By Carla Robinson

In writer/director Vanessa Middleton’s ode to maturation, 30 Years to Life, not only are African-Americans depicted as genuinely human, they’re depicted as humans with good jobs, strong friendships, and money. Watching films like 30 Years to Life, no one can deny that we’ve come a long way, baby. We now have the luxury of seeking not only the cake in life, but also the icing.

That is what the six friends in this film face – how to get the things they want, now that their basic needs are covered. Natalie (Melissa DeSousa), Troy (Tracy Morgan), Joy (Erika Alexander), Malik (Allen Payne), Stephanie (Paula Jai Parker) and Leland (T.E. Russell) all seek those elusive, ethereal things that make for a more fulfilling life. Things like long-term commitment, recognition, and purpose.

The film opens at Natalie’s thirtieth birthday party, where the sight of thirty birthday candles is enough to send her into a tizzy. Nat’s problem is that she’s got no man, yet, having conquered the corporate world, she’s ready to move over to the mommy track. DeSousa’s performance makes Natalie vulnerable and sweet, and a character that could come off as whiny is instead endearing. Especially when Natalie hooks up with Bruce, a dashing doctor played with appropriate arrogance by Kadeem Hardison. Bruce wants a woman who’s more comfortable whipping up culinary creations than churning out PowerPoint presentations. That’s definitely not Natalie, as her buddy Troy warns her.

Allen Payne (Malik), Melissa De Sousa (Natalie), Tracy Morgan (Troy), Paula Jai Parker (Stephanie), Erika Alexander (Joy) and T.E. Russell (Leland) (L-R) in 30 Years to Life

While the others watch Natalie get in over her head, they’ve got troubles of their own as they face thirty. Troy is a stand-up comic with a promising career that simply never took off. Joy and Leland, a terminally shacked-up couple, disagree over the need for marriage. Overweight Stephanie no longer wants to live life as an invisible woman, so for her birthday, she gets liposuction. Her new body wins her Malik’s attention, which isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Malik is a womanizer who is forced to reckon with his own superficial ways when he dumps his advertising job to become a model.

Middleton, a former writer for “Cosby,” “Hangin’ With Mr. Cooper,” and “Sister Sister,” uses her sitcom training to expertly juggle multiple subplots. Everyone gets a turn to shine, and it’s nice to see such a solid ensemble cast play off one another (Erika Alexander is simply adorable as Joy). Middleton also does a refreshing job of depicting the conflict between the sexes. She doesn’t paint the men as cads or the women as saints. Boys and girls get equal playing time. Middleton used her own money, along with backing from hip-hop producer Timbaland, to finance 30 Years to Life. In an interview, Middleton, a Bronx native, said, “I knocked my script around LA for three years trying to get it picked up and couldn’t, that just shows that the talent and material is out there, but Hollywood isn’t trying to tell our story.” Undoubtedly, her dogged determination will ensure a bigger, broader space for us on the silver screen. M

July 2002

Author: MOSAEC