The Best Man Holiday

The Best Man Holiday

Rated R and Released in Grand Rapids 11/15/13

Reviewed 11/20/13 at Celebration North in Grand Rapids, MI

with Gary and Denny

2 1/2 out of 5 Js in QUIET Rating System

The Tyler Perry-like movie is a sequel to The Best Man some 14 years later. The genre says comedy and it does have some hilarious scenes - for the first half - but then it transitions into a melodrama and leaves out the humor. The ever smooth Taye Diggs (Harper) and Morris Chestnut (Lance) play longtime friends and do a fine job, but talented Terrence Howard (Quentin) is a scene stealer.

The story has a subtle moral message which is always a pleasant surprise, but I wish they wouldn't mix it in with unnecessary crudeness that diminishes the value. Director and writer Malcolm Lee could have lightened up the raunch and made it PG-13 (not to mention cutting about 20 minutes out of the 124) and it would have made this a much-improved film.

The history between Lance and Harper has left for some unfinished business. Lance, a successful pro football player, has a luxurious life married to Mia (Monica Calhoun) with four charming kids. They are hosting Christmas for their friends and Mia is hopeful this will put the past in the past. They all start arriving to the lovely New York mansion, but the problem is they are all intertwined a little too much to be under the same roof. At the forefront is the best-selling author Harper, who is hiding the fact he's broke, including leaving his nine-month pregnant wife Candace (Regina Hall) in the dark! After everyone arrives, it doesn't take long for misunderstandings, scandal, and drama to jumpstart. Nothing is getting resolved and this makes gracious host Mia increasingly frustrated. The pinnacle of the story is Lance's football game on Christmas Day. He is about to retire and the game is a set-up for him to break the all-time rushing record, but to him this is insignificant in the game of life. The comedy has already ended, but now starts the heartache. Get ready to bring out the Kleenex! And don't jump out of your chair until the credits role because you might be sitting back down a couple times. Even though it was an emotional roller coaster, all three of us were fond of The Best Man Holiday. However, you could see it now or save it for home. Just realize this is not going to be a gather-the-family-around light Christmas classic. Save this one for after the kids are off to bed.

QUIET Rating system: 2 1/2 Js

Quality: JJ

Understood story:  JJ

Interest: JJJj

Entertainment:  JJJj

Time:  Jj