Popscreen: Justin Timberlake

Justin Timberlake

“Let Me Talk to You / My Love”

Dir. Paul Hunter



Justin’s back. “Sexy” back, that is. Having shorn the golden locks from his boyband phase, Justin Timberlake has ostensibly matured over the years, morphing from cute teen blond to sophisticated sex icon. Along with the “Sexy Back” video, his latest hit “Let Me Talk To You / My Love (feat. T.I.)” perpetuates his newfound suaveness, albeit in classic black-and-white fashion; as cameras roll, Timberlake—in a trendy blazer or vest-and-tie outfit—shows off his slick moves.

The caliber of the cinematography immediately catches the viewer’s eye, as flashing bars of light signal the video’s opening and the noir-ish palette contrast is cleverly manipulated by rapid switches between black and white backgrounds in the dance scenes. Yet it becomes a little trippy—and borderline tacky—when objects drawn from the lyrics start to appear and subsequently float around in slow motion: string instruments when Timberlake says “symphony” or notepads when he says “love note.”

Featuring a perfect blend of solo and group dancing, the video is full of undeniably captivating liquid movements, although the all-too-familiar interspersions of scantily-clad women humping Timberlake and T.I. regrettably detract from its otherwise smooth sensibility. The video version of “My Love” also includes a one-and-half-minute introduction; as the full clip clocks in at some six minutes, both the visuals and the music start to lose their hold before long, due to their repetitive nature.

Especially in purely visceral comparison with “Sexy Back”—a video featuring an intricate cat-and-mouse spy game—“My Love” is rather disappointing, lacking the thrilling plot line or steamy make-out scenes. And yet, nonetheless, Timberlake has managed to pull off another video proving that his irresistible dance moves will still keep the girls coming back for more.

—Jennifer Y. Kan