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The Best Man (1999)
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Editorial
Amazon.co.uk Review
A glossy romantic comedy, The Best Man centres on four college friends and the women in their lives, all brought back together for a wedding. Taye Diggs (How Stella Got Her Groove Back) plays the title character, a young writer whose first novel is a barely fictionalised account of his college days, featuring barely fictionalised versions of all his friends. This novel hasn't yet been released, but ambitious TV producer Nia Long (Soul Food) has snagged an advance copy in the hopes of getting an early interview with Diggs. Unfortunately, when this advance copy begins circulating among the college gang, they discover it reveals some secrets that may have a disastrous effect on the wedding. The Best Man features a handsome, charming cast and a propulsive story, but the female characters are poorly developed and the male banter is, to say the least, chauvinistic. This banter is mostly to comic effect, but by the end it still leaves a sour taste that the movie's happy ending doesn't counter. It does at least feature a particularly strong performance by Terrence Howard as an aimless but relentlessly honest member of the college quartet. --Bret Fetzer, Amazon.com
The Best part.....the whole movie was done with thought-out class
Review date: 2007-06-23 Rating: 8 out of 10
The beauty of this movie is that it truly likes and cares about the people inhabiting it. There are no cheap jokes or sight gags. The humor develops from real situations and real characters starting with Harper Stewart (Taye Diggs). Life is good for Harper. His first novel is about to be published. He is in a comfortable two-year relationship and it is the weekend of the wedding of Lance (Morris Chesnut) and Mia (Monica Calhoun), two of his closest college friends. The bad news is his novel is a thinly veiled account of his college years and an advance copy of the book has found it's way into the hands of another college friend, Jordan (Nia Long). Jordan has in turn read the book and passed it along to Harper's inncer circle of college freinds. The really bad news is now the advance copy is in the hands of the groom, Lance. And Lance will not be happy by what he reads.
The film is well performed across the board although special mention needs to be made of Taye Diggs in the lead. Diggs perfectly captures the arrogance and the fear of commitment that makes the character of Harper work. Morris Chesnut is also quite good as the groom Lance. Lance is a star running back who is torn by his love for Mia and all the oppurtunies his "star" status provides. Mia really has become the rock in this world, his key to becoming a better man and Christian. When Lance finally gets to the chapter that Harper has been so afraid of him reading his entire world is shaken and nothing is on solid ground. Chesnut nails the sense of frustration of a man who all of a sudden finds his house is build on quicksand. Powerful stuff and again, none of it seems forced or pushed. The victory for virtue as defined by this film, however, is not easy and does not rely on conventional finger waging notions and stereotypes. In fact, the most interesting and best acted character is Quentin (Terrence Dashon Howard). He slyly and wisely presents the argument that we are not meant to be monogamous, but he is consistent in not expecting men and women to live by a double standard. He is in many ways correctly cynical about all of his friends and the rest of us. It is a testament to confident story telling when a character presents a contradictory position so well. In addition, Quentin is hilariously madcap with his quips.
When we finally get to the wedding and hear the vows of the groom and bride as a celebration of their commitment and union, the movie literally blooms with sweetness and beauty. This may sound corny, but when it is well done as it was here, we have insatiable appetites for seeing people face their selfish expectations and hypocrisy to become true partners in love and life. It is of note that Spike Lee's company produced this movie. Apparently, the able writer-director, Malcolm D. Lee, is a relative. The setting is affluent, literate, intelligent, success driven, neurotically yuppie and entirely African-American. (We don't recall seeing a white face on the screen.) In this, Best Man offers a refreshing and powerful diversion from the heaviness of urban blight and racial oppression as the world of blacks on film. As real as these phenomena are, blacks are diverse in their accomplishments and social strata.
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Reviews
The BEST FILM
Review date: 2007-01-09 Rating: 10 out of 10
all i can say is WOOOOWWWW!!!! this movie was TOUCHING and i dont even know how to describe it....its a MUST WATCH...its so BEAUTIFUL and teaches about trust and love and most important of all....FRIENDSHIP.
its also FUNNY 2 looool....especially with Terrence Howard. and oh....Morris looked SO SEXY in this right here (woooowww) lol....but like i said u NEED and HAVE 2 watch this!!!!
A Must See Film
Review date: 2006-05-01 Rating: 10 out of 10
Great if you love wedding films. The film teaches about love and trust. Great film. A must have in any DVD collection.
This is a movie for all!!
Review date: 2001-08-16 Rating: 10 out of 10
This movies is funny, exciting and full of all the emotions friendships and relationships put u through. A movie about a group of friends reuniting for a wedding. Mad drama as the friends reminisce and see how life has been to them all. A movie that is definetly a must see for everyone. Mans this is not one of those movies just for the gals them, trust me!!! Buy it now!!!
a triumph for 40 acres and a mule
Review date: 2000-12-30 Rating: 10 out of 10
The complexity of the characters is only out shone by the dazzling locations and premier acting. The best man pushes the audience to the boundaries of their perceptions and allows Diggs, Long and Chestnut to dispaly what could be said to be their finest work.
Malcom Lee, Spike's cousin dispalys his intricuit understanding of upwardly mobile black New York and allows all who watch regardless of race or socioeconomic position to enter into the world of the autonomous young.
A MUST WATCH FOR ALL PEOPLE WHO LOVE FILM.
The Best Man? No the best film.
Enjoy.
Product Details/Specifications
Actor(s):
Morris Chestnut
Terrence Howard
Taye Diggs
Nia Long
Harold Perrineau
Creators:
Taye Diggs (Primary Contributor)
Nia Long (Primary Contributor)
Frank Prinzi (Cinematographer)
Malcolm D. Lee (Writer)
Cara Silverman (Editor)
Bill Carraro (Producer)
Sam Kitt (Producer)
Spike Lee (Producer)
Director(s):
Recording label: Universal Pictures Video
Manufacturer: Universal Pictures Video
EAN: 5050582001686
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: Full Screen, PAL,
Release date: 2003-04-14
Number of discs: 1
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Audience rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
Region code: 2
Running time: 120 minutes
Theatrical release date: 1999-10-22
Language: French (Original Language)
Language: English (Original Language)
Language: English (Subtitled)
Language: French (Subtitled)
Language: Portuguese (Subtitled)
Language: Arabic (Subtitled)