Mixing Nia (1998)

Mixing Nia (1998). 1h 32m | R

“This movie explores some potentially explosive ideas, but does so in a very light and good humored way–which is very refreshing in light of the desperately serious and overwrought works usually associated with racial issues (see anything by Spike Lee for an example).u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eNia is about as white bread, middle class and suburban as they come. Problem is her mother is black, dad white. Whatu0026#39;s the problem? She fits perfectly into mainstream culture in work, manner of dress, attitudes, speech, books. But her life is somewhat upended when she quits her job over an objectionable advertising assignment related to marketing beer to the inner city. This raises her consciousness about her own situation and racial identity, and triggers the age old search for u0026quot;who I am.u0026quot;u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe problems Nia faces are pretty standard for any young woman: job, family, friends, and romance. Each one is examined as Nia, a genuinely nice person, tries to deal with the extra layer of difficulty presented by being biracial.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eFinding a boyfriend to suit her takes up most of the time. She is torn between the two worlds in the form of two suitors. Unfortunately these two worlds are represented by two basic stereotypes: An Afrocentric, jargon spouting, sexually aggressive black activist who hilariously wants to segregate Niau0026#39;s books, black authors from white authors. The white suitor is a geeky pretty boy upper crust optimist who canu0026#39;t dance and is hopelessly clumsy in seducing Nia. The movie is most interesting when departing from these crude stereotypes, like Niau0026#39;s hamfisted attempt at fitting into black culture by taking her black boyfriend to a soul restaurant only to find that heu0026#39;s a vegetarian and canu0026#39;t eat anything on the menu.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe movie tends to concentrate on Niau0026#39;s attempt to come to terms with her black half–sometimes directly at odds with her otherwise white existence: She is shocked when she hears her new boyfriend and a black female friendu0026#39;s cruel racism against her white friend; or when her very liberal white father confronts her new black boyfriendu0026#39;s anti-integrationism.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe movie doesnu0026#39;t offer any real resolution, nor is one really expected. This is a modest movie, exploring some sensitive issues in a very lighthearted way. The flaws are minor, some stereotyping in order to get a point across, and some attempts at humor which donu0026#39;t quite work, but altogether an enjoyable attempt to bring down the volume.”