Common Sense Media Review
By Barbara Shulgasser-Parker
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Madea returns to sort out family mess; language, drugs.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Tyler Perry's Madea's Destination Wedding
What's the Story?
In TYLER PERRY'S MADEA'S DESTINATION WEDDING, Madea (Tyler Perry) and the family are heading to The Bahamas for her grandniece Tiffany's (Diamond White) whirlwind destination wedding. Daughter-in-law Debrah (Taja V. Simpson) has a rough past and is trying to make it up to her daughter by having her wealthy new husband pay for the lavish affair. Brian (Tyler Perry), Madea's prosecutor son, can't afford it but is humiliated into paying for it even though he really doesn't like the groom. The big question is: Why is Tiffany in such a hurry to marry the mysterious Z (Xavier Smalls)?
Is It Any Good?
Tyler Perry's Madea's Destination Wedding is really for fans of the series. Others may find it a slog. There's no denying writer, director, actor Tyler Perry's vast talent. The purpose of this movie seems to be to demonstrate how annoying families can be, and in that goal it succeeds wildly. The family is loud, oblivious, intrusive, disagreeable, stubborn, lewd, and critical. If you don't have such people in your real life, why would you want to spend an hour and 44 minutes with them in your leisure time? It may be that the appeal of these popular movies is how much better one's own family seems in comparison.
Also, the movie feels like two movies in one—a wild, chaotic take on quirky, uncontrollable family members who never self-censor and who say and do anything guaranteed to embarrass anyone who is embarrass-able. In part one, this bunch of characters is naive enough to believe they can rack up tens of thousands of dollars in extra charges for hotel room service, minibar, casino gambling, and online porn without paying as long as they "put it on the card," that is, charge it to their rooms. But part two depicts those same people as possessing admirable smarts, deep humanity, kindness, warmth, caring, and wisdom to resolve the plot's problems. Brian admits that, as a prosecutor, he prejudges young Black men based on what he's learned in his job, but he's willing to look past his superficial and baseless biases to see people as they are—to embrace the good ones and help the less-than-good ones. And in that way, Brian sets the tone for us to set aside judgment and see Madea and the rest of the group as solid, reliable, loyal, and wise.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about what kind of person Madea is. She seems like she doesn't know how the world works, and then she seems like the wisest person ever. What do you think of her? Is she a role model? Is she meant to be one?
Brian has prejudices against young Black men. What do you think he learns here?
The film has a lot of crude observations and language. How does that enhance your experience, or detract from it?
How does this movie compare to the other Madea films? What do you think the next installment will be about?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : July 11, 2025
- Cast : Tyler Perry , Diamond White , Cassi Davis
- Director : Tyler Perry
- Inclusion Information : Black Movie Director(s) , Black Movie Actor(s) , Black Movie Writer(s)
- Studio : Netflix
- Genre : Comedy
- Run time : 104 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : Strong language, crude/sexual material, drug material, and some violence
- Last updated : July 21, 2025
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