Richard Benjamin directs Whoopi Goldberg, Ted Danson and Nia Long in this romantic comedy where a black high school honour student discovers her mother visited a sperm bank to get pregnant and her biological father is a white moron.

Will Smith’s big screen crossover role. The Fresh Prince steals his scenes in the best friend role. The first half is really broad and zany, a lot more entertaining than you’d expect. The second half descends into romantic bleh… the jokes fade but Goldberg and Danson have surprisingly strong chemistry so it isn’t a complete wash out. Jennifer Tilly is also incredibly funny in her small role… clearly improvised. I’ve read a few retrospective Letterboxd reviews stating the racial politics of the film don’t hold up to 21st century scrutiny. I’m not going to say what is racist and what isn’t but…Goldberg and Long’s characters were originally scripted as white, the project was overhauled by an uncredited Carrie Fisher to accommodate the African American stars casting and Benjamin embroiders his goofy farce with plenty of right-on political references. You’d struggle to find many Hollywood projects of the early Nineties where characters organically wear Act Up T-Shirts and Malcolm X caps, there isn’t a suggestion of gang violence and a white and black lead end up together in middle class harmony. Feels pretty progressive, even now.

6

Perfect Double Bill: Corrina, Corrina (1994)

My wife and I do a podcast together called The Worst Movies We Own. It is available on Spotify or here https://letterboxd.com/bobbycarroll/list/the-worst-movies-we-own-podcast-ranking-and/