Disappearing Acts
Encyclopedia
Disappearing Acts is a 2000 romantic drama, directed
by Gina Prince-Bythewood, and stars Sanaa Lathan
, Wesley Snipes
, and Regina Hall
. The film is an adaptation of the New York Times best-selling novel Disappearing Acts, by Terry McMillan
.
) is a struggling construction worker
trying to keep his mind off romance. Zora Banks (Sanaa Lathan
) is a woman who is working as a teacher with a promising musical career. The last thing either of them needs is a lover. When they meet one afternoon in Brooklyn, New York, neither one can walk away.
Now, they must confront the financial and social challenges that test the strength of their love.
The film begins with Zora moving from Manhattan
to her newly renovated brownstone
in Brooklyn
. Franklin is polishing the floors in what will be her new apartment. Franklin informs her that she can't move in yet due to her wood grain floors not being dry. An upset Zora then threatens to fire one of the moving men who proceed to leave her furniture and boxes on the sidewalk. Desperate, she asks Franklin to help her move her things. After moving her in, they begin to talk and he asks her who's helping her unpack and get settled in; she replies by saying no one is helping her. Franklin offers to help and although skeptical, Zora eventually takes his offer and they agree to meet the next evening.
Franklin gets temporarily laid off from his renovation job and stands Zora up. Once she realizes he is not coming, she goes out for Chinese take-out and finally catches up to Franklin, who apologizes for not showing. Zora dismisses him, stating that he was the one who offered and she can do the work herself. Franklin then offers to help her now and jokes about sharing her take-out food. After they unpack some of her boxes, they get acquainted and Franklin shares his aspirations to become a licensed contractor so he can renovate brownstones. Zora encourages him and the two make plans to have dinner at a later time, after Zora gets more settled.
While out at happy hour
with girlfriends Portia (Regina Hall
) and Claudette (Lisa Arrindell Anderson), Zora tells her friends about Franklin and is criticized by Portia for dating men who are unable to support her financially. Zora responds that she's had her time dating "suit and tie brothers".
Later while Zora is walking home, she finds Franklin waiting for her on the stoop and chastises him for coming by without warning. Franklin says he was waiting for her because he wanted to see her. Zora invites Franklin inside. Now in her apartment, Zora goes to get Franklin a drink and then he begins to caress her while she's still at the fridge. Realizing they cannot hide their mutual attraction, they begin to have sex
. The film cuts to them now in bed, talking of their plans; Zora wants to become a singer and Franklin wants to get his contracting business off the ground. Both confess that they were putting off love until they got themselves together. Franklin then tells Zora that he is not a wealthy man. Zora reassures him, stating that she isn't looking for a rich man.
The two began their courtship
and spend a lot of time together eating home cooked meals, playing Scrabble
, and watching television. While getting a drink with his friend, Jimmy (Clark Johnson
), Franklin expresses that he likes Zora because she listens and they talk more than have sex. Jimmy then repays a loan
that Franklin had made him. Franklin uses part of the money to get Zora's piano out of layaway
. Zora then auditions for up-and-coming producer, Reggie Baptiste (Q-Tip), and gets cut a deal to do a six-song demo
with him.
Franklin and Zora have dinner together and he confesses that he dropped out of high school
in the eleventh grade, never earning a GED
. He also tells her that although separated for the last four years, he is still married with two sons. Zora doesn't take the news well and Franklin accuses her of caring more about "degrees
and dollars
" than their relationship.
The next day, Zora finds Franklin at work and admits that she would not have gotten involved with him had she known the truth about him earlier. She then confides that she loves him and asks him to move in with her, expressing the desire to meet his children. In return, he tells her he loves her and promises that as soon as he gets the money he'll get the divorce.
Zora meets Franklin's sons, Marcus (Dequan Henderson) and Tyree (Fernando Phifer Cameron), and while the younger Tyree warms up to Zora quickly after she teaches him some notes on her piano, Marcus isn't so welcoming to her. Despite all the obstacles the two continue to fall deeper in love, but things come to a head when Zora suffers an epileptic seizure while sleeping. The next morning when confronted by Franklin on why he ever knew of her condition, she says she didn't want to scare him off and didn't know how he would handle it. Franklin reassures her that'll it take more than that to get him to walk.
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
by Gina Prince-Bythewood, and stars Sanaa Lathan
Sanaa Lathan
Sanaa McCoy Lathan is an American actress and voice actress. She has starred in numerous movies, including the box-office hits Love & Basketball, Alien vs. Predator, Something New, and The Family That Preys. Lathan was nominated for a Tony Award for her performance on Broadway in A Raisin in the Sun...
, Wesley Snipes
Wesley Snipes
Wesley Trent Snipes is an American actor, film producer, and martial artist, who has starred in numerous action films, thrillers, and dramatic feature films. Snipes is known for playing the Marvel Comics character Blade in the Blade film trilogy, among various other high profile roles...
, and Regina Hall
Regina Hall
Regina Hall is an American film and television actress known for her lead role of Brenda Meeks in the Scary Movie films and as Corretta Lipp in the FOX comedy-drama Ally McBeal.-Personal life:...
. The film is an adaptation of the New York Times best-selling novel Disappearing Acts, by Terry McMillan
Terry McMillan
Terry McMillan is an American author. Her interest in books comes from working at a library when she was sixteen. She received her BA in journalism in 1986 at University of California, Berkeley. Her work is characterized by strong female protagonists.Her first book, Mama, was published in 1987...
.
Synopsis
Franklin Swift (Wesley SnipesWesley Snipes
Wesley Trent Snipes is an American actor, film producer, and martial artist, who has starred in numerous action films, thrillers, and dramatic feature films. Snipes is known for playing the Marvel Comics character Blade in the Blade film trilogy, among various other high profile roles...
) is a struggling construction worker
Construction worker
A construction worker or builder is a professional, tradesman, or labourer who directly participates in the physical construction of infrastructure.-Construction trades:...
trying to keep his mind off romance. Zora Banks (Sanaa Lathan
Sanaa Lathan
Sanaa McCoy Lathan is an American actress and voice actress. She has starred in numerous movies, including the box-office hits Love & Basketball, Alien vs. Predator, Something New, and The Family That Preys. Lathan was nominated for a Tony Award for her performance on Broadway in A Raisin in the Sun...
) is a woman who is working as a teacher with a promising musical career. The last thing either of them needs is a lover. When they meet one afternoon in Brooklyn, New York, neither one can walk away.
Now, they must confront the financial and social challenges that test the strength of their love.
The film begins with Zora moving from Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
to her newly renovated brownstone
Brownstone
Brownstone is a brown Triassic or Jurassic sandstone which was once a popular building material. The term is also used in the United States to refer to a terraced house clad in this material.-Types:-Apostle Island brownstone:...
in Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
. Franklin is polishing the floors in what will be her new apartment. Franklin informs her that she can't move in yet due to her wood grain floors not being dry. An upset Zora then threatens to fire one of the moving men who proceed to leave her furniture and boxes on the sidewalk. Desperate, she asks Franklin to help her move her things. After moving her in, they begin to talk and he asks her who's helping her unpack and get settled in; she replies by saying no one is helping her. Franklin offers to help and although skeptical, Zora eventually takes his offer and they agree to meet the next evening.
Franklin gets temporarily laid off from his renovation job and stands Zora up. Once she realizes he is not coming, she goes out for Chinese take-out and finally catches up to Franklin, who apologizes for not showing. Zora dismisses him, stating that he was the one who offered and she can do the work herself. Franklin then offers to help her now and jokes about sharing her take-out food. After they unpack some of her boxes, they get acquainted and Franklin shares his aspirations to become a licensed contractor so he can renovate brownstones. Zora encourages him and the two make plans to have dinner at a later time, after Zora gets more settled.
While out at happy hour
Happy hour
Happy hour is a marketing term for a period of time in which a restaurant or bar offers discounts on alcoholic drinks, such as beer, wine, and cocktails.-Basic information:...
with girlfriends Portia (Regina Hall
Regina Hall
Regina Hall is an American film and television actress known for her lead role of Brenda Meeks in the Scary Movie films and as Corretta Lipp in the FOX comedy-drama Ally McBeal.-Personal life:...
) and Claudette (Lisa Arrindell Anderson), Zora tells her friends about Franklin and is criticized by Portia for dating men who are unable to support her financially. Zora responds that she's had her time dating "suit and tie brothers".
Later while Zora is walking home, she finds Franklin waiting for her on the stoop and chastises him for coming by without warning. Franklin says he was waiting for her because he wanted to see her. Zora invites Franklin inside. Now in her apartment, Zora goes to get Franklin a drink and then he begins to caress her while she's still at the fridge. Realizing they cannot hide their mutual attraction, they begin to have sex
Sex
In biology, sex is a process of combining and mixing genetic traits, often resulting in the specialization of organisms into a male or female variety . Sexual reproduction involves combining specialized cells to form offspring that inherit traits from both parents...
. The film cuts to them now in bed, talking of their plans; Zora wants to become a singer and Franklin wants to get his contracting business off the ground. Both confess that they were putting off love until they got themselves together. Franklin then tells Zora that he is not a wealthy man. Zora reassures him, stating that she isn't looking for a rich man.
The two began their courtship
Courtship
Courtship is the period in a couple's relationship which precedes their engagement and marriage, or establishment of an agreed relationship of a more enduring kind. In courtship, a couple get to know each other and decide if there will be an engagement or other such agreement...
and spend a lot of time together eating home cooked meals, playing Scrabble
Scrabble
Scrabble is a word game in which two to four players score points by forming words from individual lettered tiles on a game board marked with a 15-by-15 grid. The words are formed across and down in crossword fashion and must appear in a standard dictionary. Official reference works provide a list...
, and watching television. While getting a drink with his friend, Jimmy (Clark Johnson
Clark Johnson
Clark Johnson , sometimes credited as Clark 'Slappy' Jackson, Clarque Johnson, and J. Clark Johnson, is an American actor and director who has worked in both television and film.-Early years:...
), Franklin expresses that he likes Zora because she listens and they talk more than have sex. Jimmy then repays a loan
Loan
A loan is a type of debt. Like all debt instruments, a loan entails the redistribution of financial assets over time, between the lender and the borrower....
that Franklin had made him. Franklin uses part of the money to get Zora's piano out of layaway
Layaway
Layaway is a way to purchase an item without paying the entire cost at once. However, rather than taking the item home and then repaying the debt on a regular schedule, as in most installment plans or hire purchases, the layaway customer does not receive the item until it is completely paid for...
. Zora then auditions for up-and-coming producer, Reggie Baptiste (Q-Tip), and gets cut a deal to do a six-song demo
Demo (music)
A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
with him.
Franklin and Zora have dinner together and he confesses that he dropped out of high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
in the eleventh grade, never earning a GED
GED
General Educational Development tests are a group of five subject tests which, when passed, certify that the taker has American or Canadian high school-level academic skills...
. He also tells her that although separated for the last four years, he is still married with two sons. Zora doesn't take the news well and Franklin accuses her of caring more about "degrees
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
and dollars
Socioeconomic status
Socioeconomic status is an economic and sociological combined total measure of a person's work experience and of an individual's or family’s economic and social position in relation to others, based on income, education, and occupation...
" than their relationship.
The next day, Zora finds Franklin at work and admits that she would not have gotten involved with him had she known the truth about him earlier. She then confides that she loves him and asks him to move in with her, expressing the desire to meet his children. In return, he tells her he loves her and promises that as soon as he gets the money he'll get the divorce.
Zora meets Franklin's sons, Marcus (Dequan Henderson) and Tyree (Fernando Phifer Cameron), and while the younger Tyree warms up to Zora quickly after she teaches him some notes on her piano, Marcus isn't so welcoming to her. Despite all the obstacles the two continue to fall deeper in love, but things come to a head when Zora suffers an epileptic seizure while sleeping. The next morning when confronted by Franklin on why he ever knew of her condition, she says she didn't want to scare him off and didn't know how he would handle it. Franklin reassures her that'll it take more than that to get him to walk.
Cast
- Sanaa LathanSanaa LathanSanaa McCoy Lathan is an American actress and voice actress. She has starred in numerous movies, including the box-office hits Love & Basketball, Alien vs. Predator, Something New, and The Family That Preys. Lathan was nominated for a Tony Award for her performance on Broadway in A Raisin in the Sun...
— Zora Banks - Wesley SnipesWesley SnipesWesley Trent Snipes is an American actor, film producer, and martial artist, who has starred in numerous action films, thrillers, and dramatic feature films. Snipes is known for playing the Marvel Comics character Blade in the Blade film trilogy, among various other high profile roles...
— Franklin Swift - Regina HallRegina HallRegina Hall is an American film and television actress known for her lead role of Brenda Meeks in the Scary Movie films and as Corretta Lipp in the FOX comedy-drama Ally McBeal.-Personal life:...
— Portia - Lisa Arrindell Anderson — Claudette
- Q-TipQ-Tip (rapper)Kamaal Ibn John Fareed , better known by his stage name Q-Tip, is an American hip hop artist, producer, singer, and actor from St. Albans, Queens, New York, part of the critically acclaimed group A Tribe Called Quest...
— Reg Baptiste - Clark JohnsonClark JohnsonClark Johnson , sometimes credited as Clark 'Slappy' Jackson, Clarque Johnson, and J. Clark Johnson, is an American actor and director who has worked in both television and film.-Early years:...
— Jimmy - John AmosJohn AmosJohn Amos is an American actor and former football player. His television work includes roles in The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Good Times, the miniseries Roots, and a recurring role in The West Wing. He has also appeared on Broadway and in numerous motion pictures in a career that spans four decades...
— Mr. Swift - CCH PounderCCH PounderCarol Christine Hilaria Pounder , known professionally as C. C. H. Pounder , is a Guyanese-American film and television actress...
— Mrs. Swift - Aunjanue EllisAunjanue EllisAunjanue L. Ellis is an American actress known for her roles in Ray, in Undercover Brother, and on The Mentalist....
— Pam - John BeasleyJohn Beasley (actor)John Beasley is an American actor known for his role as Irv Harper on the TV series Everwood and recurring roles on CSI, Millennium and The Pretender. He also portrayed General Lasseter in The Sum of All Fears and Rev. C. Charles Blackwell in The Apostle. In 1992 he played Jesse Hall's dad in the...
— Mr. Banks - Laz AlonsoLaz AlonsoLazaro "Laz" Alonso is an American film and television actor. He is best known for playing Tsu'tey in James Cameron's science fiction film Avatar. He is also well known for his role as Fenix "Rise" Calderon in the film Fast & Furious. Alonso has had roles in other films such as Jarhead, This...
— Martinez - Michael ImperioliMichael ImperioliJames Michael Imperioli , commonly known as Michael Imperioli, is an American actor and television writer. He is perhaps best known for his role as Christopher Moltisanti on The Sopranos for which he won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series in 2004. He also...
— claude
- Fernando Camreon Phifer - Kevin
Awards and nominations
2002 NAACP Image AwardsNAACP Image Award
An NAACP Image Award is an accolade presented by the American National Association for the Advancement of Colored People to honor outstanding people of color in film, television, music, and literature....
- Outstanding Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special