Dianne1

I hate it when viewers of movies are not given the true flavor of a great book, as much as I hate having my mental images ruined. Anne Rice is alive and well, yet she allowed Interview with the Vampire to be made, replacing European men with American Box Office boys. Zora Neale Hurston unfortunately had no say in the casting of Halle Berry and Michael Ealy. So very much of the story of Janie and Teacake is about their stations in life, their age differences and their physical appearances. Janie was a near-white monied OLDER woman who fell in love with a common dark skinned YOUNG man. Halle Berry looked too young and too cute to be convincing in the role of an "older" woman. Michel Ealy as Teacake looks more like a man that would have been acceptable in Janie's social circle, especially with his light skin and green eyes. Even though the actors did fine jobs in the roles they were cast in, the social and moral (at that time) issues that made Ms. Hurston's book a relevant social commentary as well as a love story, were lost.

This is a wonderful film, and is very nostalgic to those of us who remember the years. The editing is exceptional. The music and soundtrack is worthy of a Grammy. The fashions and furnishings were correct to the most minute detail. It brought back memories of family and neighbors and how the politics of the 50's and 60's truly affected black communities, both personally and as the cultural group that the attention was focused on. Mos Def has once again added to what we know of his talent. Now he will also known as a singer and an entertainer, as well as a talented actor and rap artist. My only disappointment is that IMDb did not list HILL HARPER in the credits. He is one of the most talented actors in the business and played a major part in Lackawanna Blues. How could you forget him?