Salim Akil's Jumping the Broom proves equal parts provocative and predictable. Class conflict and color consciousness among black families usually get played for laughs only in nightclubs, but Elizabeth Hunter and Arlene Gibbs' screenplay attempts to tackle these issues in a romantic comedy, using humor to take the sting out of moments that might otherwise prove highly controversial.
The storybook aspects involve the wedding of corporate attorney Sabrina Watson (Paula Patton) and Wall Street whiz Jason Taylor (Laz Alonzo). Though gorgeous and upwardly mobile, they're from vastly different backgrounds — the Watsons upper-crust and moneyed, the Taylors working class. But Sabrina and her snobbish mother Claudine (Angela Bassett) don't hide their condescension once they meet Taylor's mom, Pam (Loretta Devine), a Brooklyn postal worker who's just as annoyed by their elitism. The culture clash comes to a head once Pam wants the couple to jump over a broom at their ceremony — a slavery-era tradition that infuriates Claudine. As the families gather at the Watsons' posh Martha's Vineyard estate for the wedding, ugly secrets suggest the bride's family isn't as refined as they act.
Though this is the latest in the Rev. T.D. Jakes' line of faith-based cinematic vehicles, this time there is no overtly religious backdrop. Jumping the Broom succeeds largely due to its exceptional cast — especially Bassett and Devine, whose head-on confrontations are a highlight. In lesser hands, these roles would be a disastrous clash of stock figures, but Akil has done a fine job of balancing high comedy and poignant drama. If the biggest disappointment is the lack of chemistry between Patton and Alonzo, supporting players Meagan Good, Mike Epps and Tasha Smith compensate with energy to spare. The movie's more pleasant than meaningful, but it deserves praise for steering clear of excessive stereotype — and for keeping the males in standard attire.
