Love Jones exhibited the most intimate scenes. Vulnerability, an attribute that so many struggle with, was seen between the characters and in the words of the script. Very rarely in the Black community do we get to see Black men really exchange what’s in the pits of their hearts, their fears. But in the film, Darius Lovehall (Tate) isn’t afraid to tell his homeboy that he thinks he might’ve f**ked up with someone he cared for. He isn’t afraid to have a conversation with another homeboy about true love and soulmates. These conversations are typically common for women, however, this film revealed a softer side to Black men while still preserving their masculinity.

Romantic intimacy was displayed between the couple countless times. From their first meeting at the Sanctuary — the poetry lounge for spoken word and poetic indulgences — to when the protagonists have a conversation about trust, transparency was at an all-time high. The most intimate part of this film has to be during one of the top five love-making scenes of all time. The two love interests undress souls and then each other that night, and said intimate night catapulted the relationship, or situationship, as we would call it today.

Love Jones displayed romance and the significance of it. The first words that Darius utters on screen at the start of the film are explaining to his friends how romance is not extinct the way people believe it to be. When Darius is mad at Nina (Long), he puts his pride aside and does the gentlemanly gesture of making sure she gets home safely, despite their previous differences. He played vinyls for her. We witness more romance when they go out dancing to the reggae clubs and share jubilant exchanges on the dance floor.

Everyone can get in a relationship, but not everyone is romantic or makes the effort to sustain the romance.

The film’s cup runneth over with love, hence the title, Love Jones. Friendship love was apparent whenever the friend group got together just to hang out and talk and laugh. They were tight-knitted even when they didn’t agree with another’s perspective. No one, and I mean no one, ever agreed with Wood’s views.

Josie, Nina’s best friend, calling Darius to tell him information that she knew would be beneficial to them, even after Nina told her not to, is the kind of love you know your girlfriend needs even if it’s not what she says she wants. There was brotherly love that was threaded throughout the film, too. Savon was supportive of Darius’ journey towards completing his first novel by holding him accountable and always checking in and believing in him.

And ultimately, there was the love ingrained in the couple. Although it wasn’t always perfect, the love was raw. Darius catching her in the rain to tell her he loves her and is willing to make it work was an act of love, considering all that had happened up to that point.

The domains of love in Love Jones without a doubt took us for a ride. However, all roads led back to the Sanctuary at the end, which is where everything started, thus giving us a full-circle moment. We witnessed the couple balance the pursuit of their dreams and love for one another.

The Black community has seen tumultuous love films before, but Love Jones was, and still is, art in its purest form. Darius and Nina were passionate about their passions, intellectual, always reading and both undeniably beautiful. Aesthetically pleasing, this Black film gave Hollywood another perspective on Black people, Black love and the Black arts.