In the sequel to the 1999 film “The Best Man,” the holiday flick “The Best Man Holiday” offers a flawed, but ultimately non-disastrous second effort.
The film picks up right where the first movie left off and has moments of witty and clever humor, yet it feels bogged down with heavy melodrama. I found myself getting lost in the plot, only to be relieved by the occasional joke or crude remark. Though the introduction tries best to recap the important plot points from the original film, it is still best for newcomers to watch “Best Man” before coming into this film.
Luckily, the beloved original ensemble cast returns for the sequel. Taye Diggs, Sanaa Lathan, Nia Long, Harold Perrineau, Terrence Howard and a host of other superb veteran actors lend their skills to “Holiday.”
Though you may recognize these names now, most of these actors jump started their careers with the first “Best Man” film. The original film was before Howard’s stints in “Iron Man,” “Crash,” and “Red Tails,” and before Long played roles in movies like “Big Momma’s House,” “Premonition,” and the documentary “Good Hair.”
The first “Best Man” gave every member of the cast a time to shine and display their acting chops, with it’s captivating storyline. Now that the bar has been raised, not only by the viewers, but by the actors themselves, “Holiday” is subject to much harsher criticism.
Despite — or because of — the hype of the all-star cast, “Holiday” ultimately falls flat. It gets boring at times, especially during the more weighty, dramatic sections. Weak writing and production seems more at fault than the actors themselves, but the cast fails to resuscitate the movie.
The movie has nevertheless proven itself to be a box office success since it was released a few weeks ago — notably beating out Marvel’s “Thor: The Dark World.” So even if it offers little in the way of innovation, it seems to have struck an acceptable chord for those seeking holiday cheer.
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