“Guess Who” - Nice surprise

Let’s face it, 2005 hasn’t been a great year for movies, so far. Oh sure, there’s Batman to look forward to and another Star Wars, but most of the movies I have seen this year have been mediocre to awful (“Be Cool,” anyone?). When we chose this week’s movie and Ashton Kutcher’s name was above the title, I started to worry that I was in for another torturous 90 minutes or more. Lucky for me and the rest of the people in America who saw this film, it was pretty good.

Taking the story line of “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” and reversing it, “Guess Who” introduces Kutcher’s character, Simon, to his prospective in-laws (though they don’t know it yet) who are black. Bernie Mac plays Percy Jones, the overprotective father of Kutcher’s fiancee’ Theresa, played by Zoe Saldana. He is a loan officer who senses something he doesn’t like about Simon and it may or may not be Simon’s skin color. The movie spends its time with Simon trying to break down Percy’s barriers, while the two lovers also come to terms with what it takes to be in a meaningful relationship.

Commercials show Mac and Kutcher busting go-karts through the bushes and onto a busy road but there is little slapstick in the film. The humor is in the dialogue and in Mac’s priceless expressions. I give a lot of credit to Kutcher for giving what may be his most understated performance to date and even more to Mac for providing a lot of the comedy in a film that does open up a bit of a serious dialogue without being preachy. Saldana also deserves praise for being not only beautiful and engaging but also one heck of an actress. Looking at her bio, I am reminded of her good work in “The Terminal” and “Drumline” and hope that she receives more roles in the future.

“Guess Who” was directed by Kevin Rodney Sullivan who last directed “Barbershop 2: Back in Business,” and “Guess Who” follows in that film’s footsteps by providing a good story with black characters that aren’t pimps, pushers, gangsters or cops. It feels like it is set in the real world - although who knew New Jersey looked so beautiful - and it is that reality that leads to some of the more thought provoking moments. However, “Guess Who” isn’t a serious, “messagey” film and it has a few flaws but when you rank it against “White Noise” and other bad movies released thus far in 2005, it stands head and shoulders above it.

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