SYNOPSIS:
When a celebrated TV show host returns to his hometown
in the South, his family is there to remind him that going
home is no vacation! It's one outrageous prediacament after
another when big-city attitude and small-town values collide
in this hysterical comedy.
MOVIE REVIEW:
Ah, another movie that wasn’t picked up by our local
movie distributors for theatrical release. Looking at the
cover of this DVD would probably tell you that this wouldn’t
have received much box office success at the cinemas either
– why would the average cinema patron fork out money
to watch this bland looking comedy headlined by black actors?
We could go into academic discussions of culture and ethnicity
here, but let’s concentrate on the movie instead, as
much as we think that it won’t do well on the home entertainment
front too.
The
DVD sleeve has this to say about the movie: “Martin
Lawrence leads an all-star cast, including…” Yes,
we were pleasantly surprised that we saw names like James
Earl Jones (the voice of Darth Vader in Star Wars and Simba’s
all knowing Dad in The Lion King), Cedric the Entertainer
(the voice of the goose in Charlotte’s Web) and Michael
Clarke Duncan (the delicate giant in The Green Mile) in the
cast list, but actors like Mo’Nique, Mike Epps and Damani
Roberts aren’t exactly who we’d associate with
“all-star cast”, probably only because we aren’t
that familiar with them in this part of the world. We could
go into academic discussions of culture and ethnicity here,
but let’s concentrate on the movie instead.
The
movie tells the story of Lawrence’s character who is
a successfully famous TV show host who returns from the big
city to his home in a small town where members of his family,
as well as some characters from his childhood gather for a
reunion. While the plot may sound like a potential heartstring
puller where themes and ideas of family bonding can be brought
out, we get a typical slapstick littered with stereotypes
and body/ toilet/ crude humor which you may have seen in other
comedies starring black actors. We could go into academic
discussions of culture and ethnicity here, but let’s
concentrate on the movie instead.
Just
as you are getting irritated by how we are attempting to launch
academic discussions from a frivolous movie like this, we
shall actually talk about how there are certain genuinely
funny moments in this otherwise lengthy 114 minute movie.
It starts of with a rather tickling premise – the celebrated
host’s mate is a celebrity, and a reality show (Survivor!)
winner at that! The end credits also feature Lawrence’s
character interviewing his family members, adding a nice and
warm concluding touch to the otherwise dreary comedy which
definitely wouldn’t have fared well if it was released
theatrically.
SPECIAL
FEATURES:
This Code 3 DVD does not contain any special features, and
you’d actually expect Lawrence to do a motor mouth presentation
about the movie eh?
AUDIO/VISUAL:
There
is nothing to complain about the visual transfer. There is
an option of either English or Japanese Dolby Digital 5.1.
MOVIE RATING:
DVD
RATING:
Review by John Li
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