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Grade: C-

Verdict: A mediocre sitcom writ large.

Details: Starring LL Cool J, Whoopi Goldberg and Jada Pinkett Smith. Directed by Doug McHenry. Rated PG for thematic elements, profanity and sensuality. One hour, 35 minutes.

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Review: Long-suffering Raynelle (Whoopi Goldberg) wants to inscribe her recently deceased husband's tombstone with the words "mean and surly."

Her sister-in-law Marguerite (Loretta Devine) is a self-righteous Bible-thumper who calls her own son "Satan."

Her daughter-in-law Charisse (Jada Pinkett Smith) is a gold-digger constantly nagging her husband, Junior (Anthony Anderson), for not being rich.

And the family minister, Rev. Hooker (Cedric the Entertainer), is a pweache who weally can't pwonounce his R's. A mediocre sitcom that's somehow landed on the big screen, "Kingdom Come" takes a ripe setting for edgy comedy--a funeral--and makes the least out of it. It's full of what might be called remedial humor, broadly played and underlined.

One example: Because his feet stiffened in death, the dead man is displayed in his coffin wearing ballet slippers. It's not much of a sight gag (it doesn't even make sense), but director Doug McHenry gives us five separate shots of the corpse's feet. Hey, it wasn't that funny the first time.

The cast includes LL Cool J as the responsible son Ray Bud; even in this low-key, thankless role the singer-actor turns in a likable, charismatic performance. Vivica A. Fox as his sweet wife is also a welcome respite from Devine and Smith's scenery chewing. (It's as if McHenry asked those two actresses to start at Volume 10, then crank it up some more.)

Toni Braxton looks fabulous as a slightly snooty relative, and she's lucky enough not to spend too much time onscreen. Goldberg drifts through the movie, underplaying with a vengeance; she seems embarrassed to be surrounded by so much hamming and so little reason to ham. Her reticence comes as a relief.

Ultimately, though, the only character you can really sympathize with in the movie is dead ol' dad, who has the good sense to check out in the opening scene.

— Steve Murray, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution