O Bom Filho à Casa Torna

A successful talk show host leaves Los Angeles to reunite with his family in the Deep South.

By the end of this movie's trailer, you would've thought "Oh, not again." No, that's what you were thinking. Don't deny it. Even I did too. But the trailer is very misleading and I found myself liking this movie more than I was going to. A lot more.

What I loved about this movie were the characters and moral. And yes, I loved those things. Each of the characters are unique and have their own memorable moments. Also, this movie had some pretty decent jokes, much better than many other comedies released this time who use clichéd and predictable jokes.

What I also admired about this movie was the family matter and moral this movie was trying to give out. I found it oddly touching and very sweet. Unfortunately, the other jokes this movie seem to have were also predictable, gross, unfunny, and crude. Some scenes in the movie just ruin the sweets scenes before it because it felt like the filmmakers just want to make people laugh.

Like I said, the characters were memorable. The most notable were James Earl Jones, Nicole Ari Parker, and Mo'Nique. Mo'Nique, I must say, is the funniest character in here, in my opinion. She throws each joke at you and you can't have enough!

Yes, the trailers for this movie were misleading so the movie was actually quite decent. The jokes were actually funny, the characters memorable, and the moral is very touching for anyone who has a family. Sure, it had its bad moments but this is better than most comedies released this year.

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.

Successful Talk Show Host RJ (Lawrence) is besieged to come back home for his parents' 50th Wedding Anniversary.

I was skeptical, I was wary, I wasn't sure, but this time the promos didn't let me down. This was good. Since the basic theme was a grand family reunion, you know the usual obligatory things will be performed, a softball game, (with other families it may be a touch football game), an obstacle course (okay, this is a new one that I've witnessed, but there you are) and other family things, etc. Nothing new here. But, what keeps this movie fresh is the quick and lively dialogue from all the cast. It didn't feel scripted. It was like eavesdropping on the goings on and the timing, by all, was excellent. And, you know you need good timing when slap-stick comedy is performed. Also, the music throughout was perfect.

This was without a doubt a cast of characters, and not your usual every day family members and each character member had his or her own shtick and this helped make this a fun movie.

Joy Bryant who played Bianca must have gone to the Molly Sims School of Acting because I kept seeing and hearing Ms. Sims whenever Ms Bryant was on screen. Hey, this is a good thing, not a criticism. She was good. Nicole Ari Parker who played Lucinda is absolutely beautiful. I am sure we will see more of these two women in future movies.

It is indeed rare that promos deliver when it comes to comedy, but this time they did. How about that!

Violence: Yes, family fighting stuff, Sex: Yes, Dog Sex: Yes, two go at it. Nudity: No, Language: Yes, some, not much

Roscoe Jenkins has taken the name "RJ Stevens" and become a self-help guru with a book and talk show based on the premise "the team of me". He heads home accompanies by his self-absorbed fiancée, Bianca, who has the idea that they should record RJ's parent's 50th anniversary celebration.

At home, RJ's family does not treat him as the important semi-celebrity he is in LA but as the child who could never defeat his cousin Clyde in any competition and as the boy still under his parents' dominion at home. Roscoe's relatives played by James Earl Jones. Margaret Avery, Cedric the Entertainer, Mo'nique and Michael Clarke Duncan are all funny and good at puncturing the bubble of Roscoe's believed importance. Eventually Roscoe learns some important lessons about the importance of family and remaining connected to them and becomes the man his father has always wanted him to be. This is a decent, somewhat funny movie so it gets a grade of C+ and a moderate recommendation.

Theres always something about theres esemble family together comedy films that just work and this one is up there with some of the funniest. Martin lawrence plays Rj a host of his own show that goes back home for this parents 50th anniversary along with son jamaal and his pretty uptight and annoying fiance bianca. We might one of my favourite characters in the town. Rjs cousin reggie, played by the funny mike eeps his especially good with his manarism's and overall his just pretty good. The rest of his family are played well and all the cast brought something well to them. Overall this film does not have any dull moments and its just a pretty great film.