The Family That Preys (2008)

Two families from different walks of life learn to work together.

Director:

Tyler Perry

Writer:

Tyler Perry

Stars:

Kathy Bates, Alfre Woodard, Sanaa Lathan

3 wins & 7 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Alfre Woodard	...	Alice Pratt
Sanaa Lathan	...	Andrea
Rockmond Dunbar	...	Chris
KaDee Strickland	...	Jillian Cartwright
Cole Hauser	...	William Cartwright
Taraji P. Henson	...	Pam
Robin Givens	...	Abby
Tyler Perry	...	Ben
Kathy Bates	...	Charlotte Cartwright
Sebastian Siegel	...	Nick
Santana Pruitt	...	Christopher
Kaira Akita	...	Robin (as Kaira Whitehead)
Ron Clinton Smith	...	Construction Foreman
Jeffrey Alan Chase	...	Austin
Johnell J. Easter	...	Customer

Storyline

Alice Pratt, a hard working Christian woman, raised her two daughters while managing a simple diner of her own. Her snobbish and arrogant daughter Andrea graduated in Economic Science and works in a construction corporation while her sister Pam stayed with Alice and worked in the diner. Andrea is married to construction worker Chris, who works in the same corporation as his wife but dreams of starting up his own business. However she is being unfaithful to him - with their boss William Cartwright. William is the son of Alice's best friend, the wealthy Charlotte Cartwright. While Alice travels with Charlotte on a road trip, the ambition and infidelity of William triggers a series of events that will affect relationships in both families.

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Plot Keywords:

deception | diner | road trip | infidelity | alzheimer's disease | 

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Taglines:

In every family, there is good. And there is bad....

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Genres:

Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for thematic material, sexual references and brief violence

Did You Know?

Trivia

This film was the second women's "road" picture, in just two years, for Kathy Bates, after Bonneville (2006) in 2006. In the 2006 film, Kathy Bates was one of three women taking a road trip in an old convertible, while in this film, Kathy is one of two women taking a road trip in an old convertible. In Bonneville, the car was a 1966 Pontiac Bonneville convertible, while in this film, the car was a late 1950s or early 1960s Cadillac, probably a 1959 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz convertible.

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Goofs

In the rain scene towards the end, Alice is speaking uncovered and doesn't appear to be wet while all others are holding umbrellas to protect themselves from the rain.

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Quotes

William Cartwright: [Approaching Andrea and Chris] Is something wrong with the site?
Andrea: No, Mr. Cartwright. This gentleman was just leaving.
Chris: [Shaking William's hand] Hey, Mr. Cartwright. Chris. Andrea's husband.
William Cartwright: It's been a long time.
Chris: Yeah.
Abby: [Shaking Chris's hand] Oh, hi. I'm Abigail Dexter. Andrea, you never told me you were married.
Andrea: [Smiles uncomfortably at Abby]
Abby: So, I guess we'll be seeing you at the gala?
William Cartwright: Um, gala?
Abby: The opening of the Prestige building?
[...]

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Connections

Featured in The Rotten Tomatoes Show: Hot Tub Time Machine/Chloe/How to Train Your Dragon (2010)

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Soundtracks

Down By The Riverside
Arranged by Jay Weigel
Performed by Quartet All-Stars
Published by Melpomene Music (BMI)
Courtesy of Carondelet Music Group

User Reviews

Great film...which is rated way below here why???

For some reason, I think that people, their sickening racial prejudices or whatever have influenced a lot of the votes on Tyler Perry's work.

I've worked in independent film and am a writer and honestly, just discovered his work and have watched four or five of his films this week and I really think some jealousy for a young talented black man is going on because none of these films have reached the level of the garbage that usually elicits these number through these pages.

Not all his stuff is meant to be taken seriously, but this work for example is and has a great ensemble cast and it worked beautifully.

I don't understand the vote, but this was well done, technically perfect, and tender and ruthless and quite perfect in this film maker's views.

Bravo Tyler...keep 'em coming.

One thing that made me avoid these is they always emblazoned everything Tyler, but he deserves some credit...and the likes of Bates and Woodward, these guys are academy award winning and level actresses. They don't just work with anybody.

He wrote it. He produced it. He directed it. He played a bit part. What do you want to give the man no credit as if he had nothing to do with the film?

His stage plays have done over $75 million in sales across America and didn't need some gimmick like Cats, and this is a self made man basically. He wasn't born with some silver spoon in his mouth and eventually, as he does more drama, he's going to get an Academy Award in his life time at this rate.

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

12 September 2008 (USA)

Also Known As:

Tyler Perry's The Family That Preys

Filming Locations:

4795 Harris trail, Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$17,381,218, 14 September 2008

Gross USA:

$37,105,289

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$37,105,289

Company Credits

Production Co:

Louisiana Producers Film Source, The Tyler Perry Company

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Dolby SDDS Dolby Digital DTS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1