Waiting to Exhale

"Waiting to Exhale" (1995): Films depicting one black woman with any sense of complexity are few and far between; films with multiple black women portrayed with depth are almost nonexistent. That's why Forest Whitaker's adaptation of Terry McMillan's best-selling novel stands ... moreout. Of course, the fact that it is a well-crafted film with solid performances by its cast doesn't hurt. Angela Bassett stands at the forefront of this ensemble about a quartet of women traversing the rocky road of love and relationships. Sure, at the end of the day this is an overly sentimental chick flick, but it rises above the trappings of other films about feminine self-discovery and liberation by not castrating the male characters and, most important, painting the women as complex beings. (20th Century Fox Film Corp. Courtesy: Everett Collection)

Sound off: Comment on this story | Also: Groundbreaking black celebrities | Read more: Features archive

Agree? Disagree? Send us feedback at heymsn@microsoft.com

David Walker is the editor and publisher of BadAzz MoFo, and a Sagittarius.