Made in America

Directed by Richard Benjamin, Made in America follows Nia Long’s Zora Matthews as she learns that her mother (Whoopi Goldberg’s Sarah) got pregnant with her by using an anonymous sperm donor – with problems eventually ensuing after Zora discovers that her biological father is a white car salesman named Hal Jackson (Ted Danson). Benjamin, armed with Holly Goldberg Sloan’s screenplay, delivers a predominantly affable comedy that benefits from the thoroughly compelling and charming efforts of its stars, as Danson and Goldberg turn in exceedingly winning work that goes a long way towards smoothing over the various narrative bumps and lulls – with the agreeable vibe heightened by the actors’ palpable chemistry together and a periphery cast loaded with likeable, engaging performances. (Will Smith, cast as Zora’s would-be boyfriend, is particularly magnetic and appealing here.) And although Benjamin has peppered the proceedings with a few questionable scenes and interludes, especially a silly and far-from-hilarious bit involving a runaway elephant, Made in America builds towards a heartfelt third act that admittedly possesses a more pronounced emotional punch than one might’ve initially anticipated – which, when coupled with a satisfying resolution for the central protagonists, ultimately cements the picture’s place as a pervasively watchable endeavor from a fairly consistent filmmaker.

*** out of ****

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