The Color of Love: Jacey's Story (2000) Gena Rowlands, Louis Gossett Jr., Penny Bae Bridges Movie Review

The Color of Love: Jacey's Story (2000)   3/53/53/53/53/5


Gena Rowlands in The Color of Love: Jacey's Story (2000)

Georgia's on Lou's Mind

Georgia Porter (Gena Rowlands) is a typical older white woman raised in Sweetwater Creek, Georgia and she is a proud member of the local church and the "Georgia Peaches". But Georgia gets the call which all mothers dread when she learns her estranged daughter has been in a car accident and when she arrives at the hospital it is too late. She also discovers that she has a granddaughter, Jacey (Penny Bae Bridges) who to Georgia's shock is half African American. Learning that her daughter married and had Jacey with the coloured boy which led to the estrangement, Georgia finds herself having to take care of Jacey in the still racist south. And to complicate matters Jacey's paternal grandfather Lou (Louis Gossett Jr.) shows up who not only dislikes Sweetwater Creek because of his treatment there also has issues with Georgia.

"The Color of Love: Jacey's Story" is a charming little fantasy drama, perfect for an afternoon when all you want is something to watch which will warm your heart. Now there is nothing wrong with that and this movie which focuses of attitudes towards skin colour in Georgia certainly makes you feel good when it is finished but I called it fantasy for a reason. "The Color of Love: Jacey's Story" constantly over simplifies things and manages to solve decades of racial issues within a few touching scenes which whilst undoubtedly heart warming is not realistic.

Louis Gossett Jr. in The Color of Love: Jacey's Story (2000)

So "The Color of Love: Jacey's Story" is all about the problems which occur when Georgia brings her African American granddaughter home to the southern community which still has deep racist attitudes. It is also about the problems which occur between Georgia and Lou as he initially dislikes her due to an event which happened in their past and wants to leave with Jacey back to California. What we get grow out of this is basically a romanticised tale of boundaries being torn down as attitudes between Georgia and Lou melt away and Georgia starts to make a stand against the racial attitudes of the community she was once a big part of.

Now as I said that does make "The Color of Love: Jacey's Story" a charming and heart-warming tale but it isn't in the least bit realistic and paints this fantasy vision of what many of us wish could happen, that years of hurt could be forgiven through sharing lemonade and scones. And this does make me torn because on one hand this movie did charm me and make me feel good yet at the same time it frustrated me that it couldn't be more realistic. Don't get me wrong as it tries to show that attitudes in the south are still an issue but everything is treated with soft focus so that it never interrupts the steady flow of sweet drama.

With that said it has to be said that "The Color of Love: Jacey's Story" is well cast and both Gena Rowlands and Louis Gossett Jr. play their parts well bringing to life characters which have a surprising amount of layers and back story. But they are often over shadowed by the cutesy acting of Penny Bae Bridges who as Jacey delivers every single scene in a sweet manner which whilst in some movies would be annoying actually contributes to this movies charm.

What this all boils down to is that whilst "The Color of Love: Jacey's Story" is by no means a realistic drama it is a charming and heart warming one which is ideal afternoon viewing for those who want to feel good after 90 minutes rather than challenged by the facts.


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