Bet You Didn’t Know: Secrets Behind The Making Of “Brown Sugar”

What did Roger Ebert think?

Roger Ebert, in his review of the film, felt it was marketed to the wrong audience. He says that while it was advertised as a Hip Hop film, there’s not one time where an entire Hip Hop song plays in the film. While I don’t know how that would necessarily make any difference considering portions of classic hip hop is played throughout, Ebert did mention that the characters were more advanced and showed a growth in Famuyiwa’s development since directing The Wood. 

There’s a scene in “Brown Sugar” I never thought I’d see in a movie, where after Reese and Dre have a “final” fight, and in a more conventional film she would disappear forever from the screenplay, but here she returns to suggest counseling and says they need to work harder at their marriage. How many movie romances are that thoughtful about their characters? “Brown Sugar” may be pitching itself to the wrong audience. The ads promise: “The Rhythm … the Beat … the Love … and You Don’t Stop!” But it’s not a musical and although it’s sometimes a comedy, it’s observant about its people. Francine is onto something. They’re all Terry McMillan characters.