The Best Man

Play trailer

The Best Man

R

1999

2h 0m

Comedy

Drama

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

71%

Tomatometer

70 Reviews

86%

Popcornmeter

2,500+ Ratings

After writing a soon-to-be bestselling novel, writer and committed bachelor Harper Stewart (Taye Diggs) attempts to hide the fact that his saucy new book is loosely based on the lives and loves of his tight-knit group of friends. Harper is set to be the best man at his friend Lance's (Morris Chestnut) wedding, and all his friends will be in attendance. When an advance copy of the book makes its way into the hands of his ex-flame, Jordan Armstrong (Nia Long), Harper attempts to keep it under wraps.

Watch on Fandango

Stream Now

Critics Consensus

With a strong cast and a host of well-defined characters, The Best Man is an intelligent, funny romantic comedy that marks an impressive debut for writer/director Malcolm D. Lee.

Read Critics Reviews

Teresa Wiltz

Washington Post

Nov 14, 2013

Ultimately when it's all said and done, Best Man remains always a groomsman, never a groom: It backs down on its promise to both challenge and entertain, opting instead for the easy laugh--and the pat ending.

Go to Full Review

Lisa Alspector

Chicago Reader

Apr 11, 2012

Viewers who mistake the didacticism for stylistic weakness miss much of the point of this nicely toned movie.

Go to Full Review

Time Out

Jan 26, 2006

So much for the under-powered plot, from tyro writer/director Malcolm D Lee, to which the tiresome unearthing of nice guy Harper's previous dalliances contributes little.

Go to Full Review

Milton Kent

Baltimore Sun

Nov 14, 2013

3/4

Lee comes at the topics refreshingly, taking the African-American male, one of the least explored groups in film, and placing him under a microscope, not for judgment, but for observation.

Go to Full Review

S. Jhoanna Robledo

Common Sense Media

Mar 15, 2013

4/5

Entertaining romantic drama ponders commitment, fidelity.

Go to Full Review

Total Film

Apr 11, 2012

3/5

A fresh romantic comedy that's somewhat let down by a wayward plot, The Best Man is well worth watching for the outstanding ensemble acting and the intelligent, schmaltz-avoiding handling of love, marriage and friendship.

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

thiago s

@Thiagostone Sep 27, 2025

Filme fraco, o roteiro é fraco, as cenas são fracas, a história é fraca, o elenco é fraco, e ninguém ajuda a melhorar o filme, os personagens são fracos, e o filme deveria ter cenas bem melhores e relevantes, para fazer o filme ser bom

See more

Stephen C

@bob25009 Jul 22, 2025

Funny in 2 hours even. The worldwide gross is $34,500,000.00 over a budget of $9,000,000.00.

See more

Autumn M

@RT26919073 Jun 23, 2024

The Best Man is a classic rom com from the 1990's. Some parts definitely did not age well, but overall the story was unique and well-paced. The twist to this classic story is that the main protagonist has written a book that is based on his relationships with his friends. The characters were multi-layered and had interesting motives and story arcs. I especially loved Terrence Howard's character as the lothario who tends to be right about some aspects of a healthy relationship. Overall, it was an enjoyable character-driven story about friendship and loyalty. Recommended.

See more

Steve D

@RT35616104 Feb 8, 2023

A lot of it works including the great cast but at times it comes off a bit too sexist for me.

See more

Jan 4, 2022

Yep, 2022 just started and I figured I was better off not beating around the bush and getting this movie out of the way. Better than its Christmas sequel, The Best Man is cheesy and not quite as funny as I was expecting but its talented cast, well-defined characterisations, a show-stealing Terrence Howard and well-directed drama scenes make it a good, if not great, '90s romantic dramedy.

See more

jizzy b

@RT30696576 Oct 17, 2021

The prelude of two. Very good film, story, cast and production really good. A cult classic for a generation.

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

POST RATING

Malcolm D. Lee

Director

Taye Diggs

Harper Stewart

Nia Long

Jordan Armstrong

Morris Chestnut

Lance Sullivan

Harold Perrineau

Julian Murch

Terrence Howard

Quentin

The Best Man: Official Clip - She's The One

2:57

Now Playing

The Best Man: Official Clip - Love Never Fails

3:21

Now Playing

The Best Man: Official Clip - Best Man Proposal

2:27

Now Playing

The Best Man: Official Clip - Best Man's Speech

2:54

Now Playing

The Best Man: Official Clip - Lose Control & Get Freaky

3:22

Now Playing

The Best Man: Official Clip - A Kiss To Her Frontal Lobe

3:02

Now Playing

The Best Man: Official Clip - Merry Murch

3:50

Now Playing

The Best Man: Official Clip - Don't Blame Me

3:05

Now Playing

The Best Man: Official Clip - She's My Queen

3:24

Now Playing

The Best Man: Official Clip - It's Karma, Baby

3:21

Now Playing

View more videos

Bamboozled

53%

74%

Bamboozled

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Bamboozled

Outside Providence

53%

66%

Outside Providence

Watchlist

Go

91%

78%

Go

Watchlist

Celebrity

43%

42%

Celebrity

Watchlist

Best Men

13%

40%

Best Men

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

View more photos

Synopsis

After writing a soon-to-be bestselling novel, writer and committed bachelor Harper Stewart (Taye Diggs) attempts to hide the fact that his saucy new book is loosely based on the lives and loves of his tight-knit group of friends. Harper is set to be the best man at his friend Lance's (Morris Chestnut) wedding, and all his friends will be in attendance. When an advance copy of the book makes its way into the hands of his ex-flame, Jordan Armstrong (Nia Long), Harper attempts to keep it under wraps.

Director: Malcolm D. Lee
Producer: Bill Carraro, Sam Kitt, Spike Lee
Screenwriter: Malcolm D. Lee
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Production Co: 40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks
Rating: R
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 22, 1999, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 15, 2012
Box Office (Gross USA): $34.1M
Runtime: 2h 0m
Sound Mix: SDDS, Dolby Digital, DTS, Surround

Join The Newsletter

Join The Newsletter

Cookie Settings