Big Momma's House (2000)

In order to protect a beautiful woman and her son from a robber, a male FBI agent disguises himself as a large grandmother.

Director:

Raja Gosnell

Writers:

Darryl Quarles (story), Darryl Quarles (screenplay)

Stars:

Martin Lawrence, Nia Long, Paul Giamatti

1 win & 9 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Martin Lawrence	...	Malcolm Turner
Nia Long	...	Sherry Pierce
Paul Giamatti	...	John
Jascha Washington	...	Trent Pierce
Terrence Howard	...	Lester Vesco (as Terrence Dashon Howard)
Anthony Anderson	...	Nolan
Ella Mitchell	...	Hattie Mae Pierce (Big Momma)
Carl Wright	...	Ben Rawley
Phyllis Applegate	...	Sadie
Starletta DuPois	...	Miss Patterson
Jessie Mae Holmes	...	Miss Other Patterson
Nicole Prescott	...	Lena
Octavia Spencer	...	Twila (as Octavia L. Spencer)
Tichina Arnold	...	Ritha
Cedric the Entertainer	...	Reverend

Storyline

FBI agent Malcolm Turner is known best for being a brilliant, master of disguise. Malcolm's latest assignment sends him to small-town Georgia, where he's assigned to trap a brutal bank robber (and a recent prison escapee) who they suspect will be coming down to visit his ex-girlfriend Sherry and her son. Malcolm sets up a stakeout across from the home of a larger-than-life southern matriarch known as Big Momma, who's about to be visited by Sherry. It's a simple plan, but there's one big problem: Unbeknownst to Sherry, Big Momma has unexpectedly left town. So Malcolm, decides to impersonate the cantankerous Southern granny. Using a few tricks of disguise, he completely transforms himself into Big Momma, even taking on the corpulent septuagenarian's everyday routine-from cooking soul food to delivering babies to "testifying" at the local church. In the mean time, Malcolm starts falling for Sherry, who may or may not be hiding some stolen cash. Now, Malcolm/Big Momma must somehow find a ...

---

Plot Keywords:

female impersonation | gender disguise | obesity | disguise | fbi | 

---

Taglines:

It ain't over 'til the fat lady sings!

---

Genres:

Action | Comedy | Crime

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for crude humor including sexual innuendo, and for language and some violence

Details

Country:

USA Germany

Language:

English

Release Date:

2 June 2000 (USA)

Also Known As:

Mi abuela es un peligro

Filming Locations:

Glendale, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$30,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$25,661,041, 4 June 2000, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$117,559,438

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$173,959,438

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox,Regency Enterprises,Runteldat Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

99 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital SDDS DTS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

That's a body double in the scene where Ella Mitchell disrobes in the bathroom.

---

Goofs

Malcolm's earring(s) wanders between takes, from right to left ear and from both ears to none.

---

Quotes

Malcolm Turner: [as Big Mommma] Ben, if you wanna get with m-... I mean, you will never get with me understand? And even if i was interested, which I definitely am not! you'd be going about it completely the wrong way.
Ben: Well how am I supposed to go about then?
Malcolm Turner: [as Big Momma] You don't come in a woman's house and lead with ys sha boing boing!

---

Alternate Versions

For the UK version the distributor chose to cut eight seconds of violence in the opening martial arts scene, and a head butt in a later scene, in order to achieve a "12" rating. Initial video releases used this same print. All cuts were waived in 2011, and is currently available uncut in the UK with a "12" certificate.

---

Connections

Referenced in Bad Movie Beatdown: Half Past Dead 2 (2011)

---

Soundtracks

Nut Rocker
Written by Kim Fowley (as Kim V. Fowley)
Performed by B. Bumble & The Stingers
Courtesy of Janus Records
By Arrangement with Celebrity Licensing Inc.

User Reviews

Big Momma's Funhouse

Martin Lawrence goes undercover in a suburb of Georgia as an overweight southern grandmother in "Big Momma's House". It's up there with "Black Knight" and "Blue Streak" as a ridiculous, predictable and stupid yet charmingly funny Martin Lawrence vehicle. Some of the dialog is almost non-sensical and seems to rely on Martin Lawrence's improvisational, uh... skills. Of course, why nobody recognizes that their friend/mother (Big Momma) is being impersonated horribly, I don't know. But that sort of adds to the movie I guess.

The story here doesn't matter that much. Really, it doesn't. Paul Giamatti plays the signature goofy white partner, who occasionally gets pushed around by the neighborhood locals to much comedic success (it is actually pretty funny, if predictable, like everything else here). Nia Long reprises her typical role as the love interest, and then a bunch of goofy physical stunts are taken from "Mrs. Doubtfire" and given a slightly different flair -- playing on southern black stereotypes (deep fried home cooking, going to church, etc.).

This movie is cheesy and ridiculous. I don't think you even need to watch the whole thing, nor watch it twice (though there is a sequel, and seeing that would basically be watching this movie twice). But for what it is, it's pretty goofy and entertaining.

4.5