Le Mariage de l'année

I saw this five years ago on DVD and grabbed it the other day in the video store wanting an oldie/goodie. So tired of watching homogenized films about stealing the groom from the bride; cheating on the bride-to-be while on a road-trip in wine country; the sad/depressed bridesmaid/maid-of-honor tragically gets dumped by her escort; blah-blah-blah. What this film offers us instead is something in the eyes of four Af-Am buddies who get together before one of them ties the knot. And there are no race cards pulled. The film does not zero on one of the characters and their drug/alcohol problem, or gang-related problemos, or any stereotypical stuff like that. No- what Malcolm Lee did instead was deliver us with an ensemble cast who just happen to be black, mix in a smooth R & B soundtrack with it and a give us a fun premise.

It's simple: Harper (Diggs) is on the brink of publishing his first novel with characters loosely based on his friends from college. He flies to New York to get together with his buddies before attending his friend's wedding. During that time, he encounters an old flame that got away; the changes in ideology and values with others. But on the night of the bachelor party, Lance (Chestnut) gets his paws on a copy and reads it, puzzling together the composites while blaming Diggs for cheating with his fiancée.

Taye Diggs, Nia Long, Morris Chestnut, Terrence Dashon Howard, Harold Perrineau, Monica Calhoun, Sanaa Lathan, and the rest of all the cast get the fattest props because without their acting, this would've been a train wreck. What makes these characters so unique and human is that they're not stereotypical caricature's and each of them all evolve their own style. Taye Diggs is the quiet pragmatist of them all, yet he's no dork. Morris Chestnut is Lance the football "player"/groom-to-be. Harold Perrineau is the hopelessly, pathetically whipped brother-man with heart and Terrence Dashon Howard (from this year's "Crash")steals every scene he's in as the cynical but cool cat musician buddy. Nia Long is the former flame of Taye Diggs with Sanaa Lathan as his girlfriend.

Yeah, the story is a little predictable. Yeah, it's a little lewd and sexist (the scene at the poker table, but I love those lines: "Bite it!", "Grow it!"). The very ending is something we've seen before, yet it's funny anyway. Only problem was that this film was probably labeled as a "black film" at the time and that was probably why it received such poor box office (a'la "Waiting to Exhale", "Boomerang"). Perhaps Hollywood wasn't ready to see that and preferred a movie about a suburban, white, dysfunctional family instead. Oh, and gave it Best Picture, too.

For a few weeks now I've expressed interest in wanting to see "The Best Man." As a white male, when I said this, most people gave me a look as if I just said, "I'm thinking about investing money in 'Phat Beach II'!" There seems to be a belief that "The Best Man" is not a movie for me because I'm white.

If you were skeptical about seeing "The Best Man" because you're not black, ignore those fillings and go see the movie. It's slow at points, and yes, it does have some tired cliches in it, but it was nice to see a movie where people talked and developed relationships, regardless of their skin color.

"The Best Man" is not a black film. Yes, it stars black people and was made by black people, but it's more a film about one's friendships and how they develop as one grows older. Don't miss it because you don't think it's meant for you.

This was the first time in as long as I can remember where the lead characters, though African-American and male, were not tragedies. No drugs, alcohol problems. Each man had a job, neigh a career. It really reminded me of my friends. I know someone that represents each of those characters. Not too long out of college and working our way towards "making it." It really sent the message that African-Americans are able to achieve without a rap video and we certainly don't all sell drugs. It was not a typical "black" movie. It was just a movie about a group of friends, irrespective of the color of their skin. We have brains and know how to use them. This is a more accurate representation of us anyway since what the media shows is a very small percentage. Great job, Spike!

I was very impressed with The Best Man. As an avid moviegoer, this was the very first Black movie made in recent decades that was done right. As a first major endeavor for Malcolm Lee, my hat is off to him for portraying young, successful, upper-middle class African-Americans in a solid storyline that was at once heart-warming, funny, serious at times, but light at others. Overall... simply very well done. The character's development was executed eloquently and, at times so subtly, I nearly missed some things. The cinematography, costumes and sets were all as they should be: done with class.

This young, successful, upper-middle class African-American says thanks for finally doing it right.

Verrrry nice. I think this is the first good black movie I have seen that didn't need to be but simply was. Well-known, medium-powered Black actors and actresses in a movie that didn't focus on the Black experience. The BEST part... the whole movie was done with thought-out class. The story wasn't about brothers from the 'hood trying to make it in the White Man's world or some racially-charged Spike Lee joint. Think of a great episode of the Cosby Show re-written for an adult audience, bearing a PG-13 rating and you know how you'll feel when you leave the theater. It's about time.