TYLER PERRY’S THE FAMILY THAT PREYS

RYAN: We’ve just seen “Desperate Housewives: The Lost Episode.”

CAROLINE: [laughs’ You’re just saying that because Alfre Woodard’s in it.

RYAN: Yes, but “Tyler Perry’s The Family That Preys” is a real female-driven story.

CAROLINE: I have to stop you right there to address the question that’s been plaguing us for months – why does Tyler Perry insist on including his name in the title of every one of his films? I mean, seriously. Steven Spielberg doesn’t feel the need, but Tyler Perry’s got to do it?

RYAN: I don’t have any research on this, but I do have my own opinion; I think it’s an ego thing. He’s a Woody Allen type in that he writes, directs and produces all his movies and I guess this is his way of putting his stamp on them.

CAROLINE: Please – Woody Allen doesn’t even do it. I’m over Tyler Perry’s attitude. You’ll notice he also put himself prominently near the front the movie poster despite having only a secondary, if not tertiary, role. It should have been Sanaa Lathan.

RYAN: Huh, you’re totally right. I didn’t even notice that.

CAROLINE: Maybe Tyler Perry should focus more on making good movies rather than churning out mediocre ones every six months.

RYAN: I second that; though we must confess that this is the first of his movies we’ve actually seen in the theater. And his movies have been doing great box office lately. I have to admit I enjoyed this one. In fact, I really enjoyed it.

CAROLINE: I did not. It’s not the worst thing I’ve ever seen but it’s very cliché-ridden and amateurish. It looks OK, but I feel like Tyler Perry has a formula he uses a lot. His movies often include spousal abuse and infidelity and various other family dramas. There’s always some tragedy mixed in with the glory and praising of Jesus.

RYAN: The movie is definitely not without its problems. There are easily four or more story lines going on, and they don’t focus enough on any of them for me to fully understand what was going on. I felt like we got a good tease into one story and then they’d move on to the next one. The scenes didn’t interconnect very well. It kinda all comes together at the end but the payoff was not good enough for me.

CAROLINE: It’s definitely choppy, and the transitions aren’t smooth. Robin Givens has a supporting role and her acting is atrocious.

RYAN: I staunchly disagree. I thought she was fantastic, and I’d like to see more of her. But I’m clearly in the minority because during the movie I heard the guy behind me say, “She’s so miscast.”

CAROLINE: Exactly. She looks great, but that’s about it. And I love Sanaa Lathan but she’s so much better than this movie.

RYAN: Alfre Woodard did a great job, as did Kathy Bates even though she looks ridiculous.

CAROLINE: I’m sorry, but she’s put on so much weight. She plays a rich Southern woman in the film and sometimes her accent sounded vaguely Southern and other times it sounded like her attempt at a blaccent. It was embarrassing.

RYAN: Her wig was also atrocious.

CAROLINE: Tyler Perry, of course, put himself in the movie and he sports a strange afro. Doesn’t he shave his head in real life?

RYAN: Yes, normally. Bottom line?

CAROLINE: Well, I can’t claim to be an aficionado of his films and now I know why. He makes a lot of movies in very rapid succession; for example, this one was filmed in March and is already out in theaters. I can’t say there’s much to recommend here.

RYAN: I disagree. I recommend this movie even though it’s got problems and it’s not perfect and things about it disappointed me. I still enjoyed it almost the whole way through. It had the cattiness that “The Women” lacked, and it hit the dramatic notes I wanted it to. It also had the comeuppance that I love in any movie. I really liked it.

CAROLINE: I didn’t. It’s not horrible, but it’s nothing special either.