arts & entertainment
DVD Explores State of Black-on-Black Romance in the 21st Century
D
irected by Russ Parr,
35
&
Ticking
revolves around a
quartet of lifelong friends,
Victoria (Tamala Jones),
Zenobia
(Nicole
Ari
Parker), Cleavon (Kevin
Hart) and Phil (Keith
Robinson). The picture’s
point of departure is 1983,
when the four were still in
grade school. Back then, the
boys were fond of teasing
Zenobia, a gangly girl quite
M ovIE
r EvIEW
by Kam
Williams
tall for her age.
The story soon fast-for-
wards to the present, where
we find Zenobia dreading
her 37th birthday celebra-
tion because she hears her
biological clock ticking and
she’s still looking for her
life mate. Despite her high-
profile job as a TV sports-
caster, she hasn’t exactly
been dating appropriate
men. The latest in her long
line of losers is Zane
(Clifton Powell), an ex-con
who objects to her wearing
a red dress to a party
because it’s a rival gang’s
color.
Nerdy Cleavon is single,
too, primarily because he
lacks the confidence to
approach women. Plus, he
doesn’t have a job, unless
selling his semen to an
infertility clinic counts.
As for Phil, he’s married
with children, but his imma-
ture wife Koko (Jill Marie
Jones) is considering leav-
ing him for a womanizing
NBA
star
(Darius
McCrary). At the other
extreme, Victoria would
like to start to a family, but
her reluctant hubby (Dondre
Whitfield) doesn’t want any
kids.
The tension builds in each
of these scenarios en route
to their eventual emotional
resolutions. Yet betwixt and
between
are
myriad
moments of levity which
serve as gentle reminders
not to take it all too serious-
ly. All the loose ends are
tied satisfactorily by the
time the curtain comes
down, making “35 &
Ticking” an amusing look at
the state of black-on-black
romance in the 21st century.
DVD: 35 & TICKIN
He tries to make a love
connection with the help of
Zenobia who coaches him
on how to approach a
woman. “Tell her you’re
name, tell her she’s pretty,
and don’t tell her you’re
unemployed.” Cleavon suc-
cessfully employs that strat-
egy with Falinda (Meagan
Good), but then has to
worry about whether the
gorgeous stranger will lose
interest once she learns that
the “bank” he works at is
just a sperm bank.
Very Good (2.5 stars)
Rated R for crude sexuality.
Running time: 104 minutes
Distributor: Image Entertainment
DVD Extras: Deleted scenes, “Behind-theScenes”
featurette, and a photo gallery.
September 14, 2011 The Portland and Seattle Skanner page 9