How Stella Got Her Groove Back | Rotten Tomatoes (original) (raw)

Skip to Main Content

Rotten Tomatoes Cancel

Movies in theaters

Movies at Home

More

Certified fresh picks

New TV Tonight

Most Popular TV on RT

More

Certified fresh pick

Columns

Guides

Hubs

RT News

Where to Watch What to Know Reviews Cast & Crew More Like This Related News Photos Media Info

Critics Consensus

Angela Bassett gracefully breezes through a hot summer fling without much conflict or ado, leaving us wondering when -- or if -- she's ever getting that groove back.

Read Critics Reviews

Duane Byrge Hollywood Reporter Adapted from Terry McMillan's ribald, heartfelt novel and starring Angela Bassett in the title role, Stella's got plenty of style and brains. It's a sexier, sassier version of Hollywood's old-time romancers. Sep 3, 2020 Full Review Lisa Schwarzbaum Entertainment Weekly Whoopi Goldberg adds a whole lotta jerk pork as the heroine’s best friend in a plot devoid of real conflict... Rated: C- Sep 7, 2011 Full Review Liam Lacey Globe and Mail The movie meanders on and on, like a bad sexual dream, until you finally wake up mumbling: Stella, please: leave that groove thang alone. Rated: 2/4 Apr 12, 2002 Full Review David Ehrenstein New Times The timing couldn't be better for How Stella Got Her Groove Back. Oct 3, 2017 Full Review Cole Smithey ColeSmithey.com Rated: 4/5 Feb 21, 2008 Full Review Lori Hoffman Atlantic City Weekly Rated: 3/5 Apr 20, 2007 Full Review Read all reviews

erdene c what a beautifully shot film Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/23/24 Full Review Munkhjargal A this movie was about love. The film was able to show how a long distance relationship passes through the two of them, who had a lot of age difference. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/22/24 Full Review Bahad j The movie was a very exciting adventure from start to finish Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/29/24 Full Review Steve D Its message is a bit muddled but the cast is great. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 09/21/23 Full Review Audience Member Angela Bassett, Whoopi Goldberg, Regina King, and Taye Diggs star in a romantic drama based on the novel by Terry McMillan Bassett plays Stella and she'll need to find her groove again Stella used to be married but got divorced and she has her son Her friend, Delilah urges her to find a man to feel happy and complete But Stella is perfectly content being a working woman stock broker She then takes a trip to Jamaica There she meets an islander named Winston Shakespeare They fall in love but can Stella really find passion and happiness? Responsibilities and companionship are what Stella wrestles with and with Winston pointing out her flaws of always making a plan of her own to course through life The movie acts as a good social commentary and shows an all-black cast can carry a film appealing to a wider audience It’s very romantic, funny, and Bassett and Diggs work so well together Good free escapism featuring Jamaica as a breathtaking backdrop even if the main character doesn’t have too much of a challenge to face when finding her passions Rated 4 out of 5 stars 08/29/23 Full Review Victoria For someone who is supposedly trying to get her groove back, Stella sure is stiff. The movie drags on without much happening. The flirting is dry, no real chemistry but after a pajama party she decides she wants to sleep with him then gets mad when he gets a job and has to work? After one night you're that attached?? Then she gets fired and goes back to Jamaica because he called? Then introduces him to her son??? He quits his job to spend time with her and is so in love he introduces her to his parents. The problem is we don't see any courtship to explain why they're so attached and when they're together they don't seem to have much fun. Stella never seems to lighten up, stays stiff, always has an "over it" attitude but supposedly she's happy? They both seem solemn most of the time. Neither has much of a personality. Oh and there's a depressing scene where her best friend doesn't tell her she's dying and then bam she's at her funeral. Is this supposed to be a feel good movie? It's not hot. It's not even lukewarm. It's boring and kinda of sad. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 07/19/23 Full Review Read all reviews

Read More Read Less POST RATING WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW

Show LessCast & Crew Show MoreCast & Crew

Working Girl 83% 67% Working Girl Waiting to Exhale 56% 79% Waiting to Exhale TRAILER for Waiting to Exhale Dog Park 36% 28% Dog Park Hav Plenty 36% 83% Hav Plenty Suddenly Naked 50% 63% Suddenly Naked Discover more movies and TV shows. View More

How Stella Got Her Groove Back (1998) How Stella Got Her Groove Back (1998) How Stella Got Her Groove Back (1998) How Stella Got Her Groove Back (1998) View more photos

Synopsis Unlucky-in-love stockbroker Stella (Angela Bassett) jets to Jamaica with her gal pal Delilah (Whoopi Goldberg) for some fun in the sun. There, the 40-year-old working woman has an island fling with Winston (Taye Diggs) -- a handsome 20-something. When it's time to return to California, Stella realizes that she's developed real feelings for her new man. But, with their distance from each other, not to mention their disparity in age, does a real relationship stand a chance?

Director

Kevin Rodney Sullivan

Producer

Deborah Schindler

Screenwriter

Terry McMillan, Ronald Bass

Distributor

20th Century Fox

Production Co

20th Century Fox

Rating

R

Genre

Romance, Comedy

Original Language

English

Release Date (Theaters)

Aug 14, 1998, Original

Release Date (Streaming)

Nov 25, 2015

Box Office (Gross USA)

$37.7M

Runtime

2h 4m

Sound Mix

Surround, Dolby Digital

Aspect Ratio

Flat (1.85:1), 35mm

Most Popular at Home Now