Rating: 
Summary: I Wasn't Wild About This One, But It's Worth a Look
Review: Terry McMillan's followup to "Waiting to Exhale," "How Stella Got Her Groove Back," was dismissed by some critics as a fluffy beach romance novel. It definitely had its spunk, but suffered from an overall blah-ness that weighed it down. The movie version has similar problems. Our heroine, played by the fierce talent that is Angela Bassett, is a broker trying to balance her career and being a single mom. She, along with her best friend (Whoopi Goldberg), takes a vacation to Jamaica, where she falls for the striking Winston Shakespeare (Taye Diggs, whose Jamaican accent fades in and out throughout his otherwise solid performance). The problem? She's 40. And he's 20. You can pretty much imagine the issues these two have to face, as they decide whether or not to start a "serious" relationship. "How Stella..." is a pleasant movie, despite the often sappy touches that almost mar the film. The love story itself is fairly predictable, although the supporting roles from Suzzane Douglas and the always-dependable Regina King are pretty good. Don't go looking to get blown away by this movie. Like the novel on which it's based, it will pass your time nicely without requiring any deep thought.
Rating: 
Summary: A movie for every library
Review: When Stella Payne (Angela Bassett), a forty-something African American and successful businesswoman, goes on a wild vacation to Jamaica, she gets more than she bargained for in the way of unconventional romantic interests. Stella soon falls in with a younger, more Jamaican crowd featuring the winsome Winston Shakespeare (Taye Diggs) - a hot black stud who soon shows up back in the USA. Sparks may be flying, but when life settles back down does the anomalistic coupling of a native-born American and Jamaican have a true future?Drama is also high among Stella's conventional acquaintances - with whom she is shy to display her all-too-Jamaican boyfriend - and, while Winston appears comfortable in spite of the nationalistic disparity, it is all too obvious that Stella is not. Throw in a protective son (Michael Pagan) and life-long friend, the convivial and cancerous Delilah (Whoopli Goldblerg), and you've got the perfect formula for an engaging and plenary love story for everyone. Based on the novel by Terry McMillan and directed by the celebrated Kevin Sullivan (of "Conviction" and "Barbershop 2: Back in Business"), "How Stella Got Her Groove Back" is both fun and political in a refreshingly unusual way.
Rating: 
Summary: Get Your Groove On!
Review: For those of you who believe in love no matter the age difference, How Stella Got Her Groove Back will keep you coming back...again and again! While I don't agree with every scenario and some of it is a bit hard to believe (but hey, can't a person dream?), I can undeniably relate to its contribution to society. It is well written, and Angela Bassett (Stella) and Taye Diggs (Winston) do a wonderful job making their characters believable. This movie makes you want to hop a flight to the Islands for a little fun and relaxation of your own! Complement your purchase of the movie with the novel; I hear it's even better!
Rating:
Summary: Whoppi is funny
Review: I love this movie because Whoppi is hilarious.
Rating:
Summary: I Wasn't Wild About This One, But It's Worth a Look
Review: Terry McMillan's followup to "Waiting to Exhale," "How Stella Got Her Groove Back," was dismissed by some critics as a fluffy beach romance novel. It definitely had its spunk, but suffered from an overall blah-ness that weighed it down. The movie version has similar problems. Our heroine, played by the fierce talent that is Angela Bassett, is a broker trying to balance her career and being a single mom. She, along with her best friend (Whoopi Goldberg), takes a vacation to Jamaica, where she falls for the striking Winston Shakespeare (Taye Diggs, whose Jamaican accent fades in and out throughout his otherwise solid performance). The problem? She's 40. And he's 20. You can pretty much imagine the issues these two have to face, as they decide whether or not to start a "serious" relationship. "How Stella..." is a pleasant movie, despite the often sappy touches that almost mar the film. The love story itself is fairly predictable, although the supporting roles from Suzzane Douglas and the always-dependable Regina King are pretty good. Don't go looking to get blown away by this movie. Like the novel on which it's based, it will pass your time nicely without requiring any deep thought.
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