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She's Gotta Have It | Netflix | Spike Lee

Goda

Goda

Member
Oct 26, 2017
2,430
Toronto
MV5BMTk3NTExNDcxM15BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwNDIwMTEwNDI@._V1_SY1000_CR0,0,674,1000_AL_.jpg


The seriously sexy comedy stars breakout actress DeWanda Wise as Nola Darling, an uncompromising woman in her late twenties struggling to define herself and divide her time among her Friends, her Job and her Three Lovers: The Cultured Model, Greer Childs, The Protective Investment Banker, Jamie Overstreet and Da Original B-Boy Sneakerhead, Mars Blackmon. Nola is not who you want her to be. Nola is now--she is outspoken, complicated, progressive, unapologetic, passionate, sexual..
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An adaptation of the 1986 Spike Lee movie with the same name. Instead of making a movie it was converted into a series with the first season spanning 10 episodes.

Currently has a 96% on Rotten Tomatoes with an average rating of 8.3.

[She's Gotta Have It] shows a master who continues to be just as inspired and necessary, 31 years later.
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RogerEbert.com

Nola felt ahead of her time in 1986; she still does, as the men still struggle with her unshakeable independence.
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Boston Globe

Creator-director Lee lovingly wraps Nola in a visual and musical valentine to a gentrifying Fort Greene, with soundtrack albums helpfully flashing onscreen. Even when it gets preachy and repetitious, this is a gorgeous character study.
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TV Insider

One of the virtues of getting to make a TV show out of a movie is the opportunity to expand the world of that movie, to give each character his or her due. In She's Gotta Have It, Lee does that.
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Slate

Very excited about this one given the glowing reviews. Looks like we might have another winner for Netflix.
 
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Arkestry

Arkestry

Member
Oct 26, 2017
3,920
London
I kind of enjoyed the first episode, but it was crazy stilted and affected in a lot of ways. I'm guessing that's partly a stylistic choice, but it really took me out of things. It also felt a lot like Dear White People, which I'm guessing cribbed a lot from the original film, but as I saw that first it's feeling a little rote.
 
StraySheep

StraySheep

Member
Oct 26, 2017
8,276
I think I am going to watch the movie first sometime in the next few days. The only Spike Lee thing I've seen is Do The Right Thing but that is an amazing movie.
 
Lord Brady

Lord Brady

Banned
Oct 26, 2017
8,392
Saw this was added tonight. I'm in after I finish season one of Crashing on HBO. Netflix has been killing it with the thirty minute shows.
 
Puck Beaverton

Puck Beaverton

Member
Oct 25, 2017
8,354
Gordita Beach
Arkestry said:
I kind of enjoyed the first episode, but it was crazy stilted and affected in a lot of ways. I'm guessing that's partly a stylistic choice, but it really took me out of things. It also felt a lot like Dear White People, which I'm guessing cribbed a lot from the original film, but as I saw that first it's feeling a little rote.
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Dear White People owes a lot to Spike Lee.
 
LionPride

LionPride

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
12,804
Opal is...damn!

Anyways, really liking the show. It's funny, smart, is giving a good message about owning one's sexuality and being free as a woman
 
Kickmaster Kim

Kickmaster Kim

Member
Oct 25, 2017
6,227
Mementos
^The fuck you talking about?

Fuck! I'm going to have buy another black excellence shirt with this one on it, but I could barely fit all the ones from the last shirt.

1ST episode was FAN FUCKING TASTIC!!!!!!!!!
 

Deleted member 11501

Permanently banned for having an alt account
Banned
Oct 27, 2017
166
London
Watched the first 3 eps comes across as too preachy man, like i get the message they are trying to say in each episode .. but they beat it over your head through out each episode.
 
TheNatureBoy

TheNatureBoy

Member
Nov 4, 2017
10,782
Just watched the 1st episode, some quick thoughts. (haven't seen the movie)

Might be obvious, but don't watch the show with anyone you're not comfortable seeing sex scenes with,lol.

Not that we should compare all black shows, but I agree with the sentiment it is more similar to Dear White People than Insecure.

As someone who used to draw, it's cool seeing all her artwork. Impressive stuff.

It's kinda helpful they actually show a quick cut of the artist cover after playing a song, although most songs used in the 1st episode are well known.

I found all 3 dudes annoying, although I would suspect their characters get deeper as the season goes on.
 
Messofanego

Messofanego

Member
Oct 25, 2017
26,101
UK
Finished it. I find this to be better than Dear White People and Insecure. It's got a bit of both, the social issues and politics (sexual, cultural, socioeconomical) along with the relationship drama. All three are great shows.

Insecure and Dear White People owe Spike Lee, and I feel that if Spike Lee was going to have his go at a TV show, he had to show that he still has got it. And he did. DeWanda Wise is an incredible actress and despite what you may think of her Nola Darling having three (or four) lovers, she will keep doing her.
 
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-COOLIO-

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
2,125
DaCocoBrova said:
The acting is...not good. Couldn't make it through the first episode.
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i think i understand what you find offputting, but it's probably not the acting. the perfectly enunciated, boisterous style of speech seems to be an aesthetic choice for the show. yeah, it makes the viewer consciously aware that the characters are speaking from a script but it's also more engaging. basically, the acting it's meant to seem a little melodramatic and punchy.
 
Lord Brady

Lord Brady

Banned
Oct 26, 2017
8,392
-COOLIO- said:
i think i understand what you find offputting, but it's probably not the acting. the perfectly enunciated, boisterous style of speech seems to be an aesthetic choice for the show. yeah, it makes the viewer consciously aware that the characters are speaking from a script but it's also more engaging. basically, the acting it's meant to seem a little melodramatic and punchy.
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This is my main problem with the show early on. It's like everyone is at a table-reading doing their lines for the first time. I'm still early on, but at this point I already loved Insecure and Dear White People. Not feeling this one yet. Lead actress is great.
 
tintskuecha

tintskuecha

Member
Oct 25, 2017
641
First episode made me horny than a mothafucka

Honestly, I don't like shows about sex. I'll give it one more episode
 

-COOLIO-

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
2,125
Strong start, and I'm glad that I watched the whole thing but by the end of the series, Nola seemed a little cruel to me.

- Chewing out Jamie for the cheque in a pretty fucked up manner and only returning his money once she got it from another source.

- Surprising the three boyfriends with each other at the thanksgiving dinner. I feel a situation like that requires consent because of how emotionally burdensome it could be to the unprepared. The unveiling of the painting felt rude too. Like, i know this episode is probably meant to be taken less literally than the rest, but it still felt a little fucked.

- The way she cuts her lovers out abruptly but then uses them on her own terms because they're so ready to please. I feel the show should have included one or two moments where Nola helps one of her lovers out instead of them just being these disposible utilities. The only cue we have that she cares for them is her saying it, nothing else. She's a good friend to shemekka and poppo but that's all we see of her good nature, which is odd because it's pointed out a few times that she's supposed to be a caring character. Her lovers on the other hand:

Mars gets her mace and a thoughtful thanksgiving gift, asks his sister to give her multiple free "cleansings", and bikes her art across town and doesn't even get an explanation as to why he's not invited.

Greer takes her out for a dinner and a movie to cheer her up and get her out of funk, even though she exits the restaurant without even telling him the real reason she's leaving abruptly (Shemekka was in the hospital).

Jamie funds her by buying her art.

Opal bails her out of jail.

I know that a large part of the show is about this woman putting herself before the men in her life, but i think it takes it to something of an uncomfortable extreme.

The dance number in the last ep was great tho.
 
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UltimateHigh

UltimateHigh

Member
Oct 25, 2017
15,500
It looks great, it sounds good, the cast does come through, with DeWanda Wise (Nola) leaving one hell of an impression on my ass. It's not just because she's absolutely gorgeous either.

It's also slightly uneven, with the good and the not so good of Spike Lee's stylistic/narrative indulgences being on full display.

But the good far outweighs the more shakier elements, and this ends up being pretty solid overall.
 
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Dice

Dice

Member
Oct 25, 2017
22,210
Canada
-COOLIO- said:
Strong start, and I'm glad that I watched the whole thing but by the end of the series, Nola seemed a little cruel to me.

- Chewing out Jamie for the cheque in a pretty fucked up manner and only returning his money once she got it from another source.

- Surprising the three boyfriends with each other at the thanksgiving dinner. I feel a situation like that requires consent because of how emotionally burdensome it could be to the unprepared. The unveiling of the painting felt rude too. Like, i know this episode is probably meant to be taken less literally than the rest, but it still felt a little fucked.

- The way she cuts her lovers out abruptly but then uses them on her own terms because they're so ready to please. I feel the show should have included one or two moments where Nola helps one of her lovers out instead of them just being these disposible utilities. The only cue we have that she cares for them is her saying it, nothing else. She's a good friend to shemekka and poppo but that's all we see of her good nature, which is odd because it's pointed out a few times that she's supposed to be a caring character. Her lovers on the other hand:

Mars gets her mace and a thoughtful thanksgiving gift, asks his sister to give her multiple free "cleansings", and bikes her art across town and doesn't even get an explanation as to why he's not invited.

Greer takes her out for a dinner and a movie to cheer her up and get her out of funk, even though she exits the restaurant without even telling him the real reason she's leaving abruptly (Shemekka was in the hospital).

Jamie funds her by buying her art.

Opal bails her out of jail.

I know that a large part of the show is about this woman putting herself before the men in her life, but i think it takes it to something of an uncomfortable extreme.

The dance number in the last ep was great tho.
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Agreed, but I also don't think Nola is supposed to be 100% likable though. For as much as she's cool, confident, and in control, she's still... kinda selfish, terrible with money, and still unfocused. I think this will make for great cannon fodder for another season, at present her lifestyle doesn't seem sustainable.

Anyways, I got like 10-15 new songs I gotta download now.
 
Kickmaster Kim

Kickmaster Kim

Member
Oct 25, 2017
6,227
Mementos
What a great, great, great, great show! Spike Lee is a monster. Picks top talent and his cinematography is fantastic. Can't really compare it to either Dear White People or Insecure. It's too much Spike Lee stink for that and while it has some in common with both it is definitely its own thing. This was a joyous ride that I would love to experience once more. This show undeniably black, feminist, and artsy as fuck. All things that encompass me. The writing is fantastical in this show. I could go from laughing hard as fuck to feeling bad for doing it a few minutes later. It gives a lot to think about. The final episode had me longing for more and questioning what was really going on. I infer:
That there was probably some fall out with Nola and those men. There's no way all 3 of them would be comfortable with that shit that went down and I think Nola intentionally was trying to start some shit because even though I'm gay and really haven't been with anybody I would think that would be a terrible idea.

Spike Lee must be a music aficionado as much as he is a cinephile because those music choices along with snapshots of the album covers makes me think so. I'm a music aficionado myself so I really loved that and I got some digging I need to do as well. Now, I never saw the film, but I might have to now.

I can't reiterate enough how much I enjoyed this. My faults with this were minimal, but I vastly enjoyed the majority of this show and I really hope we can get a second season here, because that final shot was a goddamn tease.

BLACK EXCELLENCE 2017!

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LionPride

LionPride

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
12,804
Oh Nola isn't supposed to be 100% likable, she's not. Like Opal was the best for her because Opal wouldn't put up with her ass and would call her out on it
 
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