… “Love Jones.”

When we think about iconic rom-coms, “Love Actually” and “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” often come to mind. Even though they are popular movies, I find that one obscure movie from the 90s tends to stand out: “Love Jones.”

The 1997 movie “Love Jones” is centered around star crossed lovers Darius and Nina, played by Larenz Tate and Nia Long as they attempt to navigate commitment, lore and everything in between.

Despite the seemingly typical premise, the film manages to set itself apart from other rom-coms by focusing on the characters themselves instead of trying to shove the romance plot into the audience’s face. 

The love interests, Darius and Nina, both feel like people who could exist and live in our world rather than tired tropes and cliches thrown together haphazardly. The movie is full of human moments, like hanging out in the park or grabbing a bite to eat. It makes the setting of the film, Chicago, Ill., feel alive.

The best thing the movie does is dive into the uncomfortable dilemmas that people have in their relationships: Do you really care about this person? How do you know if someone loves you?

The way that “Love Jones” is able to address these adequately without sacrificing the tone of the film is what makes this movie a classic among all other rom-coms.