The Rating: PG-13
Marquee Cast Members: Tyler
Perry, Boris Kodjoe, Lynn Whitfield, Blair Underwood,
Cicely Tyson, Maya Angelou
The Synopsis:
Tyler Perry’s Family Reunion
centers around the polar lives of sisters – Lisa
and Vanessa. Lisa (Rochelle Aytes) is a beautiful,
stylish young woman engaged to successful Atlanta
investment banker, Carlos (Blair Underwood), who
abuses her both physically and emotionally. Unfortunately,
under the strong thumb of her materialistic mother,
Victoria (Lynn Whitfield), Lisa doesn't have the
support or the strength to leave the relationship.
Meanwhile, Lisa's half-sister,
Vanessa (Lisa Arrindell Anderson) – who has abstained
from dating and sex for two years – struggles
with trusting good-intentioned, Christian bus
driver Frankie (Boris Kodjoe). She has two young
children by two different fathers, and has devoted
her life to rearing them while living with aunt,
Madea (played by Perry). In violation of house
arrest from her antics in the prequel, Diary of
a Mad Black Woman, Madea has been ordered to become
the foster parent of troubled teen runaway Nikki
(Keke Palmer). And in between dispensing romantic
advice to both Lisa and Vanessa, caring for Nikki,
sparring with her ailing brother, Joe (played
by Perry); baby-sitting Vanessa's kids and those
of Joe's son, lawyer Brian (also Perry); Madea
found time to plan a family reunion.
The Review:
Besides playing three roles
– Brian, Joe and Madea – Perry took on the role
of directing and executive producing his screenplay.
When Madea isn’t wailing on troublesome youth,
the movie does a good job at pulling on its audiences’
heart strings while addressing issues of domestic
violence, incest, trust, empowerment and self-respect.
Still, such a familiar
set of circumstances -- a woman too scared to
leave her abuser; another too scarred to trust
a man; a child in need of love and stability --
requires cleverness and wit to raise it out of
mediocrity. The farts and one-liners can carry
a film only part of the way. Even more distracting
than the predictable characters was the plethora
of story-lines. Perry never figured out how to
fully develop the movie into a smooth mixture
of drama and comedy. He packed enough story-lines
into "Madea's Family Reunion" for two
or three movies. Ultimately, it made for a rocky
viewing experience at times and left characters
like Nikki almost unnecessary. Meanwhile dignified
appearances from Maya Angelou and Cicely Tyson
created to spread wisdom among the cast’s younger
generation seemed to have wandered into the wrong
movie. While the message of dignity, responsibility
and self-preservation is more than needed among
today’s gyrating, thug-idolizing youth, I couldn’t
help but wonder, ‘Where did this scene come from?’
The movie stopped cold for the monologue and seemed
totally unrelated to all the drama that had previously
taken place. It felt more like a public announcement
than part of the movie. The scene actually took
place at slave plantation now owned by Perry.
Unfortunately, the significance of this location
will probably be lost amongst Joe’s farts and
Madea’s iron hand.
The Conclusion:
Worth seeing. Despite the
predictability of this film and its often questionable
and over-the-top acting and story-lines, the light-hearted
nature of Madea makes it worth the ticket price.
