Tyler Perry's Meet the Browns

It would be totally predictable to say that MEET THE BROWNS is predictable (the same thing has been said about nearly every single Tyler Perry movie). As Perry's movies go, this one is actually less stilted and slightly more inventive, plot-wise. The characters don't speak in cliches as often as they have in the past, and the warmth feels genuine.

Ultimately, it's a feel-good film, despite its flaws. Perhaps that's largely because the central character is played by Bassett, who manages -- for the most part, though not fully -- to transcend the cloying storyline. That said, even she can't save the bits that are played all-out for laughs, especially the funeral scenes at the church and cemetery, which just aren't all that funny. (Neither is Perry's Madea cameo.) Memorable moviemaking it isn't. But entertaining? If you like Perry's work, yes.