“Think Like A Man Too” throws out the playbook of its’ predecessor and replaces it with your typical black ensemble film cliches. It has beautiful people in silly situations, token white boy jokes, throwback music, a dash of melodramatic black love and a nice bow to wrap it all up in. That being said, fans of the first film and its’ stars will likely still eat it up!
At the film’s opening we find Michael (Terrence J) and Candace (Regina Hall) in Las Vegas to get married. Of course, their crew is along for the ride and shenanigans. Kevin Hart reprises his role as Cedric, the little man with a big mouth. Cedric is the narrating thread throughout the film’s barely there plot, which can easily be broken down like this: here’s what your favorite couples are up to and the issues they’re facing, let’s break up separately to party as the fellas and the ladies, then let’s come back together and solve all of our problems in the last twelve minutes of the film.
The sequel has no reference to the Steve Harvey book Act Like A Lady, Think Like a Man that inspired and drove the story of the first movie. It was the book that created a tug of war battle of the sexes in the game of love that really worked for the first film. Not that the book needed to be in the second film, but I think without it we’re left with too many characters with not much to do. Rather than an organic film that highlights all of its’ cast, it feels more like passing the baton at summer camp to make sure everyone gets a chance to speak.
At the end of the day, “Think Like A Man Too” will be a great time for its’ core fans. Kevin Hart’s physical and rapid fire comedy pushes the film forward with laughs along the way. There are plenty of cameos that got a rise out of the crowd I saw the film with, and a random music video sequence for BBD’s “Poison”. Although the movie is full of cliches like overbearing characters who don’t get “put in check” until the end of the film, the butler from B.A.P.S. (do those kind of jokes really still get laughs?), or the only white lead in the film saying “badonkadonk”, it is popcorn flick entertaining.
I wish this film would have been more, because I really enjoyed the first one. If you’re looking for a good laugh and a chance to relax from the week, this movie has what you need. If you’re looking for a classic black romantic comedy or even a movie you’ll remember in two weeks, think again!
Rating: D+