Common Sense Media Review
By Sandie Angulo Chen
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Message-heavy dramedy features fine performances.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Tyler Perry's The Family That Preys
What's the Story?
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.
Is It Any Good?
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 in The Family That Preys.
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.)
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about The Family That Preys' messages. What points does Perry emphasize in his movies?
Class doesn't seem to be an issue between wealthy Charlotte and working-class Alice, but in what other relationships are money and entitlement a problem?
Nick tells Pam that Alice is a saint. How is she depicted as the movie's most virtuous character? How is her daughter Andrea portrayed?
Perry's movies have been compared to morality plays. Do the overt messages to be honest, hardworking, faithful, etc. take away from or add to the film's entertainment value?
Movie Details
- In theaters : September 12, 2008
- On DVD or streaming : January 12, 2009
- Cast : Alfre Woodard , Kathy Bates , Sanaa Lathan
- Director : Tyler Perry
- Inclusion Information : Black Movie Director(s) , Female Movie Actor(s) , Black Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Lionsgate
- Genre : Drama
- Run time : 111 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : thematic material, sexual references and brief violence.
- Award : NAACP Image Award - NAACP Image Award Nominee
- Last updated : September 21, 2019
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