Brown Sugar

Director: Rick Famuyiwa Rick Famuyiwa

Overview

"Brown Sugar utilizes an impressive 1.85:1 widescreen anamorphic transfer that is virtually free of defects. The bright colors spring nicely from the screen, and little grain appears during the darker shots. The reverse side offers the pan-and-scan, 1.33:1 full-frame format. An impressive collection of hip-hop tunes dominates this soundtrack, and it booms powerfully from an effective 5.1 Channel Dolby Digital transfer. The sounds move well across the field and offer decent complexity. The disc also includes a decent number of supplements spread across both sides of the disc. The most significant one is a commentary from co-writer/director Rick Famuyiwa and editor Dirk Westervelt. Famuyiwa has a relaxed form of delivery that sometimes becomes dull, but he does provide some interesting statements. The other major extra features are four deleted scenes, which cover about six minutes and were mostly removed for pace issues, and two music videos. They are both excellent tracks -- ""Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip Hop)"" from Erykah Badu, featuring Common, and Mos Def's ""Brown Sugar,"" featuring Faith Evans. The remaining supplements include a brief soundtrack spot and preview trailers, which offer widescreen transfers and decent stereo soundtracks."

Product Details

Release Date:	02/11/2003
UPC:	0024543065494
Original Release:	2002
Rating:	PG-13
Source:	Fox Searchlight
Region Code:	1
Presentation:	[Full Frame, Wide Screen]
Sound:	[Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround]
Language:	English
Time:	1:49:00

Special Features

Closed Caption;Full-length audio commentary by director Rick Famuyiwa and film editor Dirk Westervelt; Deleted scenes with optional commentary; Music videos: "Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip Hop)" by Erykah Badu featuring Common and "Brown Sugar (Extra Sweet)" by Mos Def featuring Faith Evans; Theatrical trailer

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Taye Diggs	Dre
Sanaa Lathan	Sidney
Mos Def	Chris
Nicole Ari Parker	Reese
Boris Kodjoe	Kelby
Queen Latifah	Francine
Wendell Pierce	Simom
Common	Himself
Erik Weiner	Ren
Reggi Wyns	Ten
Melissa Martinez	Meghan,Herself
Doug E. Fresh	Himself
Aaliyyah Hill	Young Sidney
Marc John Jefferies	Young Dre
Venida Evans	Older Woman
Breece Wilson	Woman 2
Brette Taylor	Woman 2
Donna DuPlantier	Woman 3
Rosalyn Coleman	Trish Hofmann
Robin T. Kirksey	Bartender 1
Sterling K. Brown	Co-Worker
Kofi Boakye	Host
Dena Atlantic	Hot 97 Assistant
Gerry Pinzon	Instructor
Sam McPherson	Iridium Waiter
Big Daddy Kane	Himself
Black Thought	Himself
Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson	Himself
Kool G Rap	Himself
Helmar Augustus Cooper	Reverend
Keith Tisdell	Richard
Wyking Jones	Bartender
Toks Olagundoye	Sidney's L.A. Assistant
Opal Alladin	Crafts Vendor
Dana Dane	Himself
Slick Rick	Himself
Jermaine Dupri	Himself
Pete Rock	Himself
Trugoy 'The Dove'	Himself
Plugwon Posdnuos	Himself
Vincent L. Mason	Himself
Kimora Lee Simmons	Herself,Himself
Beanie Sigel	Himself
Talib Kweli	Himself
Hadley Martin Fisher	Backstage Bartender
D.J. Jus	Kid in the Park
Liza Lapira	Hot 97 Receptionist
Ralph Tresvant	Royale
Method Man	Actor
Robert Hurst	Composer

Technical Credits

Rick Famuyiwa

Michael Elliot

Michael Elliott

Rick Famuyiwa	Director,Screenwriter
Douglas Crosby	Stunts
Alexa L. Fogel	Casting
Peter Heller	Producer
Earvin Johnson	Executive Producer,Producer,Executive Producer
Michael Elliot	Screenwriter
William Sarokin	Sound/Sound Designer
Michael Elliott	Screenwriter

Editorial Reviews

This charming but predictable romantic comedy is a pleasant viewing experience that doesn't offer much passion or excitement. Perhaps this is because the more-than-just-a-friendship between Dre Taye Diggs and Sidney Sanaa Lathan doesn't seem to be based on much more than a mutual love of rap music. Diggs and Lathan are both likeable and attractive actors, but they don't really heat up the screen in this particular film; Sidney and Dre have some chemistry as friends but there isn't enough of a spark between them or much depth to their relationship. Also, there isn't much dramatic tension in the story, which seems to be based on characters taking a long time to figure out obvious points. The people who made this film do seem to genuinely appreciate hip-hop; the characters drop the right names and the movie includes an impressive list of cameos by noteworthy musicians, as well as supporting performances by rappers Queen Latifah (who is appealing but underutilized) and Mos Def (whose quirky but affable presence is the highlight of the movie). Also, the subplot about the Hip-Hop Dalmations, an aspiring rap duo with a ridiculous gimmick, is rather amusing. Other than that, however, the film doesn't have a distinctly hip-hop sensibility; it could just as easily have been about quiet storm or jazz or another style of music. Overall this is an agreeable movie but nothing out of the ordinary.