This week in Reel Shorts, a woman pledges to keep herself from being the oldest and the only woman in her entire family never to wed and embarks on a thirty-day, thirty-thousand-mile expedition to charm a potential suitor into becoming her fiancé in the romantic comedy, Baggage Claim.
Audio Review
Writer/director David E. Talbert’s latest film finds the beautiful, yet naive flight attendant Montana Moore (Paula Patton), looking for love in all the wrong places. When her younger sister, (Lauren London) proudly announces that she’s engaged and hearing the voice of her mother (Jenifer Lewis) telling her that you’re only a lady if you’re married by the age of 30, Moore has 30 days to find a husband to bring to her sister’s engagement party.
With the help of her two friends and colleagues Gail (Jill Scott) and Sam (Adrien Brody), they hatch an elaborate plan to reunite her with her with a series of former boyfriends in hope of finding Mr. Right. Never mind that in the film’s universe, all of her ex’s will ONLY fly on the airline she works for or that Patton is beautiful enough that her suitors should be STALKING her.
Fortunately for Moore, the pickings aren’t slim but each of her suitors have their own set “baggage” they bring to the table ranging from infidelity, deception, as well as one who already has a “significant other,” but he just doesn’t know it.
After mining similar territory a couple of years ago in Jumping the Broom, audiences are still trying to understand why this sexy beauty STILL can’t find a good man on-screen. The film features solid performances from Derek Luke as her childhood buddy that lends able support from across the hall and Scott, who displays a wonderful combination of sassiness, sexiness and humor that foreshadows her expanding her talent and skills.
While the film is a much better effort than Talbert’s silly and disappointing debut, First Sunday, Baggage Claim still feels like a movie straight off of the Black romantic comedy assembly line. While it has it’s charms, ultimately, it is a middle of the road effort that is neither outstanding, nor disappointing – it just exists as average piece of fluff that will be delightful to watch once it hits cable late at night.
Patton, one more of these films and you’ll be looking for new representation because these will be the only scripts you’ll get!!!
Grade: C
Great Movie!