'Jumping the Broom'review: Loretta Devine, Angela Bassett sweep up the attention

Two families spar at a wedding. WithPaula Patton,Angela Bassett. Director:Salim Akil(1:47). PG-13: language, sexuality. At area theaters.

It's always trouble when two weddings land on the same day. So we’ll make it easy: if you're wavering between"Something Borrowed"and"Jumping the Broom,"RSVP for the latter.

"Broom"doesn't take any risks or offer many surprises. But then, do most weddings? We attend not for the salmon and champagne, but to celebrate the people at the center. And director Salim Akil has found actors skillful enough to enhanceElizabeth HunterandArlene Gibbs' conventional screenplay.

The weakest links, actually, are our bride and groom, played blandly by Paula Patton andLaz Alonso. Fortunately, this wedding is really all about the mothers-in-law.

Outspoken Pam (Loretta Devine, always strong) is proud of her working-class roots. In contrast, Claudine (Angela Bassett) is ultra-refined. When the two meet at Claudine's seaside mansion for the wedding, tensions mount.

No one tries to break the mold here; the cultural jokes, Mars/Venus conflicts, and last-minute revelations come just as we expect. Still, most of the actors dig deeper than such a traditional date night film demands. An impossibly elegant Bassett makes the movie hers, but the solid supporting cast, includingMeagan Good,Mike Epps, andTasha Smith, keeps the energy high.

UnlikeTyler Perry, who takes a broader approach to similar faith-based material, Akil has an innate instinct for film structure. He also knows how to deliver on a promise: the setting is lovely (withNova Scotiastanding in forMartha's Vineyard), the company amusing, and the nuptials elaborate enough to please all but the pickiest guests.

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