Madea's Big Happy Family (2011)

Popularity:

Down 24% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.

Director:

Tyler Perry

Writer:

Tyler Perry (screenplay)

Release Date:

22 April 2011 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Plot:

The crazy and comical Mabel Simmoms, otherwise known as Madea, tries to wrangle her fighting family together for a family dinner regarding the health of her niece Shirley.

Plot Keywords:

Madea Series

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Tyler Perry	...	Madea / Joe / Tyler Perry
Loretta Devine	...	Shirley
Cassi Davis	...	Aunt Bam
Shannon Kane	...	Kimberly
Isaiah Mustafa	...	Calvin
Natalie Desselle Reid	...	Tammy
Rodney Perry	...	Harold
Tamela J. Mann	...	Cora (as Tamela Mann)
David Mann	...	Brown
Shad Moss	...	Byron (as Shad 'Bow Wow' Moss)
Teyana Taylor	...	Sabrina
Lauren London	...	Renee
Stevie Wash Jr.	...	H.J.
Nicholas Milton	...	Will
Benjamin 'LB' Aiken	...	C.J.
Philip Anthony-Rodriguez	...	Dr. Evans
Maury Povich	...	Maury Povich
Stephen Caudill	...	Policeman
Chandra Currelley-Young	...	Sister Laura (as Chandra Currelley)
Palmer Williams Jr.	...	Manager
Yakini Horn	...	Worker
James Farster	...	Clerk
Ron Grant	...	Pastor Jackson
Cindy L. Jefferson	...	Nanny
Cheryl Pepsii Riley	...	Choir
Crystal Collins	...	Choir
Dequina Moore	...	Choir
Tamar Davis	...	Choir
Danny Clay	...	Choir
Brandi Milton	...	Choir
Jeffery Lewis	...	Choir
Zuri Craig	...	Choir
Kislyck 'Kissy' Halsey	...	Choir
Kristal Danyell Murphy	...	Choir
Dave Tolliver	...	Choir
Kenneth 'Mistro' Lowe	...	Choir
Tim Stylez	...	Choir
Monica Lisa Stevenson	...	Choir
Eugene Clarence Brown Jr.	...	Choir
Mark E. Swinton	...	Choir Leader
Donna Newsome	...	Choir Pre Record
Ronnie Garrett	...	Band Leader / Bass & Strings
Marcus Williams	...	Band Drums
Natalie Ragins	...	Band Keyboards
Michael Burton	...	Band Sax
Melvin Jones	...	Band Trumpet
Derek Scott	...	Band Guitar
Justin Gilbert	...	Band Organ & Piano
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Demetrius B. Banks	...	Carwash Patron (uncredited)
Shellita Boxie	...	Customer #1 (uncredited)
Rob Epstein	...	Home Buyer (uncredited)
Walter Hendrix III	...	Precision Driver (uncredited)
Maggie Hollis	...	Lady in Waiting Room (uncredited)
Deborah Hurm	...	Hospital Visitor (uncredited)
Ken Melde	...	Doctor (uncredited)
Joanna Theobalds	...	Agent (uncredited)

Directed by
Tyler Perry

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Tyler Perry		screenplay

Produced by
Ozzie Areu	....	executive producer
Roger M. Bobb	....	producer
Reuben Cannon	....	producer
Joseph P. Genier	....	executive producer
Karen Gorodetzky	....	line producer
Michael Paseornek	....	executive producer
Tyler Perry	....	producer

Original Music by
Aaron Zigman

Cinematography by
Toyomichi Kurita

Film Editing by
Maysie Hoy

Casting by
Kim Williams

Production Design by
Ina Mayhew

Set Decoration by
Lance Totten

Costume Design by
Keith G. Lewis

Makeup Department
Lay'Na Anderson	....	makeup artist
Martin Astles	....	makeup effects sculptor
Maurice Beaman	....	hair stylist
Andrea C. Brotherton	....	hair stylist
Roxanne Ferguson	....	hair stylist (as Heather Roxanne Ferguson)
Anita Gibson	....	makeup department head
Erin Hicks	....	key hair stylist
Janeen Loria	....	makeup artist
Wanda Patterson	....	makeup artist
Evelyn Roach	....	hair stylist (as Evelyn F. Roach)
Keitric Starks	....	makeup artist (as Keitric W. Starks)
Dawn Turner	....	hair stylist
Kenneth Walker	....	department head hair stylist
Wesley Wofford	....	prosthetic makeup artist
Dionne Wynn	....	key makeup artist

Production Management
Mark W. McCoy	....	post production manager (as Mark McCoy)
Curtis A. Miller	....	production director: Lionsgate
Carl Pedregal	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Roger M. Bobb	....	first assistant director
Rhonda Guthrie	....	second second assistant director
Antoine Massey	....	dga trainee

Art Department
Danny Brown	....	assistant art director
Cristina Lucia Cesari	....	buyer
Mike Ellison	....	set dresser
William O. Greenwood III	....	prop maker
Rob Hamby	....	propmaker
Solomon King	....	carpenter
Eliot Levin	....	props assistant
Konrad Lewis	....	set dresser
Melinda Sanders	....	buyer
Mike Sullivan	....	scenic charge
Dion Watkins	....	art production assistant
Jay Womer	....	construction coordinator

Sound Department
Laura Harris Atkinson	....	dialogue editor
Steve Bartkowicz	....	sound re-recording engineer
Kimberly Ellis	....	foley editor (as Kimberly Wilhoit)
Jason C. Lewis	....	sound utility
Robert Maxfield	....	boom operator
Christopher Mills	....	efp sound
Carl Rudisill	....	sound mixer
David Stanke	....	first assistant sound editor
Gary Summers	....	sound re-recording mixer
Jon Title	....	sound effects editor
Michael D. Wilhoit	....	supervising sound editor
James Wright	....	dolby sound consultant
Roy Machado	....	adr mixer (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Cortney Haile	....	visual effects executive
Jake King	....	digital colorist assist
Ariel Loza	....	cg artist: Rok!t
Philippe Majdalani	....	digital intermediate assistant producer
Francesco Panzieri	....	digital compositor: 2G Digital Post
Mitch Paulson	....	supervising digital colorist
Jason Sanford	....	visual effects producer
Richard Servello	....	lead compositor
Doug Spilatro	....	visual effects
Kaya Thomas	....	main title designer
Ashley J. Ward	....	visual effects coordinator

Stunts
Shellita Boxie	....	stunt performer
Jwaundace Candece	....	stunt performer
Scott Dale	....	stunt coordinator
Troy Faruk	....	stunt performer
Walter Hendrix III	....	precision driver
Paul Brian Johnson	....	stunt performer

Camera and Electrical Department
Nick D. Allin	....	grip: additional
Joshua Adam Bermudez	....	grip
Breyaan Bolling	....	lighting technician
Doug Brannon	....	rigging electrician
Clyde E. Bryan	....	first assistant camera: b camera
Quantrell D. Colbert	....	still photographer
Jeff Crumbley	....	camera operator
Marc Dobiecki	....	director of photography: second unit
Kevin Hightower	....	electrician
Matthew J. Klann	....	rigging grip
Sherri Angela Leger	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
Jason Lerczak	....	rigging electrician
Bob Mahoney	....	still photographer
Kevin Murphy	....	gaffer
Matt Robinson	....	rigging grip
Michael St. Hilaire	....	"a" camera operator
German Valle	....	key electric
Paul E. Woods	....	film loader

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Sylvia Akuchie	....	costumer
Sylvia Akuchie	....	set costumer
Chantel L. Brown	....	additional costumer
Shayne Allen Duhon	....	set costumer
Amber Dykes	....	set costumer
Rhonney Greene	....	key costumer
Valerie L. Rudolph	....	costumer: Mr. Perry

Editorial Department
Tricia Chiarenza	....	color timer
Rachel Faith Hanson	....	dailies
Ken Lebre	....	dailies producer
Curtis Lindersmith	....	digital intermediate editor
Dan Masciarelli	....	writer: animated main titles content
Joi McMillon	....	first assistant editor
Justin Powell	....	post-production assistant
Scott Simerly Jr.	....	post-production assistant
Ariana Young	....	post-production coordinator

Music Department
Johnny Caruso	....	supervising music editor
The Co-Stars	....	composer: additional music
Neely Dinkins Jr.	....	cues composer
George Doering	....	musician
Joel C. High	....	music supervisor
Steve Juliani	....	music preparation
Tracy McKnight	....	executive in charge of music
Natalie Ragins	....	musician
Rebecca Rienks	....	assistant music supervisor
Peter Rotter	....	music contractor
Michael Stern	....	music scoring mixer: recording engineer
Sam Zeines	....	music editor
Aaron Zigman	....	musician: piano

Transportation Department
Tracy L. Coker	....	driver
Derek James Gober	....	driver: cast

Other crew
Dana Abercrombie	....	stand-in
Jill Andrade	....	executive assistant: Mr. Areu
Ozzie Areu	....	president: Tyler Perry Studios
Will Areu	....	SVP, Tyler Perry Studios
Hannah Bergstrom	....	post production intern (as Hannah Boyce)
Colbert Bernard	....	production assistant
Khalilah Birdsong	....	creative executive
Crystal D. Brown	....	production assistant
Michael L. Covington	....	stand-in
Jeff Dash	....	production accountant
Derrick Doose	....	key production assistant
Lauren Gaither	....	assistant: Mr. Sacchi
Tsedy Gebeyehu	....	assistant production coordinator
Angela Harvey	....	assistant: Mr. Genier
Valencia Y. Hawkins	....	executive assistant: Mr. Bobb (as Valencia Hawkins)
Liam Hearne	....	post production accountant
Jade A. Holmes	....	production secretary
Jina Jones	....	assistant: Mr. Paseornek
Chris Kelsey	....	second assistant accountant
Paul Lowe	....	key set medic
Karen Marie Mason	....	location manager
Robert M. Melnik	....	executive vice president of business and legal affairs: Lionsgate
Tim Palen	....	President, Theatrical Marketing: Lionsgate
Zoana Price	....	assistant: Mr. Cannon
Emily Rice	....	post production accountant
Robert Severance	....	police security
Donna Sloan	....	executive vice president: production, Lions Gate Films
Michael C. Smith	....	police coordinator
Zachary Streich	....	post production intern
Tabari Sturdivant	....	executive office assistant
Amanda Sutton	....	post production payroll accountant
Ryan Christopher Taylor	....	location scout (as Ryan Taylor)
Whitney Valcin	....	accounting production assistant
Steve Viola	....	main title supervisor
Ryan Wickers	....	assistant: Ms. Ellzey
Carole Wurst	....	executive assistant: Mr. Perry
Dana Abercrombie	....	stand-in: Madea (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Tyler Perry Company, The

Distributors

• Lionsgate (2011) (USA) (theatrical)
• Maple Pictures (2011) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Eagle Films (2011) (non-USA) (all media) (Middle East)
• Lionsgate

Special Effects

• 2G Digital Post (visual effects)

Other Companies

• EFilm  digital intermediate
• Film Finances  film completion guarantor
• Harris Diversified  a/c & power rental
• Paskal Lighting  grip and lighting equipment
• Rice Gorton Pictures Ltd.  post production accounting
• Sam Hurwitz Productions  electronic press kit (EPK Produced by)
• Soundelux  post-production sound services
• Todd-AO Studios  post-production sound services

Also Known As:

"Tyler Perry's Madea's Big Happy Family" - USA (complete title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for drug content, language and some mature thematic material

Runtime:

106 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Canada:PG (Ontario) | USA:PG-13 (certificate #46657)

Company:

Tyler Perry Company, The

Trivia:

The choir singing at Shirley's funeral consisted of the cast members in the play the movie was based on.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Cora and Brown are talking to the doctor, Cora picks up her purse and sets it down on the counter behind her. When the camera switches back her purse is sitting on the table between her and Brown again.

Quotes:

Madea:Hey, Harold.
Harold:Hey, Ms. Madea. What's wrong with your car now?
Madea:Nothing.
Harold:For real?
Madea:Nothing's wrong with it at all, except the other day I went out there and put my foot on the gas, and the trunk opened! What the hell is that, Harold? You are triflin' as hell! I'm so tired of bringing my car up in here for you to fix, I am not bringin' it to you no more...
[...]

Movie Connections:

References "All in the Family" (1971)

Soundtrack:

Thicky Trick

Laughter and Tears all a part of Madea's Big Happy Family

I don't know if anyone else out there is a Tyler Perry fan, but I really enjoy his work and although at times a little schmaltzy, "Madea's Big Happy Family" is worth a trip to the theater.

As with all other Madea movies, Madea (Tyler Perry) takes on old and young. No matter who you are or think you are, if you cross Madea you are in for a good old A** chewing.

Madea's niece, Shirley (Loretta Devine) is given some bad news by her doctor. Her wish is to share the news with all the members of her family at dinner. She arranges a get together but there is a problem. Her family over time has become somewhat estranged. Although they do all eventually arrive at the house, it isn't long before the bickering and fighting begin. Shirley cannot find a moments peace when she can address the issue for which she had the gathering, and all too soon the family runs from the table and the house. Not knowing what to do next, Aunt Bam (Cassie Davis), in order to help Shirley, enlists the aid of Madea to corral all of the children, spouses and grandchildren around the dinner table so Shirley can let them know how much she loves each and everyone.

Along the way, Madea lets everyone know her philosophy of life as only she can and amidst the tragedy comes fulfillment and forgiveness. The movie runs the gamut of emotions - from grief to joy. One moment you may feel tears welling up in your eyes only to be followed by the laugh-out-loud antics of Madea.

I think there would have been nothing lost if Brown (David Mann) and his occasionally - emphasis on occasionally - funny shenanigans would have been left on the cutting room floor. I don't feel his part in the movie really added any value, but it is there and I took it for what it was.

The movie won't be nominated for any significant awards but as with all of the Madea series, there are some life lessons from which we all can learn taught by Madea in a way only she could get away with.

I recommend this film.