Netflix Adds 2 Great Nia Long Movies

Netflix’s June titles are here, and Nia Long fans are in for a treat. The streaming service is adding two of Long’s most beloved movies to its catalog this month — Love Jones and The Best Man. Both are available now.

Long is one of the most celebrated actresses of her generation, with prominent roles across TV and movies. She had starring roles in both Love Jones in 1997 and The Best Man in 1999, contributing to ensembles which are still celebrated to this day. Both movies also make for outstanding casual summer-time watches as we head into June.

Love Jones is a romantic drama written and directed by Theodore Witcher. In addition to Long, it stars Larenz Tate, Isaiah Washington, Bill Bellamy and Lisa Nicole Carson. It’s about a brief but intense relationship between a photographer named Nina (Long) and a poet named Darius (Tate), which is set in the underground art scene of Chicago. The two take turns breaking each other’s hearts in this critical darling of a movie.

Love Jones was considered a critical success but a financial flop. It was made on a $10 million budget and has made a total of over $12.7 million at the box office. Still, the movie has a cult following to this day, and it was lauded in its own time as well. It currently holds a 73 percent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a 97 percent score among audiences.

The Best Man is more laid back, with moments of drama in an otherwise classic rom-com story. It was written and directed by Malcolm D. Lee, and starred Taye Diggs, Morris Chestnut, Harrold Perrineau, Terrence Howard, Sanaa Lathan, Monica Calhoun and Melissa De Sousa. Again, it starts with a writer in the city of Chicago.

The Best Man is about Harper (Diggs) focusing more on his upcoming book release than on his relationship with Robyn (Lathan). They take a trip to New York City for a friend’s wedding where Harper will be the best man, and Jordan (Long) has revealed to all their friends that Harper’s book is loosely based on them. As the drama within the group builds up, Jordan makes her move on Harper in spite of Robyn.

This movie was more successful, making over $34.5 million at the box office on a $9 million budget. It was also relatively well-liked by critics, with a 72 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes. It also got a sequel in 2013, and it’s likely no mistake that Netflix picked up this movie just as Peacock is beginning work on a sequel series called The Best Man: The Final Chapters. There is no release date for that series yet, but you can get a free trial of Peacock here.

In the meantime, Love Jones and The Best Man are both streaming now on Netflix. There’s no telling when the movies will leave the catalog just yet.

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