Parents' Guide to

Brown Sugar

By Kat Halstead, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

Hip-hop inspired romcom has language, sexual references.

Movie PG-13 2002 109 minutes
Brown Sugar movie poster

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Rick Famuyiwa</a> and screenwriter Michael Elliot. However, there is a "joke" where a character is asked what they're doing driving a cab as their "English is too good." The lead female characters show women as intelligent, strong, and successful. On the flip side, there are some sexist tropes, including men being described as simple and women as more complicated. Also reference to someone being "wife material," and some sexist derogatory language.</p> ">
  • Brown Sugar: Taye Diggs and Sanaa Lathan sit back-to-back on a bench, smiling.
  • Brown Sugar: A group stand around a table in a bar.
  • Brown Sugar: Taye Diggs and Sanaa Lathan stand in a store looking at items.

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What's the Story?

In BROWN SUGAR, childhood friends Sidney (Sanaa Lathan) and Dre (Taye Diggs) grew up with a love of hip-hop and have both turned their passion into successful careers. However, they've found less success in their love lives. As they each start to show signs of settling down, will they finally see their other shared passion, bubbling beneath the surface?

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: Not yet rated
Kids say: Not yet rated

It's pretty formulaic stuff, but the performances from both leads and the supporting characters -- particularly Queen Latifah and Yasiin Bey (aka Mos Def) -- elevate this romcom above the usual fare. Brown Sugar follows a familiar trajectory but sidesteps a lot of the stereotypes you might expect. For example, Nicole Ari Parker's "other woman" is not the unlikable caricature she might have been painted elsewhere. Here she's given depth and complexity, and there's truth and poignancy to conversations that may have induced eye rolls in other hands.

The interweaving of hip-hop elements also sets it apart, though is mixed in its success. The opening montage of artists sets the scene for the characters' passion, and at one point Sidney compares losing her friend to a new wife to losing hip-hop to the mainstream. But other weaving in of the subject can feel clunky. However, it remains a strong link between the two characters and a connection that feels raw and real in a warm and enjoyable movie that celebrates pursuing your dreams, as much as romantic love.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how Brown Sugar portrayed sex and relationships. Parents, talk to your teens about your own values on these subjects.

  • Talk about the strong language in the movie. Did it seem necessary or excessive? What did it contribute to the movie?

  • Discuss the themes of passion and success in the movie. In what ways did the characters have to choose between the two and how did Dre's decision to start his own business show a reconnection with his roots?

  • The movie has a majority Black cast and crew, showing diversity in front of, and behind the camera. Discuss the effect of movies that offer diverse representations. Why representation matters in kids' media.

  • While not a musical, the film used music to create a sense of atmosphere and place throughout. Can you think of other movies that use music in this way? How do they compare?

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