What I find interesting about the most negative reviews of participants who contributed is how trite many of them are. For example -- it's soap opera-ish. I guess almost any film can be that. The characters seem stereotyped. Well, I don't see many films where characters are that unique. And then there are the reviews where they just want to beat up on Tyler Perry. Now I don't think that every Tyler Perry film has been that great, but I also don't think any of them have been that bad. He has matured in his film-making.
I think this was a very good film. It certainly held my interest. It begins with white socialite Kathy Bates hosting the wedding of Sanaa Lathan, the daughter of Alfre Woodard. The problem is that the husband to be (Rockmond Dunbar) is a much better man than his future wife is an honest and considerate woman. He's "just" a construction worker, while she's in corporate. And she never lets him forget that. And, he works for her boss...with whom she is having an affair. Meanwhile, Woodard's other daughter (Taraji P. Henson) is married to Tyler Perry, another construction worker, and looks after Lathan's young son while also working in her mother's diner. She is bothered by how little Lathan helps their mother, not knowing that mom is secretly quite well off. The hubby later discovers his wife's huge bank account after he is turned down for a loan application to start his own construction business...money she earns in bonuses...but what she does for that money is actually weekly booty calls with the boss. Meanwhile, Cathy Bates' son is trying to take her business away from her, not even knowing that she is showing signs of early Alzhiemers. Bates and Woodard are sort of the odd couple best friends of the story. They end up going on a road trip where the illness becomes known, and they return home in time to save the company (albeit perhaps a bit too conveniently...though cleverly). But while on their road trip they have some fun times in honky tonks and male strip clubs. Of course, the affair becomes public, but only after a new executive joins the firm -- Robin Givens. And then there's the funeral, the breakup of the failed marriage, and the sale of the diner.
I enjoyed the cast here. Alfre Woodard is always enjoyable. As is Kathy Bates. It's difficult to like Sanaa Lathan here, but she is a good actress. I was not particularly impressed with Cole Hauser as the philanderer, although KaDee Strickland as his wife was fairly good. Rockmond Dunbar was excellent. Tyler Perry was "okay" in terms of his acting, although he gave himself little to do. It's a calmer Taraji P. Henson as the sister, but I liked her better here than in "Empire", which seems a little over the top.
What can I say? I enjoyed the film.
I think this was a very good film. It certainly held my interest. It begins with white socialite Kathy Bates hosting the wedding of Sanaa Lathan, the daughter of Alfre Woodard. The problem is that the husband to be (Rockmond Dunbar) is a much better man than his future wife is an honest and considerate woman. He's "just" a construction worker, while she's in corporate. And she never lets him forget that. And, he works for her boss...with whom she is having an affair. Meanwhile, Woodard's other daughter (Taraji P. Henson) is married to Tyler Perry, another construction worker, and looks after Lathan's young son while also working in her mother's diner. She is bothered by how little Lathan helps their mother, not knowing that mom is secretly quite well off. The hubby later discovers his wife's huge bank account after he is turned down for a loan application to start his own construction business...money she earns in bonuses...but what she does for that money is actually weekly booty calls with the boss. Meanwhile, Cathy Bates' son is trying to take her business away from her, not even knowing that she is showing signs of early Alzhiemers. Bates and Woodard are sort of the odd couple best friends of the story. They end up going on a road trip where the illness becomes known, and they return home in time to save the company (albeit perhaps a bit too conveniently...though cleverly). But while on their road trip they have some fun times in honky tonks and male strip clubs. Of course, the affair becomes public, but only after a new executive joins the firm -- Robin Givens. And then there's the funeral, the breakup of the failed marriage, and the sale of the diner.
I enjoyed the cast here. Alfre Woodard is always enjoyable. As is Kathy Bates. It's difficult to like Sanaa Lathan here, but she is a good actress. I was not particularly impressed with Cole Hauser as the philanderer, although KaDee Strickland as his wife was fairly good. Rockmond Dunbar was excellent. Tyler Perry was "okay" in terms of his acting, although he gave himself little to do. It's a calmer Taraji P. Henson as the sister, but I liked her better here than in "Empire", which seems a little over the top.
What can I say? I enjoyed the film.