after Kelby proposes to Sidney, Dre and Sidney have a conversation, during which the two gold records on the wall behind them disappear and reappear between shots.

Quotes:

Chris: I'm not the Humphrey Bogart in this. I'm the Peter Lorre. I'm the sidekick character. You the Humphrey Bogart. You had your opening. You know what I'm saying? She wanted you to stop her from marrying the old dude, but you let it ride, you know? Same thing Bogey did, man. You're the same dude.
Dre: Man, don't be dissin' Humphrey Bogart, man.
Chris: Why not?
Dre: 'Cause he's Humphrey Bogart. He's the man. Yo, he was fightin' a war. That's what they did back then.
Chris: You know what he needed to do back then? He needed to stop fine-ass Ingrid Bergman from gettin' on the plane with the corny dude. And then, he gonna walk off in the fog with some other dude. Come on, man. With another dude, in the fog? Come on. Two grown men walk off in a fog, you don't know where they goin'? Think about it, man.
[...]

Movie Connections:

References "Yo! MTV Raps" (1988)

Soundtrack:

Get It Together

A woman's love for hip hop grows as she ages and learns the significance behind it as well as who it represents.

My summary of the movie is my opinion. I love this movie because I feel that Sidney Shaw is using a metaphor throughout the whole movie. She is comparing Hip Hop to her best friend Dre, both of which are alike. I find this movie amazing because of all the metaphors found within the movie, that only one can find if they look closely.

For example, when Sidney and Dre are in the store looking at something to buy for her new place, they come across a "vase" and the woman at the store explains to them that many couples enjoy that piece. Later within the movie, you see that that vase is in Sidney's house.

I also enjoy this movie because everything that is said, and everything that is done within the movie has a meaning behind it. Foreshadowing is found everywhere, you just have to look closely enough for it. Nothing in this movie is done without a reason.

Every line said within the movie is said beautifully and has significance behind it. My favourite line within the movie, that I've carried with me ever since I heard it is, "So what is the difference between rap and hip-hop? It's simple. It's like the difference between saying you love somebody and being IN love with somebody. Rap is just a word." When I heard that line, I fell in love with this movie and I had to watch it over again, and I have watched it many times. Each time I find more meanings that I missed the first time. What I like even more about this movie is that they use actual artists in the movie that state their opinion on "When they first fell in love with Hip Hop." "Brown Sugar" spoke to me. It's real. Nothing in it is fake like in the majority of movie's these days which is why I think I enjoy it so much. I recommend this movie to anyone who has a passion about something or to anyone who looks for significant meanings behind anything.