Parents' Guide to

Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins

By Sandie Angulo Chen, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Good cast can't save stereotype-laden comedy.

Movie PG-13 2008 113 minutes
Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

age 12+

Based on 2 parent reviews

age 7+

Good for the whole family

I enjoyed this movie because while we are so divided as a nation right now this movie emphasized the importance of family. Saw this movie 9 years after it was released but the message is timeless. Just a light-hearted feel good movie. I was surprised how much i enjoyed it. Not interested in promoting an agenda. Just wish we were all more together as Americans. This movie made me smile and chuckle for all the right reasons.
age 17+

WARNING: FULL OF LANGUAGE

I have never given a review here before, but am VERY concerned about the review on commonsensemedia.org on this particular movie. I count on your site religiously to decide on whether to allow our family (children are ages 12 and 14) to watch certain movies. This movie claimed to contain one use of the f-word and had mo mention of gd, although both were used at least twice and the entire movie was completely FULL of constant swearing and cussing. It was so offensive I was very dissapointed. The movie would have been good had it not been for this. I really wish Hollywood realized that this stuff does NOT sell movies to families! It offends and it is just not acceptable. Period. Thanks for letting me vent.

This title has:

Too much swearing
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2):
Kids say (4):

With so many talented actors, it's a shame that the movie's script has so many stereotypes. There's the no-good, hustlin' cousin, the big and loud sister, the patient and loving Mamma, and even the morbidly overweight kids. With a lesser cast, the comedy would have been unwatchable, but the able actors do what they can with the surprisingly limited script. By the time two dogs start going at it, there's nothing that even Oscar nominees like Jones and Avery can do to elevate the movie from forgettable mediocrity.

Movie Details

  • In theaters: February 8, 2008
  • On DVD or streaming: June 16, 2008
  • Cast: James Earl Jones, Joy Bryant, Martin Lawrence
  • Director: Malcolm D. Lee
  • Inclusion Information: Black directors, Black actors, Indigenous actors
  • Studio: Universal Pictures
  • Genre: Comedy
  • Run time: 113 minutes
  • MPAA rating: PG-13
  • MPAA explanation: crude and sexual content, language and some drug references.
  • Last updated: February 15, 2023

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