July 2008 Update:
A sequel to "Uptown Saturday Night" in every real sense; though Cosby and Poitier play different characters it's the same guys in all but name, the film's title even a blatant reference to this fact. Though this didn't quite match the box office of the former it's arguably slightly the better of the two films, albeit uneven in tone.
As a big fan of Poitier, it has to be said that he's not as good a director as he is an actor, and that his light entertainment gene isn't as developed as it could be. Even dressed up in an outrageous pimp zoot suit he casts a staid presence, a straight, slightly stiff foil to Cosby and a clash of styles against Jimmy Walker's cartoonish boxer.
Back in May 1999 when I posted my original review, I described this as a "sublime vehicle" and "extremely pleasing", giving it 7/10. I can only conclude that I was fooling myself, viewing the film through youthful, Poitier-tinted sunglasses. Let's Do It Again is a decent enough film, but lacks sophistication on any real level and is, at best, undemanding entertainment.
Two years after this movie came out Cosby and Poitier would try it once more, with "A Piece Of The Action", after which Poitier would retire from acting and only make sporadic returns. As a trilogy to retire on, then it's good that Poitier left by putting smiles on people's faces, even though comedy clearly isn't his thing in front of the camera. Indeed, after a stonefaced first half, Poitier indulges in somewhat desperate mugging throughout the second half of this movie, illustrating that he had more success with comedy behind the camera... three years after his retirement from acting he directed Stir Crazy.
Trivia about the film includes a cameo from George Foreman (then a year deposed as heavyweight champion upon the film's release) and the inspiration for Biggie Smalls's nickname. Curtis Mayfield and the Staple Sisters add to a fine soundtrack that's almost as good as the sublime gospel in the first film of this unofficial trilogy.
