Tyler Perry's The Family That Preys

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.)