Just Wright Parent Guide

Leslie Wright (Queen Latifah) is a nice, full figured girl who always finishes last, especially with men. A physiotherapist, she lives in the shadow of her roommate and childhood friend Morgan (Paula Patton), a petite girl who is able to light up a room with her good looks and charm.

But fate intervenes one evening when Leslie happens upon NY Nets basketball star Scott McKnight (Common) at a gas station. The “meet cute” gets her an invite to the celebrity’s birthday bash. When she invites Morgan to come with her, the husband-hunting girl excitedly tags along. Of course, the inevitable happens and soon Scott and Morgan are happily engaged whiled Leslie is left on the sidelines.

All seems a happily-ever-after tale until the famous b-baller gets hurt during an All Star game. The serious knee injury will bench Scott during the playoffs and if things don’t heal well, it could mean the end of his professional career. The only hope is serious physiotherapy and Morgan insists that Leslie is the right woman for the job. (It also helps that Leslie doesn’t look like the sexy little blonde therapist the team has sent over to Scott’s home.) Still, even with hard work, the stubborn injury persists. When the media begins rumoring Scott’s days on the court may have come to an end, Morgan reveals her true intentions and selfishly admits being married to a has-been isn’t in her plans.

Of course this leaves things wide open for Leslie, who has taken a leave of absence from her regular job so she can be a resident therapist in the mansion with Scott and his mother (Phylicia Rashad). Although we have a good idea of how things will work out in the end, screenwriter Michael Elliot knows how to pace a romance and offers these characters an adequate amount of time to get to know each other and build some real chemistry between them.

Possible concerns for parents include seeing a couple in bed (bare backs and shoulders are seen), implied sexual activity and a mild moment of innuendo. Language consists of a scatological term and a handful of mild profanities, however terms of deity are frequently heard.

A sweet love story that focuses on our protagonist’s enduring love and concern for a man she doesn’t feel she’s good enough for, Just Wright offers an excellent message about the most important qualities of a relationship. Unfortunately characters still put sex before marriage, yet Scott’s recovery, Leslie’s sacrifice and Morgan’s development are the real substance of the story. And that could make this choice just right for someone in your family who is yearning for a romantic night at the movies.

About author

Rod Gustafson

Rod Gustafson has worked in various media industries since 1977. He founded Parent Previews in 1993, and today continues to write and broadcast the reviews in newspapers, on radio and (of course) on the Internet. His efforts also include writing and researching media in all its forms and observing how it effects society and culture. He and his wife Donna have four children.