I liked the look of this movie and it's plot line from the get-go. Stella may be rich, successful, attractive and "all that" but she's burned out on her job and really has no social life to speak of.

She's always either at work or at home and 'very' little in between, except for what little sleep she gets. You'd lose the "groove" of your life (not to mention your mind) if you had to keep that pace up for a long time.

Thankfully, in steps her good friend (played by Whoopi Goldberg) who takes her on a long overdue vacation and gets her to unwind and relax and stop thinking about back home and the problems that go with it. The scenes between Goldberg and Bassett are funny. Especially the guy who's trying to pick up on Goldberg.

Stella then meets a young man nearly 20 years her junior and Whoopi encourages her to go for it (to put it in G-Rated form).

She's reluctant but she goes for him and he goes for her and he ends up living with her. Naturally, being just about out of his late teens,he still has very immature ways about him (like enjoying the movie "Booty Call").

If you need to know the rest about their relationship, stream or even buy the movie. Now so far it sounds like I'm doing a "10 star" review, well, I'm not.

I've deducted 2 stars for the "terminal illness" of Goldberg's character, who then passes away. Up until then, I was really enjoying this movie, writing that kind of story and scene into it was truly unnecessary.

The main point to me about this film though is, you can have it all and have worked hard for it but if it consumes all your energies,you truly will have no life or groove left. Let loose once in awhile and do what makes you happy. (END)

Angela Bassett was, of course, well-known by the time she made this film, and here she proved once again why she is one of America's better actresses. But the real story here was the film debut of Taye Diggs. As an old white guy, I first saw this film when it premiered on cable, and I thought Diggs was certain to become a popular actor. Now, 25 films later, not to mention an active career on prime time television, Diggs has become just that -- a fine and respected actor with a captivating on-screen persona that just always seems to work.

Here it's the 21 year old Jamaican fellow who seduces (and I mean that in the best sense) the 40 year old businesswoman from San Francisco. The romance sizzles, despite reservations, while Whoopi Goldberg provides a bit of light-hearted comedy. The question, of course, is whether the age difference will divide two people in love. And the film does keep you guessing as to which possible ending it will be.

Diggs' character's last name here is Shakepeare, and while this film hardly reaches the level of a Shakespearean tale, it's engaging, romantic, and great fun. But that doesn't mean it's all love and roses. True love never is, and meanwhile Whoopi's character is dying. So this is not just another feel good movie; there's some drama here, including making a relationship with a diversity of ages work.

I give this film much higher marks than the overall rating here. It's easily worth a "7".

How Stella Got Her Groove Back (1998): Dir: Kevin Rodney Smith / Cast: Angela Bassett, Taye Diggs, Whoopi Goldberg, Regina King, Suzzanne Douglas: Dull to the point where I didn't care whether Stella ever got her groove back. What she needs back is her dignity after being part of this hokey flat romance. Stella is a mother and career woman who travels to Jamaica with a friend. Stella finds romance where age difference becomes an issue. Angela Bassett plays Stella whose job is written off inappropriately before sending her through predictable developments. Director Kevin Rodney Smith is aided by beautiful photography but his screenwriter must have been basking in the Jamaica sun too long because the story written here isn't anything to summarize on a post card home. Taye Diggs is the one performance that survives obvious clichés because he is the one with the plot point to prove. Whoopi Goldberg plays Stella's friend whose conclusion is pointless. She just throws in the odd one-liner to remind viewers that she is indeed a comedianne. Regina King also makes an appearance that she hopefully won't have to regret. This is not a good film. In fact it is not even romantic for those couples into a date night. Convincing argument about age and romance watered down with boredom to the point where I wished Stella would take her groove elsewhere. Score: 3 ½ / 10