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Saturday, November 23, 2013

MOVIE REVIEW The Best Man Holiday
Old Habits, New Challenges, Same Fun
  
Regina Hall, Harold Perrineau, Sanaa Lathan, Taye Diggs, Nia Long, Terrence Howard, Melissa De Sousa, Monica Calhoun and Morris Chestnut in "The Best Man Holiday", directed by Malcolm D. Lee.  Universal Pictures
       
by Omar P.L. Moore/PopcornReel.com        Follow popcornreel on Twitter FOLLOW                                           
Saturday, November 23, 2013
Malcolm D. Lee brings us right up to speed on events from his signature "The Best Man" at the start of his sequel "The Best Man Holiday", which opened last weekend to great business.  It's been 14 years between films but the ice between best friends Lance (Morris Chestnut) and Harper (Taye Diggs) hasn't thawed.  Mr. Lee will keep them preoccupied with money troubles or health issues.  Harper's book sales are floundering.  Lance, now a superstar running back with the New York Giants, has to confront some rough news at home.

The push and pull between Lance and Harper forms the backbone of "The Best Man Holiday", a film with a warmth, fuzziness and more colorful, lively atmosphere than the raw, earthy and potent "The Best Man", a cult classic in numerous African-American circles.  "Holiday" has several other clashes and one new character, Brian (Eddie Cibrian), the new love in Jordan's (Nia Long) life.  Brian, a white man, gets mostly good-natured ribbing from his black peers in a film that is easy going, very funny and dramatic.

"The Best Man Holiday" is an enjoyable experience but its pace is uneven and scattershot.  At times Mr. Lee lets certain moments breathe in fade outs where they needn't be, and on other occasions fails to give dramatic moments the resonance and emotion they deserve.  It's a shame because some of those episodes are very finely acted.  I felt frustrated and robbed of the sincerity and visceral power they had, especially in one climactic scene.  In truth it's a function of Paul Millspaugh's editing, not Mr. Lee's direction, as the latter cultivates a jaunty spectacle of farcical proportions.

That said, there's an unnecessary overstuffing of cliché and melodrama in "The Best Man Holiday".  One character, Quentin (Terrence Howard), even refers to it mid-way through.  "Isn't that a little bit melodramatic?", he inquires of one friend.  Mr. Howard's Quentin represents that archetypal inconvenient drunken uncle whose pronouncements sting with unavoidable truth.  As in "The Best Man" he remains the best thing about this busy film.  Like his friends Quentin is successful, but he continues to indulge weed as his soulmate. 

Monica Calhoun is especially good as Mia, displaying grace, beauty, intelligence and poise throughout.  She gives the film a foundation of serious weight and helps elevate it above its predecessor.  The past will haunt a couple of characters, and the film offers a few tense, spiky exchanges.  Harper puts his pregnant wife Robyn (Sanaa Lathan) into insecurity mode with insensitive comments.  He still can't do the right thing.  Old habits die hard.  New challenges will test all. 

"The Best Man Holiday" has life and celebrates it joyously, while affirming its fragility, and keeps on keeping on.  It's a flawed film that's engaging and scandalous.  Mr. Lee has in all respects crafted his best, mixing a little social commentary with helpings of music and diversity of personalities among this upper-middle class character set.

Melissa De Sousa is a vivacious, ebullient presence as the self-indulgent Shelby, whose "Housewives" show ratings are sky high, in sheer numbers and tackiness.  Shelby is the counterweight to Mia as an airy, flamboyant showstopper, irritating and infectious at the same time, to the point where she wins you over.  For all of the participants the effort and endeavor are worth the time, even at a shade over two hours.

Also with: Harold Perrineau, Regina Hall, John Michael Higgins, Greg Gumbel, Eddie George.

"The Best Man Holiday" is rated R by the Motion Picture Association Of America for language, sexual content and brief nudity.  The film's running time is two hours and three minutes. 
 
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