Guess Who (2005) – Romantic Comedy with Bernie Mac and Ashton Kutcher
Guess Who (2005) is a good-natured, occasionally sharp mid-2000s family comedy that is easy to overlook next to louder hits from that era, yet genuinely fun to revisit today. The real engine of the movie is the comedy chemistry between Bernie Mac and Ashton Kutcher, which sparks from their very first scene together.
In short: directed by Kevin Rodney Sullivan, the film runs 105 minutes (rated PG-13), holds a 5.9/10 on IMDb and roughly a 58% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes (41% critics). It loosely reimagines the 1967 classic Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, flipping the setup upside down.
What the Story Is About
Percy Jones is a strict, protective father and seasoned loan officer who vets people as thoroughly as credit applications. Before even meeting his daughter Theresa’s new boyfriend Simon Green in person, Percy runs a background check and likes what he sees: on paper, Simon looks far more dependable than any of her exes, with a solid career, smart investments, and a bright future.
What the paperwork left out is one detail Percy never expected – Simon is white. For a conservative Black household gearing up to celebrate Percy and Marilyn’s 25th wedding anniversary, that surprise turns a polite weekend into a gauntlet of awkward tests, pointed jokes, and domestic mind games from her dad.
Cast, Details, and Ratings
Half the fun here comes from watching the cast bounce off one another. Back in 2005, comedy didn’t tiptoe around stereotypes, yet the script never turns mean-spirited – both sides poke fun at their own blind spots before arriving at genuine family respect by the finale.
- Director and runtime: Kevin Rodney Sullivan, 105 minutes (1 hour 45 minutes), rated PG-13.
- Main cast: Bernie Mac (Percy Jones), Ashton Kutcher (Simon Green), Zoe Saldana (Theresa Jones), and Judith Scott (Marilyn Jones).
- Ratings: 5.9 out of 10 on IMDb, 41% critics and around 58% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes (though fans of 2000s comedies often rate it much more warmly).
Is It Worth Watching Today?
Next to endless cookie-cutter remakes and sanitized modern studio releases, revisiting this 2005 comedy still feels surprisingly refreshing. Bernie Mac commands every beat with a single look, Ashton Kutcher nails the flustered boyfriend trying to win over a tough father-in-law, and a young Zoe Saldana anchors their sparring in a warm family story.
If you are in the mood for an easygoing evening comedy with sharp banter and heart instead of heavy-handed lectures, Guess Who (2005) still delivers.