Madeas Big Happy Family (Lionsgate)
Tyler Perry Scores Again
For the fifth time Tyler Perry gets all gussied up as Madea for a film about her life. This time out the movie is called Maderas Big Happy Family and that title is a play on words because the families shown in this film are not happy at all. It takes a lot of effort on Madeas part to have everything come out alright or at least close to alright.
Madea (Perry) is having problems with her daughter Cora (Tamela J Mann) and Coras daddy, Brown (David Mann). It seems Brown has some health problems and doesnt want to have them fixed. He and Cora are constantly bickering over this.
Then there is Medeas niece Shirley (Loretta Devine). She has some serious health problems and wants to tell her three children about them but she cant get them to sit down at one time so she can. Her daughter Kimberly (Shannon Kane) is too busy with her real estate career and her other daughter Tammy (Natalie Desselle) is busy arguing with her husband. Her son Byron (Bow Wow) is busy juggling relationships with his girlfriend and his babys momma.
The part of the movie dedicated to Madea and her family is full of laugh out loud comedy. Madea does outrageous things such as driving her car through the window of a fast food place when they run out of breakfast biscuits. She also teaches manners and respect by administering a few well aimed slaps to the heads of the younger generation.
On the other hand, the parts of the movie devoted to Shirley and her problems are deadly serious. Shirleys attempt to bring her family together before she dies is very dramatic. There are few laughs here and the storyline makes an impact.
The problem is the two stories are slapped up against each other and the blend is not always a good one. The audience is crying tears of laughter one moment and tears of sadness in the next. This schism of emotions is not conducive to the overall enjoyment of the film.
The movie is rated PG-13 for profanity and mild violence.
Tyler Perry is as always excellent as Madea. He is equaled in this film however by the touching performance by Devine as Shirley. Bow Wow shows some acting talent as Byron and Teyanna Taylor is hysterical as Byrons babys momma.
There is something for everyone in Madeas Big Happy Family but this means sometimes you feel you are watching two separate movies.
I scored Madeas Big Happy Family a laughing/crying 6 out of 10.
