Review of The Best Man Holiday (2013) by Nathan M — 09 Dec 2013

A strange film that tries to mix raunchy humor with faith-based, emotional moments, and neither tone seems to fit. Thankfully the cast is so charming and the chemistry works so well, there are some moments to enjoy.

The Good: The cast - The chemistry between this group of friends is so palatable at all times, that you feel right at home with them from the beginning. Even when the written jokes don't work, the performers are adding their own elements that make you want to join in on the fun with them.

Character moments - Whether it's what the performers are bringing (what I believe) or what Malcom D. Lee intended, there are some solid moments between characters here that do feel real. However, they are the rarity in its bloated 2 hour run time.

The Bad: The screenplay - Everything that is written feels forced. From the stilted humor to the diatribes about family, faith, and friendship to the contrived emotional melodrama, The Best Man Holiday feels like it's trying to force you into feeling something you don't.

The tone - It's hard to understand what The Best Man Holiday wants to be, a raunchy sex comedy or a faith-based film about family and friendship. Some of the jokes in this film are some of the most explicit and vulgar jokes I've heard, and they don't come across as funny, they just seem crude. At the same time, there are some of the most contrived and manipulative emotional scenes I've seen with monologues about having faith and trusting in God. It just doesn't seem to gel.

Too many threads - The film is just too long and too full. There are so many characters, each with their own storylines that all get equal screentime. Harper Stewart is criticized early in the film for having too many characters in his novel, maybe Lee should have heeded his own advice.

The Smugly (Movie Snob Nitpicks): Production Value - The problem is there isn't much. It looks a lot like a TV movie. Poor lighting and sloppy editing gives this film the feel of a cheap Hallmark movie. It isn't necessary, but it would have helped.

What was up with the football game?

P.S. I did enjoy the dance sequence, that was pretty fun.