The Best Man
for language and sexuality.
Reviewed by: Hillari Hunter
CONTRIBUTOR
| Moral Rating: | Very Offensive |
| Moviemaking Quality: |
|
| Primary Audience: | Adults |
| Genre: | Romance Comedy |
| Length: | 1 hr. 58 min. |
| Year of Release: | 1999 |
| USA Release: |
| Featuring | Morris Chestnut, Terrence Howard, Taye Diggs, Nia Long, Harold Perrineau, Jr. |
| Director |
Malcolm D. Lee |
| Producer | Spike Lee, Sam Kitt, Bill Carraro |
| Distributor |
“The flower arrangements have been ordered. The sleeping arrangements are still being worked out.”
Sequel: “The Best Man Holiday” (2013)
Another predictable ensemble comedy-drama revolving around a major life event. The wedding of Lance and Mya also functions as a reunion of their college buddies, most notably Harper (Taye Diggs), a writer. His soon-to-be-published novel, a thinly disguised account of his friends’ past sexual relationships, has already made the rounds among his former classmates, and they aren’t pleased. Tensions, tempers and long-held secrets threaten to ruin the nuptials.
If you are easily offended, there is a lot here that you will not like. There is plenty of foul language, including sexual references, derogatory terms for women, and the African-American males in the cast referring to each other as “n*ggers”. Lance (Morris Chestnut) uses foul language inside of a church. Sex scenes are brief, but they are somewhat graphic. Scantily clad women strippers appear in a long bachelor party scene. A rough fist fight takes place during the same party. There are also scenes of drinking and drunkenness.
What viewers may find most offensive is Harper’s atheism. He is constantly putting down God and the Christian faith. Lance professes to be a Christian man, but his actions in the present and in flashbacks do not portray a Christian lifestyle. Lance’s faith is also played for laughs at several points in the film.
There are some positive messages about committed relationships, friendship and forgiveness in “The Best Man”, but they are wrapped up in mediocre packaging.
[2/2½]
Having said that, the most interesting and Christ-like response comes from the person who shows the most disdain for spiritual things: Harper. I would contend that Harper’s relationship with Mia was strictly platonic. Yet, he subjected himself to an intense level of physical pain in order to maintain his friendship with his aggressor—Lance. This singular moment of unselfishness in not unlike the example of perfection and obedience set forth by Jesus himself.
For me, this movie defined a higher level of loyalty and committment to friendship that few of us can really appreciate or ascribe to. If you can get beyond the obvious carnality of the story, you will be richly rewarded with a model of devotion by one man to another that is not often witnessed.
[4/5]
This movie could have really been excellent had the storyline been more interesting and the respect for friendships been displayed. True friends are hard to find and when we find one we need to hold on to them instead of allowing “flesh” to come between them.
[1/4]
I love dialogue movies, no action needed. Here you have an athlete who was obviously raised as a Christian but for some reason as with many of us Christians he has strayed away from the promise but he still know where to go. The Bible.
But one thing viewers should know—yes, he could repent each time, but the bible warns us about taking advantage of God’s grace and mercy. SHALL WE THAT ARE DEAD TO SIN CONTINUE IN SIN ANY LONGER… GOD FORBID. I really thought it was great that he made his friend acknowledge Christ for himself. Most modern day movies wouldn’t have taken it that far. We are coming a long way. Chariots of Fire… The Apostle… The Omega Code… seeds are being planted…
[2½/4]
[1/1½]
As for Harper, the main character, his acting was on target. Much props! However, it was a shame that this talented black writer found it difficult to realize that he needed God even at the very end of the flick, where he initiated prayer when he couldn’t fix the mess himself, then was “forced” to pray in order to become unified with his partner.
It would’ve been nice to see Lance and Mya talk about things before the nuptuals. True forgiveness wasn’t revealed to the audience. How can you begin a new life with a sordid foundation? Overall, we rate this movie 2/5. It had a unique storyline, however, the relationships lacked any real depth. With such depth, there would not have been the need to have the foul language and the nudity as movie fillers.
My Ratings: [1/3]