User Reviews

The original show was so much better. They should have left on a good note. This movie killed the whole idea. It was boring, over-dramatic, and the funny parts were too far in between to make up the slack. This movie really seemed like it was trying way too hard to be serious, and that was definitely not what I was wanting from this sequel. Not to mention, that for a long time it was just depressing about the same thing over and over again. So, sorry, Tyler Perry, but try harder next time. This movie is just kinda dull, and not that funny either. Sorry. 4/10 stars is it.

Jay Addison

Tyler Perry movies are always, what the kids call "Gay". It's not just the fact that he does most of his movies in drag, or that the movies spend a good 30-50 percent of the movie bashing men, it's that Tyler Perry's movies are always black Christian chick flicks.

The women are always these very thin, demure, beauties with long relaxed hair that are in unhappy marriages or relationships with these handsome, successful, super rich and super EVIL black men. They are always emotionally damaged damsels that don't want to get into another relationship.

There is always a very handsome, clean-cut Christian black man with dreamy eyes, who is always there for them (but not in a sexual way of course). The guy is always built like a brick outhouse, like he's got to spend more time working out in a gym than reading his bible. The woman eventually addresses her demons and surrenders her heart to the good Christian man.

Madea (when she's not wearing her ankle locator bracelet) is always there to talk about those good old fashioned values, when you can bitch slap a child who's misbehaving and how a woman needs to fight their oppressive male friends. Mr. Perry also plays her horn dog, pot smoking brother who Madea is living with. There is always some comical banter between those two.

I know that Tyler Perry is providing an alternative to the other blacksploitation films that are out on the market. The majority of African Americans are good, hard-working middle-class people and they've got to be tired of the images of "gangsta" urban blacks in the media. On the other hand, there are those "gangsta" elements in Tyler Perry's movies also, and the drama in dealing with those elements, so there's a little there too.

I'm not saying that Tyler Perry's movies are bad. They are very good, well done movies from their church plays. They are very viewable and enjoyable. It would be a much better TV series material, except that viewers would quickly become aware of how similar each story is to each other.

"Madea's Family Reunion" stands out, in that it features Cicely Tyson and the honorable poet, Dr. Maya Angelou. The preaching of where the family had come from slave beginnings and how the family needs to take care of each other was great. However, the woman beater, portrayed by Blair Underwood was written as such a psycho fiancé that it held such an unbelievably plot point to the drama. His character was just put in as an excuse to get back at him at the end. And, thus my main comment from above.

It's OK, Tyler Perry, but give us something new.

After much debate, I finally agreed to see Madea's Family Reunion tonight. I'd seen most of Tyler's plays and rented "Diary", and really wasn't all that impressed with the writing. Although I'm not a huge fan of Perry's work, I don't dislike what he's trying to do or his messages.

I'm a graduate film student enrolled at New York University. I take film-making very serious and do plan on making a true difference in the industry. I agree that there are different films for different people, but as BLACK FOLK, we don't have that option. What was the last GOOD film that you've seen, with an all black cast, that wasn't about a wedding, jail, love/sex, and music? While we sit here debating whether or not Tyler Perry is selling out Black people. We need to look at the big picture. Hollywood is the most racist industry today. Excellent scripts, new black faces, are being shout out of the entertainment world. The people in power aren't BLACK, and have never been black, and if you think Spike Lee can represent for all of us, think again!

It's so funny how people are so quick to tare Tyler down, and yet no one has a problem with praising "Hustle and Flow". If you want to talk about bringing down black people as a race, explain to me why John Singleton and Stephanie Allain fought to tell the story of a pimp turned rapper. I don't give two S**ts about how good they "thought" the script was. Did we really need that mess? And did we need a white boy named Craig Brewer directing it? It's funny how some of our own people in the industry, who have some level of success and wealth, quickly turn away from a young future black filmmaker, such as myself, and run to the next white hype? It's also no coincidence that 36Mafia will be performing at the Oscar's the ACADEMY AWARD NOMINATED SONG: IT'S HARD OUT HERE FOR A PIMP! They say ALL THE WORLD IS A STAGE, well it isn't Tyler Perry who's making us out to be buffoon's. Please don't get distracted. A bigger evil, and a much deeper pile of mess is at work, and Tyler is swimming in the thick of it, trying to get out some type of positive message, because honestly, WE DON'T HAVE ANY, I SAID ANY! FILMS THAT PORTRAY "US" IN A POSITIVE LIGHT. I don't think the Man's the best writer, and I am definitely not for putting a black man in a dress.

JUST REMEMBER: There is an upcoming group of strong, sophisticated, black men and women, that plan on changing the entire film world and we need all of you to support us. Tyler and Spike can't save us, and can't do it all by themselves. John Singleton has sold out and gone Hollywood, making Tyrese the new Denzel (LOL!), and Fuqua is in the back pocket of Jerry Bruckheimer. We will make a change, but recognize it isn't as easy and cut and dry as you think it is. Tyler Perry, 'chitlin circuit' and all, is not to blame for the deconstruction of BLACK FOLK, and if that's the way you feel, then you are sadly mistaken, confused, and have been BAMBOOZLED!

"Madea's Family Reunion" is a stage play adapted to screen by the original playwright Tyler Perry. Tyler Perry has a huge following because of the success of his stage plays and the DVD sales of those stage plays as well as his movie "A Diary of a Mad Black woman" This movie starts out kinda of slow with a lot of weird shots and angles, but this one is directed by Tyler Perry. This is his first time behind the camera, so that made me a little forgiving.

About 10 minutes into the movie you as the plot point was established so did those weird shots. This movie is very inspiring like all of Tyler Perry works. It is by no means a Christian movie, but is an healthy alternative for the movies put out by mainstream Hollywood.

There was a very complex story line that was dealt with in this movie. Many movie goers can really empathize with all of the main characters. Blair Underwood and Lynn Whitfield were absolutely marvelous in this movie.

In my review of "Diary of a Mad Black Woman" I suggested that Tyler Perry cast a real actor in the role of Madea to give the movie more believability. Him playing Madea on stage works great, but it doesn't work as well in a play if he insists on playing himself and the uncle, you shouldn't have other characters that look just like you. He should really take a not from Eddie Murphy, although he played several different characters in the Klumps they each all looked different to an extent. Madea her son and her nephew and her brother all look exactly alike. He should either give up doing Madea or give up the other two roles.

This movie in-spite my objections to his casting himself, was quite good. It dealt with a love story of a woman who could not overlook her dark childhood. A woman who seemed trapped in an abusive relationship. And the family reunion was a glimpse into how modern blacks have strayed away from the struggles of the past generations.

It was such an awkward scene to have those old men lusting after their own cousin.

This movie was not written to be an Academy Award Caliber movie so I can't judge it as such. I really think it played to it's idea target audience perfectly.

My family who live in South Mississippi all went to see this movie together. That's over 20 people who normally don't go to the movies went out as a family to see this one. This movie has a huge drawing power amongst blacks of all ages. My elderly grandmother went to see this movie the last movie that she saw was guess? "Diary of a Mad Black Woman".

Tyler Perry keep on making your plays into movies, because you have some good messages and you are able to draw people that Hollywood could only dream of!

This is one of the most unoriginal hack jobs I've ever tried to watch. It was less a feel-good family comedy and more an over-hyped minstrel show. The humor was painfully predictable and devoid of wit. Tyler gave three uninspiring performances that were only outdone by a plot and script that were deep as dinner plates. I empathized immensely with Blair Underwood for not having enough Hollywood juice to pass up this project. There are way too many poorly developed characters to comment on them all but I will say that type casting must save Perry a lot of time and money most writers waste producing memorable characters. I don't generally waste time with this type of movie but my family insisted that I give it a shot. All of my preconceived notion were validated. A bad script, poor plot line, horrible acting, and a mediocre writer/director/actor will always yield a film that should be buried under a pile of other bad treatments in a studio executives trash can. Save yourself!

I rented the DVD and watched this movie three times before returning it. I bought the DVD to watch parts of it often enough to keep me keeping on just like Medea does. The show inspired me. I laughed tears. Funny thing was my daughter called and told me to watch it because it reminded her of me, her grandmother, and great-grandmother. It made me so brave that when my 29 year old son (semi-brain damaged drug addict) came through the house popping his mouth off at me I went into "Medea Mode". I jumped back with, "This is my house and I will whoop your butt no matter how old or big you are! I rattled on with I'll catch you asleep and beat the s--- right out of you. And on Medea Mode I rode! Sons and grandkids broke out laughing and going crazy cause NAN was back. Get on out of here boy, I don't want to see your ugly face for awhile." It sure felt good. Medea is my hero. No Tyler Perry is. Thank you. You are writing my life. Whew! Do I have stuff you should hear!

In Tyler Perry's second movie installment he has issues of domestic abuse,a controlling parent,and taking in a foster child. The problem some people have with this movie is that the subject matters of this movie has nothing to do with comedy. But Tyler Perry can put in a way to make people laugh. Now beating a fiancé or spouse is a serious matter,forcing an offspring to marry for selfish gain isn't funny,and another offspring trying to find love again sounds more like drama. But this movie is drama with a comic twist and Tyler Perry is brilliant enough to make the viewers laugh instead of continuing to be overwhelmed with such intensed scenes. I haven't seen a black family movie like this since Soul Food(1997). Tyler Perry is the new well-known sassy and outspoken character Madea who is the biggest comic relief in the movie. Blair Underwood is the snobbish Carlos who continually tries to impress his upscale colleagues and beat his fiancé behind closed doors. Recently Underwood been playing this same character but without the abuse in the movies like "Something New" and "G". I think Blair Underwood is starting to be type-casted. Though anyway Madea family reunion is a good movie but some scenes could have been left out (Madea's husband checking out the young relative and Madea beating the child with a belt). Still the movie is worth seeing.

Good to see movies with a great story line being made, without a lot of special effects and stuff, it was well directed and with fantastic comic relief. Had a positive message and the acting was superb. Tyler just gets better and better with each outing. What a major talent, writer, director, actor... I only saw Diary last year and was really impressed. So I couldn't wait to check this out when it hit the streets. Some scenes are pretty intense and as mentioned, very well acted. Then boom, Madea's back in your face with her antics. A good mixture of drama and comedy, everything jelled. I highly recommend this movie, hopefully he'll have another one next Feb.

I expected a comedy like the "Big Mama" movies. Instead, the movie was a bizarre mix of comedy, drama and a love story.

This movie has three plots: The first involves Madea and her taking in a foster child. The second involves a woman who is engaged to a rich man who is abusing her. The third involves a relationship between a single mother with 2 children and a single father.

There is actually very little comedy in the movie. There are also a number of very twisted messages in the movie. For example, Madea beats the foster child with a belt (in a comedic manner), to convince the child to straighten out. The child does, in fact, turn herself around. Apparently, it pays to beat children.

There are plots dealing with child rape (with the consent of the mother). There are scenes with old men ogling young girls who are related to them. (The ogling takes place at a family reunion.) The movie jumps from plot to plot such that you are always off-balance. Is this a comedy, a love story, or a drama? It is, in fact, nothing ... except a waste of time and money.

I think it was an excellent movie. It's one of those movies that you have every emotion with. You laugh, you cry, your shocked and angry. I would definitely watch it more than once! Good family movie also. It teaches kids about respect, family about caring, and shows kids right from wrong. It also teaches you about black history and where they came from. There are amazing actors and actresses in the movie!!! To see Maya Angelou and Cicely Tyson was awesome. Tyler Perry is amazing as Aunt Madea and once again keeps you laughing! The music selection was great and the wedding was absolutely beautiful. I think it was one of those movies that teach you that anything is possible and that you can be whoever you want to be no matter who tells you different. Seeing a child from the foster care system be turned around from a rough child into a beautiful, caring, loving child shows you as Aunt Madea said all a child needs is love, caring and compassion and to be taught to believe in yourself. The world today is quickly falling apart. Family values are being forgotten and everyone seems to be going their separate ways. The movie teaches you that family is everything; never forget where you come from.

The only bits i found funny were the ones with Madea, and they were few and far between. weird mix of brutality and comedy. shallow characters that felt not 3D, barely even 2D; weak plot lines, the conclusions of which i tried in vain to care about, and terrible soundtrack that may appeal to some... but who? sentimental scenes were not touching, but nauseating. the whole thing felt very dated, maybe ten years too late. the only positive was the speech at the end by the old bid about black people remembering their roots and striving to be better. but even that was overly cheesy, especially when they all hugged. a terrible, truly terrible film. i think straight to DVD is almost too good for it. i want my 2 hours back.

When will the African-American Hollywood Association make some type of movie other than the stereotypical chitlins, and collar greans family movie with the thug nephew and dirty old grandpa. These movies are so played out. It is shameful that this movie was even considered for production by a drunk monkey. Yet, it has the highest weekend gross. How can this be? It is pure trash and stereotypes. I'll let you ponder how this is so. I really do not understand how this movie was produced. There was no plot, the characters were contrived and stereotypical. These kinds of movies are not representatitive of the black community. The mind behind these movies is a wash out comedian who never made a dime with this garbage, until one night when a drunken church group came and saw his skit. Now, unfortunately he believes that God has placed him on this path. This movie is terrible, it is really quite that simple.

People that watch these movies and find them funny and/or amusing are seriously lacking either a: intelligence, b: something else worthwhile to do with their time, c: a smart sense of humor, or d: all of the above. "D" is the most obvious answer to that rhetorical question. These movies are at their very best dumb and idiotic. A friend of mine (whom I had previously thought had good sense), extolled the virtues of all of the Madea movies tried to get me to watch a part of one of them and I made up a lie so that I could leave and spare myself more torture. These movies are horrible and an insult to all movie-watchers. Don't waste your time. It's hard to believe that there is a ridiculous number of these movies that continue to flood the theatres and that people actually spend money on these stupid films. The cinematic content of the Madea movies is only contributing to the dumbing-down of the American public. If I could give these films a negative ten stars, I would.

Madea's Family Reunion (2006) is a movie I recently watched on HBOMAX. The storyline follows Madea once again in front of a judge pleading her case/lies. She is told they will release her from her charges if she adopts a little girl. Meanwhile, one of her nieces is having personal issues and also moves in. Madea has a houseful of drama to address again...

This movie is directed by and stars Tyler Perry (Diary of a Mad Black Woman) and also stars Lynn Whitfield (Eve's Bayou), Blair Underwood (Deep Impact), Lisa Arrindell (Big Momma's House 2), Cicely Tyson (The Help) and Boris Kodjoe (Addicted).

The writing for this felt like a huge step down from Diary of a Mad Black Woman. The characters and circumstances felt more unrealistic and more just comedy than Diary of a Mad Black Woman. There was some comedic content throughout - the poetry scene, bus sequence, BBQ fight, use of a camcorder and outtakes were hilarious. The grits sequence was a gem too and the soundtrack is perfect. The cast delivered solid performances across the board.

Overall this is a fairly average movie with some elements that make it worth a watch. I would score this a 6/10 and recommend seeing it once.

This is to me just an amazing, funny, delightful movie.

But first ... to be honest, I wasn't planning on seeing this movie at all. I had (woe be to me) never even heard of Tyler Perry. And the film's title alone sounded ... well ... unappealing at best. The synopsis I'd read suggested yet another movie with a man playing an overweight black woman. That might have been funny once or twice ... in Big Momma's House, and The Nutty Professor ... but surely can't keep carrying so much water as to make yet another movie about this same motif, right?

Well, be that as it may, I noticed that this film had hit the top of the box office when it opened a week ago. And then I read a review this morning by a typically politically correct reviewer who was "dissing" the movie. Now this is a reviewer I've come to rely upon as always panning movies I like and waxing enthusiastic about movies I dislike. So reading this reviewer's badmouthing prompted me to try out this movie ... and I am so glad I did.

I think I can see why high-minded PC reviewers wouldn't like it. It's a "popular" comedy, full of rough, earthy humor, celebrates Black cultural child-rearing values, and unapologetically celebrates God and family. No wonder it's been a hit with the general Black American culture, especially Black Churchgoing culture.

What is it that makes this movie so funny and so deeply heart-warming at the same time?

Well, in some ways, this is something of an old-fashioned morality play. Such has a wonderful tradition in Western Culture ... and in African culture. A resurrection of the Morality Play is fine by me: just a shocker, that's all. I kept thinking, "how are these characters getting away with saying things like that?" As when the leading lady says she's given her life to God and has been celibate and will stay celibate till she's married. How is it possible for something like that to show up in a general release movie in this day and age? Not as a statement to be mocked, but as an expression of genuine faith in God and Chastity? I just shook my head and smiled and enjoyed the sheer frank morality of the movie every time it surfaced ... which was pretty often indeed.

The music was resplendent throughout the movie, but the sound seemed a little problematic at times. The audio was almost echoing, flat, tinny ... sort of like a somewhat bad mono recorder.

The cinematography was fine, but in a way, very old-fashioned ... stylistically similar to the movies from the early days when films were often framed as theater transferred to the screen. Maybe that reflects Tyler Perry's background, I understand as a playwright. But for example, the camera follows the action in a very straightforward, even simple way: head on, straight up, no angle shots, no through shots, no complex dissolves or modern "realistic" camera "jiggling". Maybe this is intentional: the movie is telling a plain, straight story with feeling and humor and no hint of subtlety. If this is what's going on, it's fine by me: because this makes for a very candid, very honest, but never discomforting style. Perry's narrating a Story, Telling us What's Happening. Nuance is not what we're after here. Very basic human themes are painted with strong strokes. So we have a basic cinematography to fit this purpose. Fair enough.

There's an interesting interplay of serious and humorous material at two levels. First, there's some very tight sequencing in which strongly emotional material is followed by strong humor. Some will like this, some not, but it's very much at the core of Madea's character, and the overall character of the movie. Second, "serious" scenes are sometimes interspersed with humorous scenes inserted clearly for no other reason than plain comic relief. I think some might find that a little jarring. Still, it works for me very well. And this kind of thing goes back to Shakespeare at least, so I know it works for others as well.

The acting and characterizations were wonderful. Now again, don't look for subtlety, that's not the nature of the movie. But if it's good, solid performances matching characterizations to characters, this movie has it all. Tyler Perry as Madea and Joe was simply perfect. But the entire cast provided strong, reliable performances. Including a delightful cameo by Maya Angelou.

A few "plot holes" have been alleged. I see what's meant, but frankly, don't agree at all. This is a movie that for the most part is stylized, full of art and artifice, not a "realist" movie in which careful plotting is critical for believability. A movie like this is more like a painting, or a song ... a ballad. A popular folk ballad, full of humor and fun and tears and hugs ... and lightly textured but unapologetic moralizing. This movie is a classic combo of Entertainment and Edification. The final scenes at the farm, and at the wedding, really sum up the movie in both respects, and keeping a scorecard on consistency of details is very out of place, it's directly contradictory to the genre.

Last but not least, I have to say that the figure of Madea ... tying everything together with humor and wisdom ... is a sheer delight. I'm told she'll be back on the silver screen. Good ... I can't wait to make her acquaintance once again some day.

And needless to say I'm going to try to find and watch Diary of a Mad Black Woman as soon as I can find it ... !