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The Best Man
Metascore
61 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 30 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 17 out of 30
  2. Mixed: 12 out of 30
  3. Negative: 1 out of 30
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  1. Seattle Post-Intelligencer
    Reviewed by: Stefan Ulstein
    91
    A delightful, inspiring and ultimately redemptive comedy-drama.
  2. Philadelphia Inquirer
    Reviewed by: Carrie Rickey
    88
    A chick movie for guys that zings and pings like a game of supersonic pinball.
    All this critic's reviews
  3. Austin Chronicle
    Reviewed by: Marc Savlov
    78
    Deeply moral, thoughtful, and amiably humorous.
  4. Mr. Showbiz
    Reviewed by: Kevin Maynard
    77
    Contains more than a handful of big laughs and a highly charismatic cast that knows how to put them over.
    All this critic's reviews
  5. New York Daily News
    Reviewed by: Jami Bernard
    75
    Makes a fine date movie...thanks to its life-affirming view of friendship, love and honor.
  6. New York Post
    Reviewed by: Lou Lumenick
    75
    The performances by the attractive ensemble cast are uniformly solid.
    All this critic's reviews
  7. Boston Globe
    Reviewed by: Jay Carr
    75
    Breathes fresh life into old formulas.
  8. Baltimore Sun
    Reviewed by: Milton Kent
    75
    Say 'I do' to Best Man.
    All this publication's reviews
  9. Charlotte Observer
    Reviewed by: Lawrence Toppman
    75
    A smooth, often funny, occasionally thoughtful romantic comedy.
  10. Rolling Stone
    Reviewed by: Peter Travers
    70
    Charmer of a comedy.
    All this critic's reviews
  11. Village Voice
    Reviewed by: Amy Taubin
    70
    Everything about the film is familiar except that the twentysomethings are all African American.
  12. Film.com
    Reviewed by: Henry Cabot Beck
    70
    A class act, from top to bottom.
  13. The New York Times
    Reviewed by: Elvis Mitchell
    70
    Another demonstration that current movies about upscale black characters have much more traditional values than ones about catty white teen-agers.
  14. Newsweek
    Reviewed by: David Ansen
    70
    Funny, sentimental, cheerfully bawdy story of a wedding reunion that stirs up a hornet's nest of old loves, lusts and jealousies.
    All this critic's reviews
  15. Variety
    Reviewed by: Emanuel Levy
    70
    Overall, this smooth, glossy, enjoyable film showcases an impressive new authorial voice.
  16. Washington Post
    Reviewed by: Lonnae O'Neal Parker
    70
    Tapping into the Zeitgeist of young black professionals starving to see themselves on film, it hits all the right cultural touchstones.
  17. Miami Herald
    Reviewed by: Curtis Morgan
    63
    They're all too old to be considered a black brat pack, but you get a feeling The Best Man will lead to even better.
    All this critic's reviews
  18. Dallas Observer
    Reviewed by: Andy Klein
    60
    Lee's pace is slow enough to try viewers' patience.
  19. Entertainment Weekly
    Reviewed by: Steve Daly
    58
    It's a tribute to the actors' appeal that they can sling this hash and keep our sympathies, but they can't squeeze much drama from pure soap.
  20. TNT RoughCut
    Reviewed by: A. Scott Walton
    55
    Oversimplifies the concept of unrequited love, and over-romanticizes the notion of everlasting love.
    All this publication's reviews
  21. San Francisco Chronicle
    Reviewed by: Bob Graham
    50
    The glossy ensemble cast is consistently interesting.
  22. San Francisco Examiner
    Reviewed by: Wesley Morris
    50
    As innocuous as the love songs on its soundtrack.
  23. USA Today
    Reviewed by: Mike Clark
    50
    Has added virtually nothing to two cinema genres with their own prodigious histories: ensemble and black.
    All this critic's reviews
  24. TV Guide
    Reviewed by: Maitland McDonagh
    50
    A throwback to the slickly entertaining melodramas of Hollywood's golden age.
  25. L.A. Weekly
    Reviewed by: Hazel-Dawn Dumpert
    50
    The best parts of the film...are often distractingly slick enough to cover the film's overriding lack of soul.
  26. Los Angeles Times
    Reviewed by: Eric Harrison
    50
    Lee's attempt at making a romantic comedy that black audiences can enjoy without having to reimagine themselves as Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts.
    All this publication's reviews
  27. Time
    Reviewed by: Richard Corliss
    50
    This agitated comedy could be called "The Big Chillin'" if it had a smidge of the 1983 film's wit and charm.
  28. Chicago Reader
    Reviewed by: Lisa Alspector
    50
    Nicely toned.
  29. Film.com
    Reviewed by: Ernest Hardy
    40
    Stranded in superficiality, the film is a lifestyle commercial.
  30. Chicago Tribune
    Reviewed by: Barbara Shulgasser
    25
    Largely a disappointment.
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