The Unseen Exit: Mia's Best Man Departure Explained

The character Mia was written out of the film 'The Best Man Holiday' because of her terminal cancer diagnosis. The film's writer and director, Malcolm D. Lee, has stated that he wanted to tell a story where Black characters could emote in a movie theatre, and Mia's death was the most meaningful way to do this.

Mia's death was partly inspired by the writer's personal experience with cancer

Writer and director Malcolm D. Lee's decision to write the character of Mia out of The Best Man franchise was partly inspired by his personal experience with cancer. In an interview, Lee revealed that he wanted to tell a story that would evoke emotion from Black audiences, and he felt that Mia's death was the most meaningful way to do this. Lee shared that both he and his wife had been affected by cancer, and he wanted to explore this theme in the film.

The Best Man Holiday, released in 2013, sees the return of the all-star cast from the 1999 original, including Nia Long, Taye Diggs, Regina Hall, Morris Chestnut, and Monica Calhoun as Mia Sullivan. The highly anticipated sequel centres around the group of friends reuniting for Christmas, where they learn of Mia's terminal cancer diagnosis. The film explores the impact of Mia's illness and eventual death on the group, particularly her husband, Lance.

Mia's death serves as a pivotal moment in the film, bringing the friends closer and inspiring them to become better people. However, some fans of the franchise were left devastated by the character's death, and Lee acknowledges that some viewers still haven't forgiven him for this narrative choice. Despite the mixed reactions, Lee stands by his decision, recognising the impact that Mia's death had on audiences and the opportunity it provided for Black audiences to emote and grieve in a film.

Mia's death was intended to allow Black audiences to emote

Mia's death in The Best Man Holiday was intended to allow Black audiences to emote. The writer and director of the film, Malcolm D. Lee, explained that he wanted to tell a story where Black audiences could emote in the movie theatre, as they don't often get the chance to do so. Lee knew that some viewers would not forgive him for the tragic turn in the script, but he stood by his reasoning for taking audiences on a grief journey.

Lee's decision to kill off Mia was met with mixed reactions from fans of the franchise. Some viewers were devastated by Mia's death and felt that it made the movie unrewatchable. Others recognised the impact her death had on the characters and appreciated the opportunity to empathise with their grief. One viewer reflected on how Mia's death left a void, mirroring the feeling of loss in real life.

Lee's wife, Camille, joined him in sharing their personal connection to cancer, revealing that they had both lost family members to the disease. Lee's decision to address this difficult topic in the film provided an opportunity for Black audiences to engage with a story that reflected their own experiences and emotions.

Mia's death served as a pivotal moment in the film, affecting the characters' dynamics and motivating them to reevaluate their lives. The inclusion of this emotional storyline in a highly anticipated sequel to The Best Man demonstrates Lee's willingness to explore complex themes and take risks in his storytelling.

Mia's death was criticised for making the film un-rewatchable

Mia's death in The Best Man Holiday was criticised for making the film un-rewatchable. The character, played by Monica Calhoun, dies at the end of the film, leaving fans of the franchise devastated.

The film, released in 2013, is a sequel to the 1999 romantic comedy The Best Man. The Best Man Holiday sees the gang of friends reunite for Christmas, where Mia is diagnosed with terminal cancer. The film ends with Mia's death, and a memorial service where Harper delivers a eulogy.

Some viewers were unhappy with the plot twist, and felt that Mia's death made the film un-rewatchable. One viewer commented that they "still can't watch the funeral scene without tears". Another said that they missed [Mia] throughout the entire series.

However, some viewers felt that Mia's death was an important part of the movie, and reflected the impact that death has in real life. One viewer commented that "her death makes it feel like a void, which is what death truly does in real life".

Writer and director Malcolm D. Lee has responded to criticism of Mia's death, saying that he wanted to "tell a story where Black folks got to emote at the movie theatre. We don't get a chance to do that very often". Lee also revealed that the decision to kill off Mia was partly inspired by his wife's experience with cancer.

Mia's death was criticised for ruining the Christmas theme of the film

Mia's death in The Best Man Holiday has been criticised for ruining the Christmas theme of the film. The film, a sequel to the 1999 romantic comedy The Best Man, was released in 2013 and centres around a group of friends reuniting at Christmas time.

The Christmas-themed film ends with the death of Mia, who has terminal cancer. This has been a point of contention for fans of the franchise, who were devastated by the character's death. Some viewers have argued that the tragic ending was unsuitable for a Christmas film, which is typically a feel-good, rewatchable holiday classic.

One fan commented, "I think it was a mistake to kill her off in a Christmas movie. Christmas/Holiday movies are supposed to be rewatchable—something you want to break out and watch with the family every year." They added that the film's ending was too sad to be considered a festive classic, stating, "I'll watch it at home every so often, but we never watch it during the holidays."

Another viewer echoed this sentiment, saying, "I missed her throughout the entire series... it still felt like someone was missing."

Despite the criticism, the film's writer and director, Malcolm D. Lee, stands by his decision to kill off Mia. He explained that he wanted to tell a story that would evoke strong emotions from the audience, particularly grief, which is not often explored in films centred on Black characters. Lee stated, "I wanted to really tell a story where Black folks got to emote at the movie theatre. We don't get a chance to do that very often, so I wanted it to happen."

Mia's death was defended as having a positive impact on the other characters

Mia's death in 'The Best Man Holiday' was defended by the film's writer and director, Malcolm D. Lee, who said he wanted to tell a story where "Black folks got to emote at the movie theater". Lee knew that some viewers would be upset by the death of Mia, played by Monica Calhoun, but he stood by his decision to take audiences on a grief journey.

Indeed, Mia's death did have a positive impact on the other characters. One viewer commented that "Her death had a huge impact on all of them... I think her death inspired them to try to be better people." Another viewer agreed, saying that "Mia's passing was an important part of the movie and it changed the trajectory of everybody's life, so I don't consider it a mistake."

In the film, Mia's death brings the group of friends closer together, and they all agree on how special she was. Mia's death also inspires her husband, Lance, to play in a football game, where he ultimately wins and breaks the all-time rushing yards record.

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