I rated this movie on two levels. The first, as a genre movie. That's the 8. This is the most relevant, in my opinion, "black" movie that I've seen in years. It's a "dramedy," as some people like to label them.
Perry tackled serious issues in "Diary of a Mad Black Women" which first introduced Madea. I enjoyed that film as well, but didn't find it nearly as level, consistent, and "true" as Family Reunion. Diary was also melodramatic in comparison, which is ironic considering that Family Reunion more consistently tackles heavy situations. Madea seems to have found her groove this time around. The ensemble cast also seem better attuned to one another and more certain of where the plot is heading.
Parents need to know that the situations in Madea's Family Reunion are more numerous and more adult than in Diary of a Mad Black Woman. However, there was nothing that I could not have discussed with my eleven year old and I overheard one woman telling a young boy "Don't ever hit a woman" following a scene in which a young woman gets slapped hard by her fiancée.
This one definitely carries a message. Kudos to the writer, director, and actors for having the guts to be a part of this project. It's not "up" on gangsta culture at all and calls for a recognition of the sacrifices of those who went before. Who could argue with four generations of women?
If I were rating this on a scale of movies in general, then I'd have given it a 6 or 7 due to some of the vulgarity, mostly stemming from the half-senile brother of Madea (who had lost almost all of any of his dubious charm from the first movie) and the lecherous men at the family reunion. Surely there are more endearing, uplifting black patriarchs that Perry can pull from than this crew. He nails the best and the worst of the women perfectly.
As the only white person attending the night I saw this movie,I was interested in the reactions of the other moviegoers who were all African American. Or I tried to be. I enjoyed the movie so much that I usually forgot to notice.
The women laughed. A lot. The men laughed a lot as well , but since Madea rules this movie, then it didn't surprise me that we women in particular found her solutions to truant foster kids, crotchety old men, and abused women enjoyable. During the family reunion when a table of old geysers are leering after the nubile daughters of their kin, one female audience member loudly said "That's nasty." I thought the same thing. However, it's probably also true and Perry seems intent on keeping his characters true, warts and all.
All in all, my hat's off to him. This is a film that every teenager in America should see in English, Drama, and/or Writing class. The applications are endless and the discussions would, no doubt, be interesting. Send us more, Mr. Perry....and Madea.
Oh yeah, Cicely Tyson is still as regal and as down-to-earth as ever. God, it was good to see her.
Perry tackled serious issues in "Diary of a Mad Black Women" which first introduced Madea. I enjoyed that film as well, but didn't find it nearly as level, consistent, and "true" as Family Reunion. Diary was also melodramatic in comparison, which is ironic considering that Family Reunion more consistently tackles heavy situations. Madea seems to have found her groove this time around. The ensemble cast also seem better attuned to one another and more certain of where the plot is heading.
Parents need to know that the situations in Madea's Family Reunion are more numerous and more adult than in Diary of a Mad Black Woman. However, there was nothing that I could not have discussed with my eleven year old and I overheard one woman telling a young boy "Don't ever hit a woman" following a scene in which a young woman gets slapped hard by her fiancée.
This one definitely carries a message. Kudos to the writer, director, and actors for having the guts to be a part of this project. It's not "up" on gangsta culture at all and calls for a recognition of the sacrifices of those who went before. Who could argue with four generations of women?
If I were rating this on a scale of movies in general, then I'd have given it a 6 or 7 due to some of the vulgarity, mostly stemming from the half-senile brother of Madea (who had lost almost all of any of his dubious charm from the first movie) and the lecherous men at the family reunion. Surely there are more endearing, uplifting black patriarchs that Perry can pull from than this crew. He nails the best and the worst of the women perfectly.
As the only white person attending the night I saw this movie,I was interested in the reactions of the other moviegoers who were all African American. Or I tried to be. I enjoyed the movie so much that I usually forgot to notice.
The women laughed. A lot. The men laughed a lot as well , but since Madea rules this movie, then it didn't surprise me that we women in particular found her solutions to truant foster kids, crotchety old men, and abused women enjoyable. During the family reunion when a table of old geysers are leering after the nubile daughters of their kin, one female audience member loudly said "That's nasty." I thought the same thing. However, it's probably also true and Perry seems intent on keeping his characters true, warts and all.
All in all, my hat's off to him. This is a film that every teenager in America should see in English, Drama, and/or Writing class. The applications are endless and the discussions would, no doubt, be interesting. Send us more, Mr. Perry....and Madea.
Oh yeah, Cicely Tyson is still as regal and as down-to-earth as ever. God, it was good to see her.