THINK LIKE A MAN TOO – The Review

2012’s THINK LIKE A MAN was an adaptation of comedian Steve Harvey’s New York Times best-selling book Act Like A Lady, Think Like a Man, where audiences met a group of close friends whose romantic entanglements with the women they pursued made for plenty of sharp comedy and heartfelt reflection once Harvey’s generous relationship advice was added to the mix.

In the end, the non-committer proposed, the dreamer won the heart of the independent woman, the player settled down with the 90-day-rule stickler, the mama’s boy broke free of his mother’s grip and vowed to put the cute single mom first, and the happily divorced guy went back to his wife.

In THINK LIKE A MAN TOO, the couples are back, along with new stories and funny storylines.

Directed by Tim Story (RIDE ALONG), the sequel takes all the characters to Sin City and drops them in the middle of everything that it’s known for – the lights, the gambling and the glitz.

Jeremy (Jerry Ferrara) and Kristen (Gabrielle Union) are trying to have a baby. Businesswoman Lauren (Taraji P. Henson) is offered a promotion in NYC from her boss (Kelsey Grammer) while budding chef Dominic (Michael Ealy) is considering a job in Vegas. Both are trying to make their relationship work, but their successful careers could potentially take them in different directions. Mya (Meagan Good) loves Zeke (Romany Malco), but in Vegas he’s known as Zeke the Freak by some.

The bride and groom, Michael (Terrence J) and Candace (Regina Hall) are getting married, but the happy couple’s dynamic is further complicated by the fact that Michael’s mother, Loretta (Jenifer Lewis), continues to be an intrusive element in their relationship

Then there is best man Cedric (Kevin Hart). He sets out to be “the best best man in the history of best men.”  With a goal he’s obsessed with, he spends way more money than he has for the weekend on a lavish suite at Caesars Palace. He thinks that it is $4,000 a night, when it’s really $40,000 a night and winds up with a $80,000 bill.  His efforts to try to win the money, along with everyone’s misadventures, threatens to derail Candace and Michael’s wedding.

Can these relationships have a “happily ever after” against the backdrop of Vegas? It’s a funny rom-com, so the answer is, of course.

Being in Sin City, dueling bachelor and bachelorette parties go full throttle.

The women rule this movie and get more screen time in the sequel. They “borrow” the guys’ party bus and head off for their own shenanigans at Planet Hollywood’s Gallery Nightclub. A scene recreating BBD’s ‘Poison,’ combined with karaoke and dancing, turns into a music video that’s really fun. It is one of the film’s most memorable moments. That is until the girls decide to continue the night by heading over to The Hustler Club for the Best Male Dancer contest.

Meanwhile, the guys try to help Cedric and his hotel bill by entering The Hustler Club’s contest and lo and behold the two parties come together.

As the ladies are cheering on Candace up on the stage for a lap dance, a raucous brawl in the club goes down, and everyone is hauled down to the local jail on the eve of the wedding.

Along the way in THINK LIKE A MAN TOO come a few new characters. Isaac (Adam Brody), Michael’s fraternity brother from college, is hell-bent on his friend having a great time in Vegas, while Terrell (David Walton), Michael’s other fraternity brother, is a surprise to all of Michael’s friends, and turns out to be the life of the party.

In addition to the return of Cedric’s wife Gail (Wendy Williams), actor Dennis Haysbert joins the cast as his character (Candace’s Uncle Eddie) comes in to save the day when he preoccupies Loretta from the bachelorette party. With the real onscreen chemistry between Lewis and Haysbert, someone needs to give these fine actors a film of their own.

Look for some funny cameos from Floyd Mayweather, TV reality star Coco and Drake.

Kudos to the film’s behind the scenes team. The score is by Christopher Lennertz, costume design by Salvador Perez, Chris Cornwell was the movie’s production designer, director of photography is Chris Duskin and editing by Peter S. Elliot (IRON MAN 3). The film’s R&B soundtrack is filled with wonderful songs from Mary J. Blige.

In the end, the craziness of the weekend brings everybody closer together and the film comes complete with flowers, romance and fireworks.

Grab your girlfriends this weekend and go see the hilarious THINK LIKE A MAN TOO.

The film is rated PG-13.

Opens in theaters June 20th.

3 1/2 stars