Best Man

Best Man DVD

Taye Diggs plays Harper a writer who's about to explode into the mainstream. Leaving behind his girlfriend Robin Sanaa Lathan he heads to New York City to serve as best man for his friend Lance's wedding Chestnut. Once there he reunites with the rest of his college circle: the girlfriend- whipped Murch Harold Perrineau Jr. the aimless Quentin Howard who runs away with every scene he's in and the professionally motivated Jordan Long with whom Harper has always shared a mutual sexual attraction. As the weekend unfolds each member of the group has their turn reading UNFINISHED BUSINESS something that Harper doesn't want to happen--for reasons that eventually introduce themselves. A film that focuses on serious human issues Malcolm D. Lee's directorial debut is a crowdpleasing success.

THE BEST MAN

A glossy romantic comedy, The Best Man centers on four college friends and the women in their lives, all brought back together for a wedding. Taye Diggs (How Stella Got Her Groove Back) plays the title character, a young writer whose first novel is a barely fictionalized account of his college days, featuring barely fictionalized versions of all his friends. This novel hasn't yet been released, but ambitious TV producer Nia Long (Soul Food) has snagged an advance copy in the hopes of getting an early interview with Diggs. Unfortunately, when this advance copy begins circulating among the college gang, they discover it reveals some secrets that may have a disastrous effect on the wedding. The Best Man features a handsome, charming cast and a propulsive story, but the female characters are poorly developed and the male banter is, to say the least, chauvinistic. This banter is mostly to comic effect, but by the end it still leaves a sour taste that the movie's happy ending doesn't counter. With a particularly strong performance by Terrence Howard as an aimless but relentlessly honest member of the college quartet. --Bret Fetzer