Movie Review: Guess Who

Thumbs up.

I originally expected this movie to be a typical piece of Hollywood tripe, taking a plot with potential drama and turning it into a string of slapstick gags.  Oh look, there's Bernie Mac with grass on his face.  Oh look, there's Ashton Kutcher falling down.

And then I heard it was based on "Guess Who's Coming To Dinner."

So I gave it a chance.  I was pleasantly surprised.  Yes, it did have some "oh ha ha look it's two guys sleeping in the same bed" moments.  But it also wove in several very meaningful themes, and it took the time to handle them in a thoughtful and mature way.

That being said, it doesn't hold a candle to the original.  The original movie starred Sydney Poitier and Katherine Hepburn and is arguably one of the best films of all time.  If you haven't seen it, you should.  Not just because it handles race issues in a way that still seems relevant 50 years later.  But also because it is some of the best script writing and some of the best acting you will ever see.  I'm especially thinking about Katherine Hepburn's monologue toward the end.  If you've seen the movie you'll know what I'm talking about.

So, the new movie may not hold a candle to the old one, but it's still good.  If you're going to rent a movie, get the original.  But if you're going to rent two movies, get this one too (but watch the original first).

J