Movie Title : A Luv Tale*
Year : 1998
Running Time: 45 minutes
Written, Directed and Produced by Sidra Smith*
Executive Producer Tisha Campbell-Martin

CAST
Taylor James - Gina Ravera Candice Montgomery - Michele Lamar-Richards Tammy - Angela Means Aklia - MC Lyte	Wendi - Tichina Arnold Jake - Alex Thomas Ruth - Ajai Saunders George Winston - Michael Colyar

The Review: The Long Version (This review is nothing but one, big-ass spoiler, don't read ahead if you don't want to know what happens in the movie!)

A Luv Tale begins with a female rapping in the background. It sounds like Queen Latifah. Actually it is someone by the name of Medusa*. We get to see who is listening, with a nice lingering shot up the leg of our main character - Taylor James (the wayward cousin and dancer in Soul Food). And from the messages she listens to while painting her finger nails by candlelight (very erotic), we find that she is a photographer.

Tammy is seeing a model that she photographs for the magazine Meridian, in a relationship that only seems to work, because the two were working together in the industry. You know how people end up as lovers only because they are within close proximity of each other. Otherwise why would someone as laid back as Taylor end up with high maintenance Tammy? Tammy is a beautiful black woman, but only on the outside. She carries a mean 'tude. And perhaps it is because people only see her as a beautiful image and nothing more.

Candace Montgomery is the editor of Meridian, and for some reason (that I didn't figure out) she shows up at a photo shoot, where Taylor is shooting Tammy as well as some other models (nice eye candy for the femme lovers out there). Taylor recognizes Candace and stops her photo shoot to talk to her. Candace compliments Taylor on the latest cover of the magazine, which if you missed it at first like I did, is Tammy sitting at an office chair, with a young boy peering up at her from underneath her long flowing dress. It reminds her of her son. In other words Candace is a serious career woman. Candace sneezes and Taylor gives her the scarf off her head to let her blow her nose. This scene is more romantic than it sounds, it is a version of dropping your jacket over a puddle so your lady doesn't have to step in the mud. Taylor is expressing her attraction, and it is only one of many chivalrous acts that Taylor will perform throughout this movie.

The two go out for a drink. I guess Taylor makes the first move, but Candace seems to run with it, by mentioning her neck hurts. Taylor offers to give her a massage (okay how obvious is that...but it is said very sincerely and innocently.) So Candace gives her the address and asks her to stop by later. I am not a lesbian, but I want you to come over to my place this evening and give me a massage (yeah right.) Taylor takes control again by reminding Candace (as all neglected women like to be reminded) that she is beautiful. Flirt On Taylor! Flirt On! Two points for Taylor. Taylor offers to pay for the drinks...another smooth move. (Or maybe I just don't get taken out enough). And Candace runs off. She says she's in a hurry, but maybe she's not ready for what Taylor has in mind.

Back at Candace's place she talks to her son on the phone and calls him "son" by name. (That should be a tip-off for something to come, well at least it was to me.) Candace has a copy of Nikki Giovanni* on the table. And we get to hear about Taylor and her photography - but not very much. Taylor tells a bad joke, which I guess is supposed to make her endearing in a way. Once again, Candace mentions her "son" and that he's in his twenties. Finally Taylor and Candace's eyes meet. Candace should know by now that this is not just going to be an ordinary friendship. When Taylor takes her jacket off, my mind automatically goes into hot sex mode. But Taylor picks up Nikki and her and Candace start reciting poetry. (Groan. Oh yeah right, I guess this is a romantic movie - not a erotic movie. I have to admit I was disappointed.) "We are not lovers because of the love we make...but because of the love.... something - give props to Nikki.

Note. Does Candace look familiar to you but you just can remember where you've seen her? Rent the Bodyguard with Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner, the actress that plays Candace (Michele Lamar-Richards) also played the lesser talented sister of Whitney in the movie.

(Oh I'm sorry back to the romance.) Well Candace mentions that her back hurts again. (Yes let's keep this thing focused Candace). Wine is poured, Taylor starts to massage her neck and hands, music gets louder (and I think that maybe my libido will be kicked on again, but no.) Fade-to-Black. I am not a fan of Fade-to-black. Especially in this situation. If something is going to happen I want to see it. In all it's full-frontal nudity. Well I don't think anything actually happens because once the movie fades back in, they are sitting on opposites sides of the couch. Candace complains that she wish she got massages more often. Well baby you could if you sit closer to the masseuse! And Taylor should take this as a cue, but instead she grabs her jacket and leaves. What happened to all the chivalry Taylor? I'm sure you can take some more minutes to help a woman in need! Perhaps she had that on her mind, but when Candace lends an outstretched hand as good bye instead of a hug, Taylor takes that cue and leaves. This leaves a frustrated Candace to make a booty call to her boyfriend of 12 years.

Oh I didn't mention boyfriend? Yes, Candace has been "married" to the magazine and boyfriend for 12 years. We quickly find out that Candace doesn't get any relief from her boyfriend, and that she hasn't in a long time (if she ever did in the first place). He offers to talk dirty to her at the office, but this just won't do, especially after a night of back rubs and poetry. Fade-to-Black. This time I didn't mind. Unless Candace took matters in to her own hands, which I wouldn't have minded watching...

Tammy and Taylor go out on a date, and Tammy acts so bitchy, the only reason I can see for her to be in this movie, is to make Taylor realize that she could do better. But Tammy is such a bitch anyone would be better. Maybe she was drunk. But I don't think the actress was portraying her that way. I will have to defend her however, because she has to watch Taylor go ga-ga over Candace and I honestly would have my drama queen moment too (but this is about the movie, not me).

Taylor goes over to Candace to have a "shoulder to cry" on. And guess what? Candace's neck is hurting again...surprise! This time I about screamed when it faded to black, but it came back so quickly I guess it was to indicate the mood. They are sitting in front of a fireplace, with Taylor stroking her hair, I don't need any more mood-enhancers! Candace says she dreamed that Taylor was combing her hair. Whoo! Candace may not realize she's a lesbian, but she sure knows what to say to get some play. She even asks if Taylor is going to kiss her, and kisses her before Taylor gets a chance to...all bets that Candace is a top! And guess what? Fade to Black. Damn. Double Damn.

Oh well, at least we get to see my favorite role, Aklia, played by MC Lyte. She is sexy with all those bantu knots on her head. Alas, she seems to be the only woman in this movie who isn't a dyke! Aklia is Taylor's heterosexual best friend, from since "knee-high". She provides the humor in this movie, and for me...the eye-candy. She is straight-up with Taylor and is trying to look out for Taylor's best interest. MC Lyte is best when she seems to be playing herself, with the butch swagger, and Jersey talk, but she doesn't make a bad actress either. You can tell they made several cuts and splices during Lyte's scenes, which was a bit disconcerting and I suspect it is due to Lyte's performance. But I can't complain, because I was happy to see her onscreen. Lyte doesn't seem to be able to hide her dykeness and that is not a complaint on my part just a pleasant surprise. Anyway, Aklia wants to know about this new woman in Taylor's life, and make sure that Taylor is serious about leaving the country. (Oh I didn't mention that? Yes she's going on a 2-year photo shoot in South America, yeah Candace doesn't know at this point either. And the fact that nothing was boxed up in Taylor's apartment bothered me, I'm a procrastinator, but jeesh, she's going away for 2 years and doesn't have a single thing packed?) I digress.

Well, Taylor mentions leaving to Candace and Candace has her moment of truth. Can she leave her job and boyfriend of 12 years? (if I've said it too much in this review, it's because it's said too much in the movie). Actually Taylor is the wrong person to ask, because she seems to say whatever Candace needs to hear, and I'm probably too jaded personally to take it sincerely. Candace asks the same question I had in mind, Why didn't you tell me you were leaving the country? Well I suspect it is because they maybe she wouldn't let Taylor hit it, but Taylor puts it in sweeter terms. Candace says that the world doesn't let this kind of love happen, and I'm not sure if she means lesbian love, or May- December love, or working-class/ professional love. Candace has to leave and think about it and she better hurry, time is running out.

There is a cute scene where Aklia is bemoaning the fact that Taylor is leaving the country. She is hanging out with her friends Wendy ("Pam" frorm the tv show Martin) and Ruth (who used to play a student on a different world, I think she's a stand-up comedian too.) It turns out to be a True Confessions moment that had me cracking up. There is even a point were somebody is called a "frustrated lesbo"!

In the meantime Taylor leaves Candace love notes and flowers. Will Candace leave everything she knows to write poetry with Taylor in Argentina? Will Aklia admit she's a full-on homo and beg Taylor not to go? Will MC Lyte move in with me? I'll let you watch the ending and find out for yourself. But I'll warn you it was a tacked on ending fit for a soap opera.

If you feel I have left nothing for the imagination. Au contraire. The only frustrated lesbo was me! You will have to fill in quite a bit during all the fade-to-blacks.

This movie is on the must-see list, because it is a film about beautiful black women made by a beautiful black woman. But I was left wanting so much more. It was only 45 minutes, and so much could have been explored if this was given the same amount of time as a full-featured film. Which is all the more reason, we should support films like this.

Reviewed by KMI