I definitely prefer the book to the film...I felt that the book set a really good context for the story and the characters were developed well. I also really liked how each chapter slipped into either Franklin narrating or Zora narrating...

and of course there were a lotta things the movie left out...including the things you mentioned, plus Zora's girlfriend tryin to make a pass @ her and certain scenes which I thought were quite tender.

Even so...I thought the film did an excellent job of portraying a relationship between a young black couple. Its not the story of ALL black couples, but I'm sure a lot of ppl can relate to the areas explored and for the purpose of making it contemporary, lotsa things about the story had to be changed and pruned. I liked that it felt very current...beginning with Zora listening to 'Life Story' on the bus, the realism of the city around them and the excitement of entering a new relationship- scenes with them holding hands walking down the street...and Franklin beaming with pride as other ppl admire her...her singing for him for the first time, the arguments they had seemed quite realistic and gave a good perspective on a male viewpoint- especially in the scenes when he loses his job and when they have an argument on her birthday.

I thought the love scenes were very well done. And remember how in the movie, there are subtle cuts of little things that happen in their relationship- quick scenes of them making love, laying on the sofa laughing at something on TV...of them dancing with eachother in the house to Chaka Khan's 'Aint Nobody'...of them preparing to meet Franklin's parents.

The rape scene wasn't portrayed in the same way as it was in the book, however I think there was an attempt to tackle that part of the story...when they are having problems in the relationship- Franklin is drinking heavily and listening to Donny Hathaway and generally acting like an ass. He tries to have sex with her and is very coarse and rough and I'm not sure if I watched it feeling the way I did in the rape scene in the book, but I know I felt a sense of her being violated by what happened.

I think overall the film handled the position of the man fairly delicately...it wasn't one sided because it didn't portray Franklin as just 'another wotless black man'...jobless/jealous/workshy/triflin. I think it portrayed him as a loveable character...quietly intellectual, TRYING to do better, dealing with the relationship while taking what he percieves to be knocks to his manhood. I also liked Zora's character in the film...I thought Sanaa brough humanness to the role. She was very vulnerable and sensitive but also strong and just...like a regular sista tryin to do her thing AND hold down her relationship.

I thought all in all, while the book is really great (although its been 10 years since I last read it), the film also depicts a black relationship really well. And yeah...the scrabble was a nice touch :)