Max's Young Love is a delightfully charming animated series. Through its intelligent writing and strong comedic timing, it offers a humorous and often poignant depiction of a modern African-American family. Although its reserved handling of some mature themes prevents Young Love from living up to its impressive predecessor, Matthew A. Cherry's Oscar-winning short "Hair Love," it still manages to be one of the most entertaining animated offerings from Max.
“Hair Love” presented an uplifting portrait of black fatherhood: When Stephen's girlfriend Angela (Issa Rae) was diagnosed with cancer, it was his turn to style her daughter Zuri's hair. The resulting struggle to tame his natural curls acts as a means to dispel negative stereotypes of absent fathers; It also reinforced the cultural importance of taking care of your hair. As a spin-off of “Hair Love,” Young Love does an admirable job of expanding on these and other positive notions through the continuation of this family’s journey.
Creator: Matthew A. Cherry
Stars: Kid Cudi, Issa Rae, Brooke Monroe Conaway
Young Love initially focuses on the difficulties of parenthood and how they can be exacerbated by life's unexpected turns. From there, it expands outward to cover conflicting social norms, financial problems, and multigenerational drama, all conveyed through the show's cheesy but relatable family dynamics.
The ongoing tension between Stephen (Scott Mescudi, aka Kid Cudi) and Angela's landlord father, Russell (Harry Lennix), over Stephen's stalled music career and his reluctance to get a "real job" is fun. . So are the wild ideas of 6-year-old Zuri (Brooke Monroe Conaway) and the sometimes extravagant escapades of her grandmother Gigi (Loretta Devine). Whether it's tricking first graders into believing a classmate is the messiah or an impromptu kung fu fight sparked by the collapse of a pyramid scheme, those two are always up to something.
There is a lot going on at any given time. Most of it works thanks to Young Love's clever writing and apt comedic timing: Gigi's humor demanding that the cancer-free Angela bring an oxygen tank to work is intensified by the arrival of an ambulance meant to continue her journey. . Then there are the actors themselves: Devine is adorable as the overbearing but kind-hearted Gigi.
Even when her eagerness to help undermines Angela's authority, one can't help but admire the Emmy winner's enthusiastic display of affection. Russell is similar to the patriarchs of 1990s black comedies, and while his portrayal of a grandfather may not be as memorable as Uncle Phil from The Fresh Prince or as funny as Pops from The Wayans Bros., the Lennix's gruff but ultimately affectionate behavior recreates some of the magic of those shows.
Jumping from sad to happy to awkwardly pessimistic, Rae's portrayal of Angela is as compelling as she is funny; her utter dismay with the needy parent support group (which she inadvertently joins while on a field trip) is conveyed in a downright hilarious way. Cudi and Conaway are also solid as Stephen and Zuri, especially when playing opposite each other. Cudi's mostly calm description helps establish Stephen's resilient nature. He may not always feel fully prepared to play the role of his father, but he never shirks his responsibilities. Conaway, on the other hand, describes Zuri as a ball of revelatory energy. Always ready to steal a scene, he delivers his lines with comedic gusto that reflects the character's intelligence and charisma.
Young Love is often funny and sometimes insightful, with a great soundtrack, endearing portrayal of black characters, and fun comic-inspired animation. It more or less proves to be a good family show, despite some adult situations and language. But it is hampered by the way it revolves around some of the most contentious topics at its core. Watching Russell take a sandwich out of Stephen's hands as compensation for late rent or Zuri's inquisitive nature causing some sort of calamity is certainly worth the laughs they provide, but these moments aren't as engrossing as Angela's struggle. for regaining a sense of normalcy after his battle with cancer. The same goes for Stephen, who is sometimes forced to address how his abandonment issues as a child have negatively affected his adult life.
There is depth here. Unfortunately, the challenges that Stephen and Angela face as a result of their past experiences are not fully explored.
Watch Young Love 2023 Tv Series Trailer
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