A Chat with Malcolm D. Lee on Ushering in The Best Man Holiday

If you are black and living on earth you’ve seen the movie The Best Man at some point in your life. In fact, How many times have you watched it over the last 14 Years? (comments welcome).

Thus making the sequel a much anticipated movie event! And I can unequivocally say it was worth the wait  – The Best Man Holiday not only serves these beloved characters in heart and truth and spirit, but is also sure to become an annual Christmas Classic.

The opening montage flashes briefly back to Lance (Morris Chestnut) and Mia’s (Monica Calhoun) wedding, while quickly filling the audience in on each character’s progression since last we’ve seen them. It’s done in a way that allows us to feel caught up and ready to join their lives present day.

My early Christmas present was not just seeing the preview screening of The Best Man Holiday, but getting a chance to interview the writer/director Malcolm D. Lee at the Four Seasons Hotel.

T&T: When you finally decided it was time to write the sequel did you know Morris Chestnut & Taye Diggs were also ready to reprise these roles? The rest of the cast  (Terrence Howard, Sanaa Lathan, Nia Long, Harold Perrineau, Regina Hall & Melissa De Sousa) all important, because the movie is the Black version of “The Big Chill” – still, it’s these two that drive the story.

Watch the below video to hear Malcolm D Lee’s answer to this and… 

T&T: In both the original and the sequel, the key is balancing the humor, the sentiment and religion. When you’re writing, do you just know you’ve hit the right notes? or do you know it when the lines are spoken?  And more…

In 2011 Malcolm (who got his start in this business working on his cousin Spike Lee’s films) got the whole cast together, who hadn’t all been in the same room since the premiere of The Best Man in 1999, and invited them to dinner. During the dinner (which brings to mind the dinner scene in this movie) he asked them “Do we think this is worth doing? Because we didn’t set out to make a franchise movie or a movie with a sequel…

The Best Man Holiday leaves us with a definite impression there could be a third one coming.  To find out Malcolm D. Lee’s  answer to another “The Best Man installment”, visit Thomasena Farrar’s MusicMoviesThoughts.

Thomasena Farrar, Le Anne Lindsay, Malcolm D. Lee

Here’s a tweet Lee’s sent back in Oct after seeing the film 12 Years A Slave –  I cannot shake what I saw. The movie gets into your very SOUL. I was riveted.

So I had planned to ask him if he’d ever want to tackle something that can take such an emotional toll on the filmmaker?

But I left the question out because he more or less answered it in another question where he admits comedies with heart (like Woody Allen movies) are his preference to make and see. So much so, his favorite holiday movie is Will Ferrell in Elf!

But you’ll have to listen to the video to find out Malcolm’s favorite Thanksgiving side dish.

Attendees at Ritz East The Best Man Holiday Screening with WDAS Patty Jackson

T &T’s LAMB Score: 4.5 out of 5

While You’re Here Check Out This Post:

Interview with The Butler director Lee Daniels and actor Cuba Gooding, Jr. – I started to sit down and transcribe this interview Q&A style, but it was so lively, you need to hear it (click Read More below to see video). We’d ask a question which would take Lee & Cuba off on great tangents. Plus a transcription doesn’t capture the camaraderie between the Precious director and the actors he respects and enjoys so much… READ MORE

Tinsel & Tine (Reel & Dine):

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