African American family values movies have matured into a distinct and popular genre and, Martin Lawrence traverses familiar territory with this awkwardly-titled movie.
He plays RJ Stevens, a big city motivational guru who has taken the concept of "self-help" too far, leaving him somewhat estranged from his family in the Deep South.
In an inelegant plot device, his parents' 50th anniversary serves as an exploitable marketing opportunity sufficiently enticing to lure him back to his hometown.
From there, things unfold fairly formulaicly to RJ's rekindling of his true identity, Roscoe Steven Jenkins.
Although Lawrence is the lead around whom the story revolves, it does feel slightly like an ensemble piece. But fortunately the cast is competent and believable, even those fulfilling comic relief roles.
So as an illustration of good ol' hometown values like "always be true to yourself", "the importance of family", and the "power of forgiveness", it's a good choice for family night viewing, if you can find a way around Mo'Nique's apparent inability to avoid the B-word.
He plays RJ Stevens, a big city motivational guru who has taken the concept of "self-help" too far, leaving him somewhat estranged from his family in the Deep South.
In an inelegant plot device, his parents' 50th anniversary serves as an exploitable marketing opportunity sufficiently enticing to lure him back to his hometown.
From there, things unfold fairly formulaicly to RJ's rekindling of his true identity, Roscoe Steven Jenkins.
Although Lawrence is the lead around whom the story revolves, it does feel slightly like an ensemble piece. But fortunately the cast is competent and believable, even those fulfilling comic relief roles.
So as an illustration of good ol' hometown values like "always be true to yourself", "the importance of family", and the "power of forgiveness", it's a good choice for family night viewing, if you can find a way around Mo'Nique's apparent inability to avoid the B-word.