(rated PG-13, 105 mins.) If you ever wondered what chaos could result from web dating, this is the story of Peter Sanderson (Steve Martin), divorced, straight-laced, uptight attorney who still loves his ex-wife (Jean Smart). Charlene (Queen Latifah) is a prison escapee from the hood, betting on Sanderson to clear her name by dating him. Of course he doesn’t know all this from a b/w computer screen. From the moment Latifah shows up in his life she’s an unwelcome guest, although the kids, and his business partner (Eugene Levy) take a liking to this “sista” with “da-big bootie”. It’s cute and charming but highly unbelievable. Latifah turns instantly from finger-snapping, head-bopping ghetto girl to reserved and almost dignified without much practice. Yet, despite its silly premise, Latifah is entertaining as this generations’ Whoopi “Ghost” Goldberg, The culture clash of WASPS meet ghetto “home-y” makes for the first movie that is right-on without avoiding the obvious. Martin is still “The Jerk” (set in a rap age instead of the deep south) with his Satuday Night Live roots. Joan Plowright steals a scene when she breaks her grand dame heiress façade to hang with the hood, but it’s Levy with his usual “Best In Show” and “Waiting for Guffman” dry humor, who makes the movie a scream.
