I have been a Tyler Perry fan for years, but movies like this reaffirm my belief that he needs to stick with the Madea formula.
The general concept of the movie is a great one, and I think in another circumstance, it might have worked, but my biggest issues were with the people chosen to portray the characters. First, I have a hard time with Tyler as Deeds. Maybe it's just his huge personality (after all he IS the "Grand Dame" of dramedy) or maybe it was the writing, but it didn't feel believable.
Thandie Newton was not at ALL a good choice as a down on her luck, working Mom. And I hated how she could be so ignorant and flying off the handle at everyone one moment and then completely sweet and gracious the next. I think her character should have been tempered with some Prozac! Gabrielle Union was great in her role, but in honesty, I couldn't help but wonder if she was even necessary to the story. She was like a loose thread they had to keep coming back to. In hindsight, maybe Thandie would have been better as the wife.
Overall, it wasn't a BAD movie, it just was hopelessly unsatisfying and not one I'd care to watch over again.
The general concept of the movie is a great one, and I think in another circumstance, it might have worked, but my biggest issues were with the people chosen to portray the characters. First, I have a hard time with Tyler as Deeds. Maybe it's just his huge personality (after all he IS the "Grand Dame" of dramedy) or maybe it was the writing, but it didn't feel believable.
Thandie Newton was not at ALL a good choice as a down on her luck, working Mom. And I hated how she could be so ignorant and flying off the handle at everyone one moment and then completely sweet and gracious the next. I think her character should have been tempered with some Prozac! Gabrielle Union was great in her role, but in honesty, I couldn't help but wonder if she was even necessary to the story. She was like a loose thread they had to keep coming back to. In hindsight, maybe Thandie would have been better as the wife.
Overall, it wasn't a BAD movie, it just was hopelessly unsatisfying and not one I'd care to watch over again.