Before I begin, let me start by stating: this is not a review of the movie “The Best Man Holiday.”  It is simply a personal observation that I want to share.  Whatever your taste in movies, whatever your opinion of this movie, you are certainly entitled to it, as am I.

OK, done with that.

This past weekend, I ventured to the movie to check out “The Best Man Holiday.” I don’t frequent movie theaters as often as I used to.  I’m much more OK with waiting the 3 months or so for a movie to be released on DVD.  I’ve learned that I appreciate the movie and its story a lot better when I can watch it from the confines of my own home.  Nevertheless, I went out to see this movie; mostly, because the original “The Best Man” was good, somewhat because of all the hype I’d seen on Facebook from friends (yes, social media does influence our decisions), and partly because I wanted to see Sanaa Lathan and Nia Long (yes, I kinda like them).

Without getting into too much detail about the ins and outs of the movie, as I thought there were so many layers of life caught in two hours of cinema, I really appreciated the humanity displayed in the character of Lance Sullivan, played by Morris Chestnut. (And, I’m sure the ladies sitting next to me appreciated his manhood even more so. They couldn’t stop talking about him.)  Lance Sullivan – “God, Family and Football” – was a real person.  I like how he was presented as a man of faith yet still flawed.  His inability to forgive his best friend, his not letting go of the past, and his out in the open rage were all indicative of him being human yet striving to be perfected through his faith in God.

I would have been so upset had they made him perfect and shallow as some movies portray Christians. Our belief and faith in God does not render us exempt from being unforgiving people. It doesn’t mean that we will never hold grudges. And, it certainly doesn’t mean that we won’t have issues letting go of the past. What it does mean, as Lance Sullivan helps us to remember, is that it is within us to forgive. We can forgive. We can let go of the past. And, we can embrace those who once offended us.

Thanks Lance Sullivan. Thank you writers (and actors) of “The Best Man Holiday” for not only giving us a good tearjerker but for also giving us a movie close enough to life that we can truly identify with it and that will hopefully help some of us to learn to forgive.

Finally, for the record, no, I did not cry, not even at the scene of the casket being lowered into the ground. Although, I did feel it inside bubbling up, trying to get out.

Have you seen the movie yet? If so, what’s your observation? Did you find any life learning moments in the movie or was it just entertainment for you? Share your comments below.

Photo Credit: Universal Pictures