Madea's Family Reunion

[Deleted]

I take it he's part of the recent Christian movement that emphasizes God's ability to shower riches on the faithful.

In general, I don't like the guy's plays or his movies. But from what I've read, he's no Reverend Ike. I've read quotes from him indicating that he thinks his success is due to his faith AND a whole lot of hard work.

Also, his faith is not of the judgemental, fire and brimstone variety. So I say good for him, even though his type of entertainment isn't my cup of tea.

But most of all, I give props to the brother for giving some very talented and deserving black actresses jobs. Despite the fact that most roles in mainstream Hollywood films are not race-specific, actresses of color rarely if ever get a crack at them. So Perry is the best thing to happen for black actreses in a looooooong time.

Yes, it would be nice if the roles he offers were in better vehicles. But work is work. Besides, they are getting the chance to be in movies that are opening at number on at the box office. How many actresses of ANY color can say that?

[thickyricardo]

normally people credit the "American way of life" or "believing in yourself," ideas that sit a little better with the dream of getting wealthy.

Only for non-Christians. But I don't think TP means God blessed him above all because he's special - I just think he's trying to say that he could still be flat broke and unsuccessful were it not for his God-given talent and tenacity in trying to make it. It's just a version of the "Christian way of life".

Having said that, I don't care for his movies. I loated DoaMBW, and I went to see Family Reunion because my daughters wanted to see it. It wasn't the steaming pile of yuck that was Dairy, but I've noticed some stock plot points in TP's films:

SPOILER ALERT!

1. Over the top romance. Who hired a string quartet to serenade their woman while she's taking a bath!

2. Wealthy, successful men are evil.

3. Working class men are salt-of-the-earth, sensitive romantics.

END SPOILER!

It's just formulaic and over the top. I do enjoy Madea, though. She's a guilty pleasure for me.

Oh and also? The wedding at the end was about the most gaudy, tacky thing I've ever seen in MY LIFE! Ugh!

[Deleted]

I don't get why he casts himself as Madea. Men in drag just always seems so campy and silly but it seems like the plot of his movies are anything but campy and silly. Personally, I'd sooner go see one if an older black female actress was actually playing Madea.

I just get really confused by it and it detracts from what seems like a fairly cute movie.

[Deleted]

Also, his faith is not of the judgemental, fire and brimstone variety. So I say good for him, even though his type of entertainment isn't my cup of tea.

I would hope not, since he's gayer than a tangerine.

[sugaree]

Some spoilers below.

Tyler Perry plays three roles: Madea, Madea's worthless brother Joe, and the brother's boringly normal son Brian. I only like the parts when Madea and Joe are onscreen. The romantic plots are more ridiculous than anything found in a Harlequin paperback. I think the entire movie should have been set at the actual family reunion. Perry could have cut out all the exposition and had the two couples and Victoria arrive at the party mid-crisis. A few conversations to reveal the backstory and we're off and running.

Oh, that wedding. Don't you need a license to get married? Can you get a license post-dated?

I can buy that the sisters wore the same size, so they could swap dresses, and I can believe that they had the same friends, so the bridesmaids lineup was undisturbed. But who were all the guys standing up for the groom? Were they his friends, and Carlos's friends agreed to swap clothes with them, or were they Carlos's friends, and they just agreed to stick around for the ceremony?

And how did the groom get a hold of a tux anyway? Did someone go back to the house and peel it off of Carlos's body? If so, why wasn't it covered in blood and grits?

There were people hanging from the ceiling.

All I can do is repeat this. There were people hanging from the ceiling.

I laughed all through the wedding scene and all the way back to the car because... people. There were people hanging from the ceiling.

My, how boring my wedding must have been without any people hanging from the ceiling. It never even occurred to me to attach people to the ceiling.

I've read that the movie was filmed in Perry's hometown of New Orleans and in the movie's setting in Atlanta, but that scene on the bus had to be filmed in Heidelburg, PA. It just had to. The sign on the bus said "Collier" and than said "Railroad St." and there was a sign for 79 S. Heidelburg, PA.

[Deleted]

sugaree, You read my mind. Even in a broad comedy/melodrama the things you mentioned were beyond belief.

Especially the angels.

And Balir Underwood needs a good role stat. He's too handsome and talented to be trapped in all these strange movies and bad TV shows he's popped up in lately.

[mya]

jensational said:

I don't get why he casts himself as Madea. Men in drag just always seems so campy and silly but it seems like the plot of his movies are anything but campy and silly. Personally, I'd sooner go see one if an older black female actress was actually playing Madea.

I agree. That's why I didn't go to see it. I saw him on Oprah a few times and I thought the movie sounded really stupid. My boyfriend saw it by himself and said the movie was not funny at all.

[plush]

I don't know anything about the movie except that it landed on Top Bottom 100 on imdb. And that can't be too good can it?

Speaking of worse movies of all times, I was really excited that I haven't seen most of them and that horrible Date Movie occupied a nice spot as well. Really pleased.

[kelly9480]

It's not as good as Diary. The acting in this one is even worse. I saw this with a pal and she kept telling me "Boris Kodjoe is for looking at, not acting," to get me through it.