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(More customer reviews)One of Spike Lee's best films, "Jungle Fever" comments more on race relations in America, than on the subject of adultery. Spike is all over the place with his take on male/female relationships, the devastation wrought on a family and the Black community by crack cocaine, the "color line" in the Italian community and interracial relationships. But he seems to pull it all together to make a powerful film and one of the best of the '90s.
The acting is terrific with the standout performance being Samuel L. Jackson's as Gator, Wesley Snipes ill fated brother. He's charming, comical and evil all at once. And Wesley showed his range as an actor through his performance as Flipper, the "good son," who has a momentary lapse in character and has an affair with his secretary, Annabella Sciorra. All the performances are great and the actors get you to care about the characters they present. Wesley's performance came after the strong work he did as Nino Brown in "New Jack City" and I don't remember an actor "flippin' the script" on the movie going public like that, going from evil to good, in one year in a long time.
You could look at Flipper and Angie as symbols of Black and White America, trying to come together and the obstacles we face as a nation when we don't deal with the issue of race honestly. Something we're still going through. This film also deals with our dishonesty with dealing with the drug problem too, and this is where Spike deserves credit. No one is left unexamined by this tale of life and there are no happy endings either from Gator being murdered by his father, to Flipper and Angie breaking up.
I love how Spike begins and ends the movie. Spike shows in the beginning a couple, obviously in love, in Wesley and Lonnette Mc Kee, (in a strong, small supporting role as Drew) that leads you to believe nothing could tear them apart. When you get to the end, Wesley and Lonnette are trying to make a go at it, but through Lonnette's tears, you see she's just going through the motions, hoping to put away the pain through the lovemaking. When she tells him "he better leave now," you can tell the hurt she's experienced can't be "loved away" like he'd like.
Critics of this film usually state Spike should have stuck to telling one story. What must be said is that while Spike explores a range of contemporary issues in this film, he has made a film of power and emotion, that definitely draws an opinion out of you, one way or another. An underrated, overlooked masterpiece.
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This critically acclaimed film from Spike Lee explores the provocative consequences of interracial relationships. Black architect Flipper Purify (Wesley Snipes) begins an affair with his working-class Italian secretary (Annabella Sciorra) which causes them to be scrutinized by their friends cast out from their families and shunned by their neighbors in this moving view of inner-city life. Featuring an original soundtrack by Stevie Wonder Jungle Fever stars a talented cast including Spike Lee Ossie Davis Ruby Dee Samuel L. Jackson Lonette McKee John Turturro and two-time Academy Award winner Anthony Quinn.Starring: Wesley Snipes Annabella Sciorra Spike Lee Anthony Quinn Samuel L. Jackson John Turturro Ossie Davis Ruby Dee Lonette McKee Frank Vincent Halle Berry Tim Robbins Brad Dourif Queen LatifahDirected by: Spike Lee
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