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Directed by: Malcolm D. Lee
Starring:
Martin Lawrence
Mike Epps
Cedric the Entertainer
Michael Clarke Duncan
James Earl Jones
Mo'nique
Nicole Ari Parker
Joy Bryant
I'm not exactly sure why I've always felt like I was kind of a part of the black community. I was never invited and I never crashed the party either, but somewhere along the way I just felt at home with black culture. I'm guessing it started with fascination. Growing up in Hawaii, I never really came across to many black people, but I fell in love with Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder and Dominique Wilkins at a very young age nonetheless. They were my black friends. Then, thanks to Yo! MTV Raps, shit really went haywire. Luckily, I never went through the stage where I thought I was black, although there were probably times when I was a preteen that I wanted to be. When rap music started to blow up, I found some new and strong voices that helped guide me through some awkward times in my life. That's when rap was fun. And among my favorite tv shows were the iconic black classics Good Times, What's Happening and of course, the Cosby Show.
You're probably asking yourself right now why I'm telling you all of this. Well, that's because Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins reminded me of a time when I was young and things were more simple and black culture was more about love and common sense than haters and 50 Cent. And as an uninvited representative of the black community, I can assure you that you will not enjoy this film as much if you're not from there, because there are some things you just wouldn't understand unless you've been there and Director Malcolm D. Lee (cousin of Spike) definitely has and his nostalgia rubs off on the screen and the viewer.
Martin Lawrence is a successful daytime talk show host (the tragically under used comedian Louis C.K. refers to him as "Bro-prah" in the film's trailer although the scene is nowhere to be found in the actual movie) who is about to marry a snobby young contestant from the reality tv show Survivor. This is where the film suffers.
The relationship between Lawrence's "Dr. R.J. Stevens" (A stage name he developed from his full name at birth: Roscoe Steven Jenkins) and Bryant's almost too effectively annoying "Bianca Skittles" creates some interesting conflicts later in the film, but at first, it's an annoying dynamic that is way beyond played out and has been seen over a hundred times in just the last few years alone. Lawrence is the aging guy who is dating up and his soon to be fiancee is the hot young thing who makes him eat rice cakes and do yoga.
The film picks up when Lawrence's son from another woman convinces his dad and Bianca to visit his family in the South for a family reunion. Roscoe's family is full of unbelievable characters, but thankfully most of them are entertaining. There is Mike Epps, his hilarious, con-artist cousin who has to "bribe" Lawrence in return for not ratting him out to his fiancee when he is eating ribs and pie or getting too close for comfort with a childhood crush (played by the stunning Parker). Cedric the Entertainer is his adopted brother who is the apple of Jones' (and everyone else's it seems) eye. Duncan is his humongous blood brother who is loving his humble, family life and Southern comfort and finally Mo'nique is the loudmouth, abrasive sister who packs punches literally and figuratively throughout and constantly switches sides during confrontations.
When the family is engaged in barbeques, softball games and other family events, you feel like you're a part of them, which can be good or bad, depending on how you look at it. I personally would love to be at one of the Jenkins family parties, but I can guarantee more than a couple moments would be extremely awkward. The simplest, most down home parts of the film, are the most enjoyable. You can see everything coming from a mile away, but it's still fun watching it unfold.
Though the charming (everone seems to think he's the bee's knees except for his family, who feel as if he has turned his back on them) Roscoe means well, he keeps getting stuck in embarrassing situations and it all leads to him finding his old self again, which is the ultimate payoff, but all the head-butting in between the tender moments is fun, too.
It's a formulaic, predictable and often ridiculous motion picture for sure, but there are enough funny and charming parts to carry you through. It's not a movie I will ever own, but I would definitely watch it again and it's more than servicable as a future rental and I would recommend seeing it in the theater on those days when you have nothing to do, because it will give you a few hearty chuckles and make you forget about your problems for a few hours and that's what a trip back home to your family is all about.
Bringing it all back home, finding yourself and laughing (and occasionally fighting) with family and friends is what life is all about and while this isn't in the same league as Good Times or the Cosby Show, the recipe is still a success and speaking of recipes, this would be a great film to watch after a Sunday cookout and who knows, you may just come back for a second helping.
Starring:
Martin Lawrence
Mike Epps
Cedric the Entertainer
Michael Clarke Duncan
James Earl Jones
Mo'nique
Nicole Ari Parker
Joy Bryant
I'm not exactly sure why I've always felt like I was kind of a part of the black community. I was never invited and I never crashed the party either, but somewhere along the way I just felt at home with black culture. I'm guessing it started with fascination. Growing up in Hawaii, I never really came across to many black people, but I fell in love with Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder and Dominique Wilkins at a very young age nonetheless. They were my black friends. Then, thanks to Yo! MTV Raps, shit really went haywire. Luckily, I never went through the stage where I thought I was black, although there were probably times when I was a preteen that I wanted to be. When rap music started to blow up, I found some new and strong voices that helped guide me through some awkward times in my life. That's when rap was fun. And among my favorite tv shows were the iconic black classics Good Times, What's Happening and of course, the Cosby Show.
You're probably asking yourself right now why I'm telling you all of this. Well, that's because Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins reminded me of a time when I was young and things were more simple and black culture was more about love and common sense than haters and 50 Cent. And as an uninvited representative of the black community, I can assure you that you will not enjoy this film as much if you're not from there, because there are some things you just wouldn't understand unless you've been there and Director Malcolm D. Lee (cousin of Spike) definitely has and his nostalgia rubs off on the screen and the viewer.
Martin Lawrence is a successful daytime talk show host (the tragically under used comedian Louis C.K. refers to him as "Bro-prah" in the film's trailer although the scene is nowhere to be found in the actual movie) who is about to marry a snobby young contestant from the reality tv show Survivor. This is where the film suffers.
The relationship between Lawrence's "Dr. R.J. Stevens" (A stage name he developed from his full name at birth: Roscoe Steven Jenkins) and Bryant's almost too effectively annoying "Bianca Skittles" creates some interesting conflicts later in the film, but at first, it's an annoying dynamic that is way beyond played out and has been seen over a hundred times in just the last few years alone. Lawrence is the aging guy who is dating up and his soon to be fiancee is the hot young thing who makes him eat rice cakes and do yoga.
The film picks up when Lawrence's son from another woman convinces his dad and Bianca to visit his family in the South for a family reunion. Roscoe's family is full of unbelievable characters, but thankfully most of them are entertaining. There is Mike Epps, his hilarious, con-artist cousin who has to "bribe" Lawrence in return for not ratting him out to his fiancee when he is eating ribs and pie or getting too close for comfort with a childhood crush (played by the stunning Parker). Cedric the Entertainer is his adopted brother who is the apple of Jones' (and everyone else's it seems) eye. Duncan is his humongous blood brother who is loving his humble, family life and Southern comfort and finally Mo'nique is the loudmouth, abrasive sister who packs punches literally and figuratively throughout and constantly switches sides during confrontations.
When the family is engaged in barbeques, softball games and other family events, you feel like you're a part of them, which can be good or bad, depending on how you look at it. I personally would love to be at one of the Jenkins family parties, but I can guarantee more than a couple moments would be extremely awkward. The simplest, most down home parts of the film, are the most enjoyable. You can see everything coming from a mile away, but it's still fun watching it unfold.
Though the charming (everone seems to think he's the bee's knees except for his family, who feel as if he has turned his back on them) Roscoe means well, he keeps getting stuck in embarrassing situations and it all leads to him finding his old self again, which is the ultimate payoff, but all the head-butting in between the tender moments is fun, too.
It's a formulaic, predictable and often ridiculous motion picture for sure, but there are enough funny and charming parts to carry you through. It's not a movie I will ever own, but I would definitely watch it again and it's more than servicable as a future rental and I would recommend seeing it in the theater on those days when you have nothing to do, because it will give you a few hearty chuckles and make you forget about your problems for a few hours and that's what a trip back home to your family is all about.
Bringing it all back home, finding yourself and laughing (and occasionally fighting) with family and friends is what life is all about and while this isn't in the same league as Good Times or the Cosby Show, the recipe is still a success and speaking of recipes, this would be a great film to watch after a Sunday cookout and who knows, you may just come back for a second helping.
Can't say this is high on my list, but you wrote a really fun review of it.