Madea's Family Reunion - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution movie review

'Madea's Family Reunion': Smoother, smarter, funnier

By ELEANOR RINGEL GILLESPIE
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

No question, Tyler Perry knows what he's doing, and he's doing it better with each movie.

"Madea's Family Reunion" is a huge improvement over his debut theatrical feature "Diary of a Mad Black Woman" — which was directed by Darren Grant. But it's not just Perry taking over the director's chair that makes the difference. The writing and the acting are better, too.

Lions Gate Releasing

'Madea's Family Reunion'

The verdict: Much better than the first Madea movie and often hilarious.

Director: Tyler Perry
Starring: Tyler Perry, Blair Underwood, Lynn Whitfield, Boris Kodjoe, Henry Simmons
Run time: 107 minutes
Release date: Feb. 24, 2006
Rating: PG-13 for mature thematic material, domestic violence, sex and drug references.
See showtimes

Behind the scenes
• Tyler Perry's appeal is universal.
• Being 'baaad' is so good.

On the web
Official movie site
View the trailer
Trailers require Quicktime

Like the first picture, "Family Reunion" is adapted from one of Perry's stage plays, which have earned him millions. But the new movie, also filmed mainly in metro Atlanta, is smoother, smarter, funnier.

It's still, it should be noted, a Madea movie. Meaning: Expect the outlandish characters, the farcical story lines intermingled with the more serious ones, and the playing-to-the-third-balcony style. Also, Perry shares an agenda with Bill Cosby and Spike Lee: He wants young African-Americans to take responsibility for themselves. He has no patience for drugs, careless sex, guns, fists, sexually provocative behavior, or blaming everyone else for what you're doing to yourself. His lesson is imparted by no less an icon than Cicely Tyson who, along with poet Maya Angelou, makes a cameo appearance in the film.

Perry reprises his drag role as Mable "Madea" Simmons, a no-nonsense, pistol-packing granny who speaks her mind whenever she feels like it. Which is quite often. And, yes, there is a family reunion. But first there are a lot of family problems before the fried chicken's put on the picnic table.

Beautiful Lisa (Rochelle Aytes) is engaged to handsome, wealthy Carlos (Blair Underwood). He's the kind of man who gives her everything: jewels, flowers, welts, bruises. She wants to call the wedding off, but her scheming, selfish, social-climbing mother Victoria (Lynn Whitfield) won't hear of it. "You must stop doing whatever you're doing to make him angry," is her helpful suggestion.

Difficult advice to follow when something as innocuous as a yawn can set him off.

Lisa's half sister Vanessa (Lisa Arrindell Anderson) is a pretty single mom whose romantic bad luck has made her wary of men. Even a man as nice and good-looking as Brian (Boris Kodjoe), a friendly bus driver who keeps asking her for a date.

At home, it's business as usual, with Madea constantly squabbling with her dotty, gaseous brother, Uncle Joe (Perry in old-age makeup). But there's a new addition: Nikki (Keke Palmer), a tough preteen runaway the court has ordered a very reluctant Madea to take in. The kid thinks she's got things under control until she gets a dose of Madea's tough-love tactics.

"Family Reunion" can be overly preachy and undeniably mushy, but Perry has such a firm hand on the pulse of his audience, it hardly matters. Plus, the movie is often laugh-out-loud funny. In fact, if the film has a flaw, it's that it could use more Madea. When she's off-screen, things aren't as lively.

Atlanta looks terrific. Perry has a gift for showcasing our city, for making it look like the jazziest, most romantic place imaginable. The Chamber of Commerce really should hire him.

And when the picture's over, be sure to stick around for the closing credits and more Madea madness.