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Valentine’s Day. Until a few years ago, the day meant rekindling our love with that special someone by catching the rom-com du jour at the theater, followed by a trip to a fancy, dimly-lit restaurant where we would enjoy all kinds of heart-shaped delicacies. Then COVID-19 showed up. And now even a trip to the corner store requires a full hazmat suit. Talk about a sexy outfit for a date… Luckily for us, we have delivery companies and streaming services. And I’m here to tell you exactly what you should be watching on those streaming services: one of my favorite Black-led romantic comedies.
This Valentine’s Day, I will be eating some heart-shaped jalapeño dark chocolate and binge-watching hilarious, Black-led romantic comedies from the list below — if you’d care to join me. These flicks, packed with some of our favorite African-American stars spanning the past 30 years are sure to bring sunshine on a COVID V-Day!
Read on for my personal favorites, plus where they’re streaming, below.
The Incredible Jessica James (2017)
Does a romantic comedy classify as Black when one of the protagonists is White? Oh, who cares? Love is love. Six-foot powerhouse actress/comedian Jessica Williams (The Daily Show) stars as Jessica James opposite Chris O’Dowd (Bridesmaids) in this easy-going, funny, and heartwarming flick.
Watch on Netflix.
The Lovebirds (2020)
Watch the hilariousness that ensues when bickering, on-the verge-of-a-breakup couple, Leilani (Issa Rae) and Jibran (Kumail Nanjiani), get together for this quirky, often absurd, comedy. Aside from rarely, if ever, seeing an African-American and Pakistani couple together on the big screen, the film really does bring the funny.
Love and Basketball (2000)
Don’t let the title freak you out, nobody is kissing the basketball. Instead, we have Sanaa Lathan and Omar Epps deliver a beautiful performance in a movie about love and the burden of expectation for women, and more specifically for women athletes. Released in 2000, this movie has amassed a huge cult following over the years.
Nappily Ever After (2018)
On her birthday, perfect Viola Jones with flawlessly straightened hair, expects the perfect outcome from her perfectly handsome doctor boyfriend: a proposal. Instead, she gets a dog. As her fairytale unravels, Viola starts looking into the mirror. 18 years after Love and Basketball, Sanaan Lathan gives us another pitch-perfect, soul-filled performance.
Watch on Netflix.
Boomerang (1992)
Eddie Murphy stars as Marcus, the lady’s man who confuses women with sex dolls. That is, until he meets man grinder Jacqueline Broyer (Broyer means ‘to grind’ in French) played by Robin Givens. This movie is an all-star comedy classic with Halle Berry, Martin Lawrence, Chris Rock, Tisha Campbell, and the one and only, Grace Jones.
Daddy’s Little Girls (2007)
A hood-dwelling, struggling mechanic (Idris Elba) loses custody of his three girls to his drug dealer ex (Tasha Smith), and her dangerous boyfriend. Along comes Ivy League-educated, big boss lawyer (Gabrielle Union) who takes on his case pro bono. Obviously, love blooms in this Tyler Perry classic.
Jumping the Broom (2011)
Sabrina Watson (Paula Patton), a successful lawyer who comes from old money, is getting married to self-made man Jason Taylor (Laz Alonso). However, when Sabrina’s aristocratic parents (Angela Bassett, Brian Stokes Mitchell) meet Jason’s postal-worker mother (Loretta Devine) at their estate on Martha’s Vineyard, the class and cultural division seems very wide indeed. Jumping the broom or jumping the gun?
Deliver Us From Eva (2003)
Uptight Eva Dandridge (Gabrielle Union) is all up in her three sister’s business, and that includes their men, who she chronically frustrates and intimidates by using words with more than two syllables. The three buddies strike back by hiring a legendary Player (LL Cool J) to woo Eva and get her some business of her own. This movie is plain hilarious, starring rom-com royalty Gabrielle Union.
Coming to America (1988)
Watch this movie in a nonstop loop, all year long. Prince Akeem of Zamunda, heir to the throne, travels to Queen, New York…in the 80’s, to find his queen. Eddie Murphy is untouchable as Akeem. One of the best movies ever made. Period.
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