Taglines: Times change. Friendship doesn’t.
The Best Man Holiday is an American tragicomedy film written and directed by Malcolm D. Lee. It is the sequel to the 1999 film, The Best Man. The film was released on November 15, 2013 by Universal Pictures. It stars Taye Diggs, Terrence Howard, Harold Perrineau, Morris Chestnut, Monica Calhoun, Sanaa Lathan, Nia Long, Melissa De Sousa and Regina Hall, reprising their roles from the 1999 film along with the supporting cast.
About the Story (2013)
Mia Sullivan (Monica Calhoun), wife of Lance Sullivan (Morris Chestnut), has written letters requesting the gangs attendance for Christmas: Harper Stewart (Taye Diggs) and his nine-month pregnant wife Robin (Sanaa Lathan), Julian and Candace (Harold Perrineau and Regina Hall), her best friend Jordan Armstrong (Nia Long) and boyfriend Brian (Eddie Cibrian), Quentin (Terrence Howard), and Shelby (Melissa De Sousa). Now that all the friends have arrived at the house the celebration begins. At dinner, the old friends catch up with each other while tensions ensue between Shelby and Candace.
Years after Harper’s debut novel, he seems to have stumbled upon writer’s block and financial constraints as well as pressure from his agency to come up with newer and better material for his next book. His agent suggests he write a biography on Lance, who is set to retire from football and that because of their friendship, it’ll be easier for Harper to be able to gain from writing about Lance. Also because the timing would be perfect given Lance’s decision to retire.
The Murch family also seems to be doing well, Jullian having opened the school that he had worked hard to establish with his wife, former stripper Candace (who has kept her maiden name) as his head of admissions. However his main donor decides to withdraw his relationship with the school, reason being that he has been made aware of Candace’s past and out of fear of risking his reputation as a man with morals he’d rather cut all ties with Jullian and the school.
It is then that Jullian sees a video on YouTube showing his wife at a fraternity party accepting money for sex. In the Stewart household, Harper is frustrated and stressed out as he goes through a heap of past due bills and letters of demand, however being a proud man he chooses not to tell Robin and also decides to pursue writing Lance’s autobiography without telling anybody. Shelby is also living the life she dreamed of as she is now part of the social elite and is a prominent reality TV personality, a cast member of the real housewives TV show franchise, also a self-proclaimed notorious reality TV star. Robin is still insecure with regards to Harper and Jordon’s friendship. Q is now a successful brand manager and is heavily connected to prominent celebrities.
After arriving at the Sullivan’s, Harper notices Mia’s dramatic weight loss but brushes it off and focuses on the reunion and on gathering information about Lance for the autobiography.
The next day, Brian says goodbye to Jordan and leaves for his family’s annual Christmas gathering in Vermont. As he leaves, Jordan tells him that, while she loves him, she does not need him. Harper, Q, and Murch go to the grocery store while Lance is at a team meeting and Harper’s credit card is declined. Q shows concern, but Harper denies having money problems. After dinner that night, the men dance and lip-sync to “Can You Stand the Rain” for the ladies to great response. All of the couples in the house have sex that night, while Q sends risque photographs of himself to Shelby. Harper goes down to the kitchen, where he and Jordan make some small talk, and Jordan says she knows that Harper is writing Lance’s biography.
As Harper heads back to bed, he finds Mia throwing up blood. Mia reveals to Harper that she was diagnosed with cancer more than a year ago and is dying. After Lance walks in on the two talking, Mia explains to Lance that Harper knows. They both ask Harper to keep the condition a secret. At breakfast the next morning, Q and Shelby accidentally switch phones and Shelby finds the Candace video on Q’s phone.
She tries to use it to coerce Jullian to resume his previous relationship with her, but Jullian rebuffs her advances. Not long afterwards, Candace loses patience with Shelby and confronts her, which leads to a physical altercation between the two in front of Shelby’s daughter, after which Candace leaves the house with Jullian’s and her daughters. Lance drives the men to his football practice, with Murch and Q starting a fight in the backseat, but Harper intervenes to before it degenerates further. While at the practice, Q cynically explains to Murch that such a video comes with marrying a stripper.
The Best Man Holiday (2013)
Directed by: Malcolm D. Lee
Starring: Taye Diggs, Nia Lon, Morris Chestnut, Harold Perrineau, Terrence Howard, Regina Hall, Melissa De Sousa
Screenplay by: Malcolm D. Lee
Production Design by: Keith Brian Burns
Cinematography by: Greg Gardiner
Film Editing by: Paul Millspaugh
Costume Design by: Danielle Hollowell
Set Decoration by: Peter P. Nicolakakos
Art Direction by: Aleksandra Marinkovich
Music by: Stanley Clarke
MPAA Rating: R for language, sexual content and brief nudity.
Studio: Universal Pictures
Release Date: November 15, 2013
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