Great Debut

A great feature length debut. Lee's black and white comedy drama is brimming with all the enthusiasm and creativity of its director. From the black and white style that mirrors the aesthetics of film noir and the Golden Age of Japanese cinema, She's Gotta Have It meshes this visual mode with vibrant jazz and a representation of Brooklyn that is refreshing.  The story surrounds a young woman and her three lovers humorously delving into the lives of black folk in a way reminisce of  Zora Neale Hurston's There Eyes Were Watching God which the film pays tribute to in the opening credits. Working on a small budget Lee skillfully utilizes what he has, making the city scene breathe life into his film and plugging in his father and gorgeous sister into roles that they carry off well.  This is one of Lee's more experimental joints and he has no problem breaking the fourth wall and using unconventional editing. If it wasn't for the mishandled rape scene that the director himself admits to reject doing, this film would have been even greater. Still, Lee's directorial debut is groundbreaking, adding an integral work in the American canon and Lee's own filmography.  

8/10