One factor I’ve discovered about Mabel “Madea” Earlene Simmons over time is that she doesn’t like individuals who, to cite the Ninth Commandment, bear false witness. So she ought to pull her trademark pistol out of her purse and bust a cap in Tyler Perry’s ass for “A Madea Homecoming.” Granted, the wound could be self-inflicted, however, it will be in character. Should you recall, Perry is on the report saying “A Madea Family Funeral” could be the final we’d see of his most well-known character. You may additionally recall the primary line of my overview of that movie: “Tyler Perry should assume I’m Boo Boo the idiot; there’s no manner I’m going to consider that “A Madea Household Funeral” is his signature character’s swan music.”
Boo Boo the Idiot is right here to inform you that I can’t blame Perry for taking all that Netflix cash to stroll again his assertion. Because the saying goes, don’t hate the participant, hate the sport. I can, nevertheless, blame the writer-director-producer-star for as soon as once more failing to interact with the extra absurd concepts and meaner components of humor he sprinkles all through his screenplays. There’s at all times an irritating degree of imbalance in Perry’s movies, the place fascinating throwaway jokes and ideas get brief shrift whereas the drained, consistently repeated tropes are leaned on for what looks like an eternity. And he’s hooked on pushing the 2-hour runtime mark when he ought to get every part completed in a lean 80 minutes.
There may be one factor right here that’s new. Whereas Perry has dabbled on this planet of R-rated cinema earlier than, “A Madea Homecoming” is the primary of the Madea films to earn that score. Or reasonably, it earns the TV-MA score. Netflix missed an enormous alternative to throw up a warning that mentioned it was rated TV-MA-DEA, however they do inform us that the score is for language. “Lastly!” I mentioned, “Madea’s gonna say the F-word!” Positive sufficient, earlier than the opening credit is over, she says “this mother—er is definitely on fireplace!” The MFer in query is the recurring character Mr. Brown (David Mann), who mimics Eddie Murphy’s uncle Gus in “Delirious” by setting himself ablaze after squirting quite a few bottles of lighter fluid (and a few gasolines) on the barbecue grill.
Mr. Brown is organizing the barbecue to honor Madea’s great-grandson, Tim (Brandon Black), who’s graduating on the high of his college class. He’s coming dwelling with Davi (Isha Blaaker), his biracial roommate. We first meet them of their automotive. Davi ominously alludes to a giant secret Tim wants to inform his household. As quickly as resident troublemaker Uncle Joe (Tyler Perry) sees them sitting on the sofa subsequent to one another, he makes a snide remark about what that secret may be. “Your Uncle Peaches had a roommate for forty years,” he says. In the meantime, our resident attractive previous woman, Aunt Bam (Cassi Davis), flirts with the astonishingly lovely Davi, providing him with issues that may solely be mentioned in a TV-MA-rated film. “It received’t do you no good,” says Joe.
Tim’s mom, Laura (Gabrielle Dennis), grandmother Cora (Tamela J. Mann), and aunt Ellie (Candace Maxwell) are available, as is Laura’s greatest pal, Sylvia (Geneva Maccarone). Sylvia’s a divorce lawyer who dealt with Laura’s divorce from a trifling husband, Michael (Amani Atkinson). When Ellie reveals up sporting her police uniform, Uncle Joe flips out. This results in a number of stilted traces of dialogue about whether or not the cops are good or unhealthy. One such dialogue takes place throughout a dinner scene that’s primarily a ten-minute business for Purple Lobster. Perry provides their entrees extra close-ups than he provides his actors. The meals appear to be as onerous to swallow as this film’s plot.
As if there weren’t sufficient characters, “A Madea Homecoming” introduces Davi’s Irish aunts Cathy (Jennifer Gibney), and Agnes Brown (Brendan O’Carroll). Mr. Brown is amused that Agnes has a final title in widespread with him. Agnes additionally has one thing in widespread with Madea: they’re each performed by males in drag. In reality, Agnes Brown is the principal character of a long-running BBC sequence known as “Mrs. Brown’s Boys.” Since each different phrase out of Agnes’ mouth begins with F, her present can be rated TV-MA. I don’t know the way well-liked Madea is throughout the pond, however, this movie hints {that a} potential crossover film is within the works.
Since each Madea film has some type of intense cleaning soap opera drama for it to shift to without warning, I anticipated Tim and Davi’s relationship to be its supply. Seems that’s not the case in any respect. Positive, Tim’s homosexual, however, Davi just isn’t his man. Tim’s popping out is dealt with fairly nonchalantly for a director with prior points depicting homosexuals. However, the actual drama is so hilariously convoluted and soapy that I have to begrudgingly give Perry his props. It’s not as insane because of the secret-revealing dinner desk scene in “Why Did I Get Married?” nevertheless it’s a detailed second. There’s unhealthy lawyering, a botched marriage proposal, combat between romantic rivals, an Irish farm with erectile dysfunction-having bulls, and multiple particular people is sleeping with someone they most likely shouldn’t be screwing. It’s a scorching mess, as common.
The very best part of this film is the closing credit. No, I’m not being snarky right here. There’s one thing occurring in the course of the closing credit—the homecoming they put within the title. It stars Madea as Beyoncé, wearing long hair and shorts, backed by the Morehouse Marching Band. And it’s hilarious. Perry’s performs have musical numbers he edits out once they grow to be filmed, so it was a variety of enjoyable to see clips of him singing and dancing as Madea. She’ll make you overlook the unique model of “Drunk In Love” whereas concurrently permitting you to indulge in simply how absurd your entire enterprise is.
Had Perry simply made a complete film of this live performance, whereas additionally maintaining the bonkers black and white flashback sequence that pits Madea in opposition to romantic rival Rosa Parks (sure, that Rosa Parks), “A Madea Homecoming” might need been film. The prior finish to this sequence, “A Madea Household Funeral,” was really a good film. Madea ought to have given up whereas she was forward.