Barbara Schreibke

I really enjoyed the movie. Many women struggle with holding onto and managing their lives for the sake of their families, and finding happiness and a bit of freedom on their own. The side issues play well into the central one but I wish that with a bit more editing and a slightly longer play time, we could have had more space with those issues (which is why I chose 4 out of 5 stars). A poignant scene was when Juanita advises her younger son over the telephone on what to do when he goes to jail, and the police lights are flashing outside the beauty shop. She's afraid of what can go wrong, and so is he. And yet . . . Juanita tries to give the advice that will serve her son best. Another thing I appreciated was how Juanita doesn't downplay her race but also doesn't let it dominate her being. She is a woman who is black and responsible and knows what she wants for breakfast - and how to handle a perfectly fine fantasy (Blair Underwood).