Review of Just Wright (2010) by Shiira — 14 Aug 2010

After going an NBA league-worst 12-70(38 games behind the Atlantic Division-winning Boston Celtics), the New Jersey Nets surely could go for the services of a perennial all-star talent such as Scott McKnight(to be fair, Devin Harris is a decent floor general), since the woeful franchise often played as if Pisces' astrologist Mona Mondieu(Stockard Channing from Gilbert Moses' "The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh") and Cadwaller University head coach David Greene(Gabe Kaplan from Jack Smight's "Fast Break") were guiding this hapless bunch from the bench.

In "Just Wright", the Nets lose McKnight to injury during the regular season, but they still make the playoffs, and are one game away from winning the Eastern Conference, when the supposedly indispensable baller makes his triumphant comeback.

To a seasoned sports fan, this plot point comes off as a bit anti-climactic, since the Nets were apparently managing just fine without their top player. It's a scenario that recalls Jameer Nelson's return to the Orlando Magic in Game 4 of last year's NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers(boo! hiss!), in which the Amway-owned team learned to live without the St.

Joseph's standout. Unlike McKnight, who holds his own against the Miami Heat's Dwayne Wade, Nelson was a step slow, obviously not in game shape, and couldn't keep up with the much older Derek Fisher(more boos! more hisses!).

Orlando lost the game, and the game after that, as Los Angeles took the series four games-to-one. "Just Wright" is more interesting as a love story than a sports movie, so the big game feels more obligatory than usual, as does the big emotional payoff.

Leslie(Queen Latifah) will go on loving Scott(Common), even when his career is over, unlike Morgan(Paula Patton), who drops the star athlete when he suffers that potentially career-ending injury. It's hard to believe that Scott would go back to Morgan after she had bailed on him, and even worse, Leslie takes him back after he realizes his horrible mistake.

"Just Wright" truly loses its credibility when Morgan's character is redeemed, as if out of guilt for vilifying the gold-digger, since the film shares her proclivity to exalt fame and fortune at all costs.