Prepare to break out the tissue for this
one, because the floodgates of tears will soon follow…
It has been 15 years since The Best Man
(1999) debuted on the Hollywood screen, and the reunion could not have been any
sweeter. The Best Man Holiday comes at a great time to prepare for the upcoming
holiday season.
So just in case you have not seen the
first movie or it’s been a little while, here is a quick, updated primer. The whole cast from The Best Man returns and are doing
pretty well for themselves in their respective
lives and careers. The only new editions are the children and a new
flame/significant other. Harper (Taye Diggs) is an author and former teacher at
NYU; his wife Robyn (Sanaa Lathan) has gone from being a budding caterer to a
full-time Chef; Harper’s best friend Lance (Morris Chestnut) is playing
professional football in the NFL and is on the brink of retirement; his wife
Mia (Monica Calhoun) is a housewife; then there is Jordan (Nia Long) who has moved
through the corporate ranks of BET and now works for MSNBC as an executive
producer; her new boyfriend Brian (Eddie Cibrian), one of the new additions to
the cast, is a top business man who works on Wall Street; then there is Julian
aka Murch (Harold Perrineau) who has become one of the leading innovators in
education and runs his own school with the assistance of his wife Candace
(Regina Hall); and the final two Shelby (Melissa De Sousa) has now become a reality
TV star, and Quentin (Terrence Howard) who has added some stability to life now
owns a managing firm. Even though time has passed and life changes have taken
place there are still some secrets that have remained and others that have surfaced.
As the saying goes…“some things just never change”.
The Best Man Holiday is one of those
sequels that could have failed tremendously, but it somehow manages to
successfully get past the sophomore curse. Keeping in mind
it is rare that a sequel can get a whole cast to return when more than a decade
has passed. Truthfully
I think, when it comes to original movies and not ones centered off someone who
was alive, this definitely makes the list as an excellent film featuring a
Black majority cast in a while. One of the highlights of this movie is that it definitely lives up to being a comedy-drama. A large amount of the humor
comes from the cast cracking jokes on each
other, in some ways a love-hate type vibe, it just seems like it’s a part of
their various relationships and friendships.
The film should also be recognized for its non-comedic performances. Keep in mind, if you have not
seen the original, there is a lot of already existing drama that has taken
place: characters have dated each other,
had sex with each other, or liked each other, in the group. As a result of
this, there is a lot of existing and lingering chemistry between characters
thus their history causes friction. Nevertheless, naturally there seems to be
one thing, which brings them together and bond like a family. Unfortunately this
one thing may bring on the tears, which might make the viewer a little cheerful
for the specific comic relief between Shelby and Quentin. Needless to say, the
writing and performances will positively test your sense of empathy.
Now although the film is, overall, beautifully captured, there are a few issues. For example, (without giving any
spoilers) Harper and Lance's relationship is somewhat forced and less natural,
in comparison to other relationships from characters in the film. And the situation once it is brought to the light, which causes conflict between the
two, after it is resolved, is certainly sort of obligatory
and slightly annoying. Needless to say it does help push the story along. Another
issue could be seen in Lance’s character; to a degree he portrays a Tyler Perry-style faith in Christianity, which might
be overbearing at times. Even with these minor problems, The Best
Man Holiday still does not disappoint. If nothing else the film has definitely
kept up with the times as one reporter from The Washington Post said
it clearly delivers in that with one plot point “it is able to revolve around social media
run amok, off-handedly invoking everyone from the current president Barack
Obama to MSNBC star commentator Melissa Harris-Perry, to T.V. sensation Olivia
Pope and to ‘Blurred Lines’ singer Robin Thicke."
So, I remind
you again, be ready to laugh and cry all in one sitting, because the dramatic
moments are so touching it will truly leave an emotional weight on you. Know
that you will laugh and cry, and laugh and cry some more. All in all, this film
will undeniably make you appreciate life, family, and friends. On a final note, The Best Man Holiday succeeds in presenting new directions and viewpoints for Black actors. It's difficult to find representations of Black Love in pop culture that are not ratchet, oversexed, or overly comedic. Well, The Best Man Holiday provides a refreshing alternative.
