The gang is back for the holidays
By: Shelsie Ducheine
Fans of the 1999 movie, “The Best Man,” raced to theaters this weekend, and this time the gang had even more shocking secrets than the first go around. It has been almost 14 years since the original movie debuted, but on November 15, “The Best Man Holiday” finally hit theaters and hit with a bang.
When writer-director Malcolm D. Lee first gave us “The Best Man,” it centered around a group of old college friends joining together years later, for the marriage of NFL player Lance Sullivan (Morris Chestnut) and Mia Morgan (Monica Calhoun). At the same time, best man to Lance, Harper Stewart (Taye Diggs), was getting ready to debut his new book “Unfinished Business,” which contained risky secrets from their past. Even though he tried to cover up the stories by changing the names of the characters, it doesn’t take long before secrets are exposed and trouble erupts.
This time around, however, the secrets are even deeper as they dwindle down years later during a Christmas Holiday weekend hosted by Lance and Mia. Harper and his 9 month pregnant wife Robin (Sanaa Lathan) are hesitant to go at first but agree to go once Harper finds himself in a rut with writers block and sees an opportunity to get out of it. It seems as if everyone’s life is luxurious, but the realization that things are not, becomes apparent and quickly.
Jordan Armstrong (Nia Long) becomes a successful producer and ventures out of her race to find love, but it’s not his color that Jordan struggles with. It’s the matter of love in itself. Julian Murch (Harold Perrineau) finds himself struggling with the acceptance of his wife Candice (Regina Hall) and her past as a stripper. Shelby (Melissa De Sousa), ex-girlfriend of Julian, becomes a racy reality star and Quentin (Terrance Howard). Well Quentin is still Quentin. The biggest secret of all, however, comes from Mia. It is a secret so big that it brings everyone together despite their differences.
The “Best Man Holiday” is definitely a go see, if you’re looking for a film that’ll make you laugh, cry, and yell back at the screen a few times. Usually, sequels fall flat on their faces leaving viewers less than impressed, but this film disputes the usual expectation. This film is great for the holidays, a date, or even a girls night out with the ladies. Black films are often criticized harshly, but this one helps to keep hope alive.
Final Rating: 9/10.