Tyler Perry's The Family That Preys (PG-13, 2008)

Tyler Perry once again tackles issues of race, class, faith, and marriage in his dramedy THE FAMILY THAT PREYS. At the film's core is the lifelong friendship between wealthy businesswoman Charlotte Cartwright (Kathy Bates) and working-class diner owner Alice (Alfre Woodard). The story begins at Alice's youngest daughter Andrea's (Sanaa Lathan) elegant wedding, which Charlotte generously hosts. Charlotte's son William (Cole Hauser) offers the bride and groom jobs at his family's lucrative real-estate development firm; after that, the action fast forwards four years. Charlotte and Alice go on cross-country road trip (a la Oprah Winfrey and her best friend Gayle), while at home, a long-term affair between Andrea and William threatens to devastate both families.

Perry's films have a loyal audience. But this one is a step above his prior work and could expand his audience to viewers who weren't already interested in his Madea comedies. By splitting the story in two -- the rock-steady friendship between Charlotte and Alice, versus their children's destructive entanglements -- Perry lightens the predictable melodrama of the younger generation with the matriarchs' trip of a lifetime.

It's a tribute to Perry's reputation that despite lukewarm reviews, his films have successfully attracted more and more top-notch ensembles. Bates and Woodard have a natural rhythm as best friends. Lathan, who's incredibly talented, is perfect as an educated social climber who can't stand her husband or family. She and Woodard have mastered playing mother and daughter (this is their third time) so well that they should be cast as a team. All of the finely crafted performances outshine Perry's overly obvious "lessons" and clichéd plot devices. (Though if you hold on through the end credits, you'll be treated to Gladys Knight's excellent rendition of Lee Ann Womack's "I Hope You Dance," the soundtrack's most significant anthem.)

Studio: Lionsgate
Director: Tyler Perry
Cast: Alfre Woodard, Kathy Bates, Sanaa Lathan
Genre: Drama
Run time: 111 minutes
Theatrical release: September 12, 2008
DVD release: January 12, 2009
MPAA Rating: PG-13
MPAA explanation: thematic material, sexual references and brief violence.