I don't really know what Spike Lee is trying to say with Jungle Fever, his film about interracial romance and attraction. I'm not sure if this is a didactic "statement" movie or a De Sican "observation" movie. I mostly enjoyed while watching it, and think it has some important points, but too often meanders into uncessary subplots.
The main story in a film with many is focused on Wesley Snipes (an really underrated actors) as "Flipper" Purify, a black man apparently happily married to a black woman (Lonette McKee) who works at an architectual firm. One day, out of the blue, he has an affair with his unmarried white secretary Angie (Annabella Sciorra), who has a casaul boyfriend (John Turturro) and lives with her family. The affair's cover is quickly blow and Flipper and Angie both get kicked out of their homes. Flipper's wife is doubly upset - both that he cheated on her, and the fact it was with a white woman, Angie's father (Frank Vincent) is just racist. There are many subplots, the most prominant involving Gator (Samuel L. Jackson), Flipper's brother and a crack addict.
The subplots are what really bring down the movie. Although most are interesting, few are necessary-Lee should have saved the drug plotline for another movie about that subject, entertaining as Jackson is. The music is another major flaw. For some reason, Lee insists on putting inappropriate songs over very dramatic scenes, and mixing them so loud it's distracting. During conversaion between members of Angie's family all I could think about was Frank Sinatra singing "It Was a Very Good Year" instead of the dialouge. I also don't get what the last shot is supposed to mean.
There are many frank discussions on race where many different veiws are presented. It's hard to tell which, if any of these, Lee agrees with. I am not sure if this was intentional or is a flaw of the film. It is interesting that, although there are a few characters who are pure racists, it is also true that most seem to be manipulated by circumstance into holding the beleifs they have. It's as if everyone is almost sorry that they feel the way they do.
I should say that the movie is more concerned with psychology (why the characters feel that way they do) than with morality. The film is not Guess Whose Coming to Dinner, Lee is not concerned with whether it's ethical for interacial dating to occur, he's just interested in the cause of people's belief systems, and how it affects their daily lives.
Despite it's flaws, Jungle Fever is a good "think" movie. It made me question my own thoughts on interracial dating. The movie could have been even better if Lee had a little more focus his writing and editing, but you can't have everything.
Note: The discussions about race in this movie can be strongly contrasted with Crash. Anyone who thought the aliens in Crash talked like actual people should see this movie.
Jungle Fever (1991)