Just two years ago we were sitting in a theater next to either our girl friends or our significant other, listening to Steve Harvey’s relationship advice from his bestselling novel Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man. His book was adapted into director Tim Story’s box office hit, but even more so into a woman’s “Holy Grail of How to Master the Male Species,” otherwise known as Think Like a Man.
Well, the hilarious rom-com is back, but this time around, Story has thrown a raunchier comedic twist into the sequel Think Like a Man Too: he’s taking the gang to Las Vegas!
The couples head to Sin City for a wedding and romantic weekend, but things go awry when they experience some compromising misadventures. It’s clear that tensions will rise in the hysterical sequel, because what’s more exciting and detrimental to relationships than a bachelor and bachelorette party in Sin City? You guessed it: nothing.
At a recent press conference, the dynamic cast opened up about their Vegas endeavors, experiences on set and even their own relationships.
Most of the characters from the first film appear in the second as well (Michael Ealy, Meagan Good, Regina Hall, Taraji P. Henson, Terrence J, Gabrielle Union, Kevin Hart, Jerry Ferrara and Romany Malco). There are also a few new faces that have been added into the mix, such as Adam Brody and Wendi McLendon-Covey. Nevertheless, the cast had the same questions that audiences did after the conclusion of the first Think Like a Man, and the sequel brings us the answers we have been dying to know.
“I wanted to know where these relationships went, ” said Union. And that’s exactly what writers Keith Merryman and David A. Newman did; they made it a point to not only focus on the plot, but also on the relationships between the characters. They explained that after the first film, “so many women that [they] knew came up to [them] after the film and identified with every one of [the characters].”
But working on the story’s relationships and character dynamics is not a two-man job—it’s a team effort. Funny-woman Henson, who plays Lauren, further articulated, “The cast is so special; we all know and admire each other. I knew the second one would be better because of the cast and how we worked together.” Union, who plays newlywed Kristen, continued, “I think we figured out how to give you all the characters you love, but with some new surprises, a couple new characters and new places to go.”
A few of the actors gave insight on how they either identified with the characters they portrayed or engaged in their personal relationships differently. For example, Union’s character is a newlywed, just like her (Union is marrying Miami Heat star Dwyane Wade in the upcoming months). She explained she doesn’t directly relate to Kristen because Union makes sure to keep her relationship enjoyable, fresh and exciting—unlike Kristen.
“As much as people would like to think that Dwyane’s worried about Tony Parker or the air conditioning in the San Antonio gym, he’s worried about centerpieces and the kind of wine we’re having,” she said when asked about her relationship and how she and Wade try to keep things as stimulating as possible. Opposed to Kristen’s mindset, Union explained, “The path to creating a child should never be without fun, joy and spontaneity.”
Ok, so it's obvious that the film slightly screams, "CHICK FLICK" and although many women will enjoy it, Think Like a Man Too includes helpful relationship advice for both women and men. After all the drama that ensues, valuable lessons are taught by and learned from both sides.
And then you have the hilarious Hart, an actor who perhaps contributes the most “star power” to both Think Like a Man films. As one of Hollywood’s most renowned comedic actors, you would expect this funnyman to be the star of the show, with his sidesplitting jokes and non-stop antics. However, Hart admitted that because the women have more screen time in the sequel, “audiences [are given] a chance to better appreciate what they can do.” He admires their incredible acting abilities, as their bright and amusing personalities are extremely palpable on-screen.
In all, audiences will get their healthy dose of laughter from Hart and the other funny characters in Think Like a Man Too, as the writers made sure to incorporate classic Vegas scenes where audiences will heel over in laughter: the lap dance bar brawl, the strip club montage and a dance number that’s hilariously executed by Hart himself.
But in “real life,” Vegas was not all about having a good time for the cast—at least, not for the women. The ladies said that when the cameras were off, they would head back to their hotel rooms and talk about their experiences with their own male partners. LaLa Anthony, who plays Sonia, made it a point to say that the ladies would “make sure to get [their] sleep in,” as they’d be too tired to engage in shenanigans on the Strip after a long day of shooting.
The male actors, on the other hand, were probably a different story.
Enter to win tickets to FREE screening of Think Like a Man Too on June 17 by clicking here!
Think Like a Man Too releases in theaters on Friday, June 20, 2014.
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