Workmates, friends, sports teams, and committees are examples of groups. The quality of every person depends on the group that they belong to. Most work that is done and the decisions that are made depend on various groups. Therefore, groups are essential because they influence the multiple ways people understand the world—study group communication aids in understanding how different groups’ functions and influences people and society. Additionally, group communication is used in the development of the flow of movies. In giving illustrations and small group communication structure, this paper will focus on “The Best Man Movie.” In the film, group communication refers to the messages exchanged by the different characters in the movie; the news shared in the film, whether verbal or non-verbal, is essential because it is through it that the characters will participate in the movie’s development.
The Best Man is an example of a movie that is developed around small group communication. Malcolm D. Lee wrote and directed the film in 1999. The movie is created around the lives and loves of a tight-knight group of different friends. In this movie, Harper was the best man at the wedding of his close friend Morris Chestnut; most of his friends are also to attend the wedding. But Robyn, who is Harper’s devoted girlfriend, is frustrated by his unwillingness to commit to their love. On the eve of the wedding, Harper travels to New York to make sure he does not miss the wedding. There he meets his old friends who they studied at the same college, and they too confirm that they will attend the wedding. In New York, Harper reunites with his old groups that consist of Murch and Jordan. He had passed an advance copy of the “unfinished business,” a book based on these two friends. They are friends who belong to his inner circle of friends. From this, we learn the roles that the group members play and the roles of individual members (Rothwell, 2019). The close friends play a small group’s position as their purpose is to ensure they achieve the wedding’s success. Social loafing is also evident in the movie in that they are not all fully committed.
In the second group communication scenario, none of these friends appreciate Shelby, Murch’s girlfriend, the same as Harper because the two cannot settle in a job. The wedding weekend reveals that Quentin has always been a free spirit while Lance renounces his womanizing ways. Harper is unsure whether to remain a bachelor, and Murch seems to be a person who has never kept a secret. The friends have a flashback of their college relationship, and it happens that Harper was the main reason behind the meeting of Lance and Monica-Who is said to have almost slept with Jordan. Quentin antagonizes Lance about Monica, whom he Lance holds that has never man in her life (Lee, 1999). Harper is worried that Lance will discover that he had a one night stand with Monica while at college. From this, we learn the conflicts that occur in a group. The type of competition involved in this group is a significant conflict, affecting people’s feelings and how members relate with one another. Harper is conflicted as he worries if the other members like Lancer will discover his feelings and actions with Monica. From these scenarios, we learn that different characters are made by different actors, some of whom are always driving their friends towards positive achievements while having antagonistic characters (Rothwell, 2019). Still, all these are essential in the development of a health communication group.
Jordan confronts Harper about their mutual attraction and admits that she is willing to have sex with him before the wedding. They end up kissing. Lance in the bathroom confronts Harper, but he merely ends up thanking him for their friendship; they are then interrupted before Harper comes clean about everything (Lee, 1999). As the whole groomsmen depart for the party, Jordan reaches out to Harper invites him to meet her later. Additionally, Murch also stands up to Shelby. At the groomsmen party, Harper steals a copy of Unfinished Business, which belongs to Lance. Quentin is disgusted by his actions; Quentin has already deduced Harper’s secret. The part goes on, and everyone becomes drunk. Murch is intoxicated to the point of falling for Candy, who is a stripper. Harper then calls Jordan and accepts her earlier invitation to meet her. When Lance finds the Unfinished Business copy in Harper’s coat, he reads it and realizes that Monica slept with him while at the college to avenge Lance due to his numerous infidelity cases (Lee, 1999). Lance is very enraged to the point of trying to throw Harper off the balcony, but Quentin succeeds in calming him down, but Lance is still mad to even call off the wedding. Interactions of social group members can also be toxic, like in Harper and Monica; this also show the various communications that are embraced by different group members (Rothwell, 2019).
Harper then arrives at the apartment of Jordan, looking beaten and injured. He blames Jordan for circulating the copy that has caused him this pain. But Jordan retaliates, criticizing him for exposing his unwashed laundry and then blaming her. During the next day at the airport, Harper meets Robyn, who is equally surprised and forcing Harper to confess to her everything (Lee, 1999). Robyn is very disappointed in him. As she prepares to leave, Harper convinces her that need they need to around together; he declares that to needing her much. Robyn reluctantly agrees to help her to save the wedding. Murch arrives at the church with Candy and calls off the wedding with Shelby. Lance arrives in the company of his friends, and they all try to desperately convince him to change his idea of stopping the wedding (Lee, 1999). For the first time, Harper, who has never agreed with Lance on religious devotion matters, asks him to pray. On the other side, Robyn and Jordan are tending to Mia, who is still perplexed by the last night’s events. Harper goes on and begs Lance for forgiveness and assures him that Monica was deeply in love with him. Lance very tearful and prays with Harper and finally decides to proceed with the wedding; this shows that communication groups are built around forgiveness and reconciliation; group members are expected to mess up at one point, to bring the message of forgiveness to the entire society (Rothwell, 2019).
At the end of the movie, Harper gives a moving speech where he praises Monica and Lance’s love; this makes him earn forgiveness from the group. On her side, Shelby pushes the bridesmaid out of the way and seizes the bouquet. At the same time, Quentin catches the garter. Jordan gets closer to Harper and tells him that Robyn is the woman for his life. When they proceed to the dance floor, Harper thanks Robyn for always being there for him; in front of the entire wedding congregation, Harper asks Robyn to marry him; she does not hesitate but says yes. The whole wedding congregation burst into electric dances. Group members are also used in movies to create a different theme; in this case, Harper and Robyn represent the theme of a failed relationship that later rekindles and leads to marriage.
Reference
Lee, M. (1999). Retrieved 18 November 2020, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQjgI8-aCGE
Rothwell, J.D. (2019). In mixed company: Communicating in small groups and teams. (10th edition). Boston, MA: Wadsworth.
