Arts & Culture Think Like A Man Too: Vegas Baby!
June 26, 2014
By Nicole Williams
Contributing Writer
Add one part Vegas, two parts battle of the sexes, four parts couples and one part wedding and you’ll get “Think Like A Man Too.” The romantic comedy is a sequel to “Think Like A Man,” which was based on Steve Harvey’s New York Times best-selling book “Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man.”
The big screen sequel pulls out all the stops going above and beyond the first movie comically, for a side splitting good time. The hilarious, fun and heartbreaking sequel brought the audience on an adventure through the lives of five couples, well four, if you discount the split relationship between Cedric, who is played by Kevin Hart and his wife Gail and La La Anthony who plays the solo friend, Sonia. The movie was directed by Tim story and produced by Will Packer who says that the sequel differs from the first film.
“The first film was definitely a romantic comedy. It was about building relationships,” Packer said. “This one is an out-and-out romp, as they try to literally, survive the weekend in Vegas.”
The movie centered on the highly anticipated wedding between Candace, played by Regina Hall and Michael, played by Terrence J and of course, the bachelor/bachelorette escapades that really brought the notion of “Vegas” to life. But amidst the sometimes stressful preparations were the normal jitters of any relationship. When is the right time to start a family? Are we ready to commit? What’s next? The movie really explored those questions as we see the nature of each characters true personality come out. Cedric, who is played by Kevin Hart, really became the center of attention as he tries to be “the best man in the history of best men.” But it’s Vegas, so as you can imagine it takes us on an adventure that can sometimes not go as planned. Mya who is played by Meagan Good discovers Zeke played by Romany Malco has a past that no girlfriend wants to hear. Sonia, played by La La Anthony is the best friend to Mya, who is loyal and supportive. She says filming in Vegas brought some interesting elements to the movie.
“It’s Vegas, so you never know what to expect,” Anthony said.
The ambitious duo, Lauren and Dominic played by Taraji P. Henson and Michael Ealy also face their own questions as career battles love. Of course we know the battle of the Momma’s Boy, Michael and the mother-in-law from hell, Ms. Loretta, played by Jenifer Lewis. She provides a battle throughout the movie, as she tries to stay in control of the eventful trip.
Then there were the happily married couple and the Newlyweds. Bennett the fanny-pack toting happy-go-lucky man who is played by comedian Gary Owen and his wife, Tish, played by Wendi McLendon-Covey are the happily married conservative couple, or at least that’s how they appear. Like previously mentioned, Vegas tends to turn things up a notch. Kristen and Jeremy, played by Gabrielle Union and Jerry Ferrara are the newlyweds of the group who are challenged with the question, “When should we start a family?”
The cast agrees that it was a blast working with each other for a part two.
“To be paid to hang out with your friends, I don’t know anybody who would have turned that deal down. We just genuinely enjoy each other,” Gabrielle Union said.
Hart also agrees that working with the cast was a “bonus.”
“Having the same cast is a bonus, you know? We’re not co-workers – we’re friends. Almost family,” he said.
The romantic comedy opened in theaters June 20, 2014.