Madea's Big Happy Family (film)

Madea's Big Happy Family (film)
Madea's Big Happy Family is a 2011 American comedy-drama film based on Tyler Perry's 2010 play of the same name. It is the 11th film in the Tyler Perry film franchise and the sixth in the Madea cinematic universe. Tyler Perry reprised Madea and Joe, and the other cast members include Loretta Devine, Bow Wow, David Mann, Cassi Davis, Tamela Mann, Lauren London, Isaiah Mustafa, Natalie Desselle, Rodney Perry, and Shannon Kane. It tells the story of Madea finding out that her niece is dying from cancer. Madea gathers her niece's children and their family members together to deal with the news while contending with the different issues between them.
Madea's Big Happy Family received generally mixed reviews from critics, but it was a box office success, grossing $54.2 million worldwide against a $25 million budget.
Plot
When Madea’s niece, Shirley, visits Dr. Evans with Aunt Bam, she discovers her cancer has gotten worse and she may only have a few weeks to live. She invites her children to dinner to tell them all at once. Cora Simmons and her father Leroy Brown are also at the hospital where a colonoscopy on Mr. Brown shows a growth that needs to be surgically removed. Meanwhile, Madea drives through Snax, a restaurant, because its manager, a nagging, shrill-voiced young woman named Sabrina, delayed taking her order until after breakfast was over for the day.
Shirley's children, Byron, on probation for selling drugs and in a relationship with selfish, gold-digging Renee with a son from a previous relationship; Tammy, who has marital issues with her husband, Harold, and their undisciplined children; and Kimberly, filled with anger issues and mistreats her husband Calvin, her son C.J. and her family, arrive for dinner. Their visit is besieged by arguing. Byron's ex and mother of his child, Sabrina, arrives, lying excessively. She uses her son's child support money and supplies for herself, and tries to goad Byron back into illegal activities in order to get more money for herself.
Bam goes to Madea's house, seeking help for Shirley; Madea agrees. Byron and Renee sneak into Shirley's house to sleep and Bryon is arrested for back child support. Shirley goes to Kimberly to help her bail Bryon out; despite Kimberly's refusal, Calvin volunteers to help. The next day, Calvin bails out Byron, but the arrest costs Byron his job. During the day, Madea gathers Shirley's children to go over to their mother's house for another dinner. At Harold's garage, she instills some manners into their kids.
That night, they have dinner as a family. Sabrina leaves her son with Byron and Kimberly arrives late. An argument ensues, with Tammy reveals Kimberly got pregnant at 13 and had Shirley raising the child for her. Kimberly leaves immediately, and Byron is revealed to be the child in question; angry and heartbroken that his family kept this a secret from him, he leaves as well with Shirley chasing after him. An argument between Harold and Tammy concludes with him banging the table and demanding that Tammy start respecting him as earlier advised by Madea, and she apologizes. Afterward, Byron is humiliated by Sabrina on Maury, and he returns to the drug trade, while Calvin leaves Kimberly and takes C.J. with him. By contrast, Harold and Tammy's relationship and their kids seem to be improving. With the drama and arguing, Shirley is unable to tell the family about her cancer.
Over time, Shirley's condition worsens increasingly, and she is rushed to the hospital, where she reveals to her children (sans an absent Kimberly) that she has cancer, tells her family that she loves them and later dies. Kimberly arrives and is told by Calvin that Shirley has died.
Days later, a funeral service is held, and Shirley is buried. At the wake, Madea intimidates Sabrina to stop hassling Byron and confronts Byron that he should start caring for his son by getting a stable job, warning him if he continues down the wrong path, he will end up dead or back in prison. She also tells Sabrina and Byron to settle their differences and start working together on raising their child. Madea also reveals that Kimberly was raped by her paternal uncle when she was 12, resulting in her having a baby at 13, explaining her bitterness and anger towards her family. Kimberly has to forgive in order to find peace and to treat her husband and son better. She apologizes to Calvin, agreeing to get help to fix their marriage, and they reconcile. Byron breaks up with Renee.
Madea, Mr. Brown and Cora appear on Maury to find out if Mr. Brown is Cora's father. Madea insists so, but, following an argument, it turns out he isn't. Madea departs in hysterics with Joe at home, watching it unfold on TV.
Cast
Tyler Perry as:
Mabel "Madea" Simmons, Shirley’s tough aunt and grandaunt of Shirley’s children.
Joe Simmons, the brother of Madea
Loretta Devine as Shirley, the niece of Madea and Aunt Bam
Bow Wow as Byron, an ex con, and the son of Shirley and a grandnephew of Madea and Aunt Bam, later revealed to be her grandson (as well as Madea and Aunt Bam’s great-grandnephew) and Kimberly’s son from being raped by her uncle
Tamela Mann as Cora Brown, the daughter of Madea
David Mann as Leroy Brown, the supposed father of Cora Simmons
Cassi Davis as Betty Ann "Aunt Bam" Murphy, the cousin of Madea and the aunt of Shirley
Lauren London as Renee, the gold-digging girlfriend of Byron
Shannon Kane as Kimberly, a real estate agent, the daughter of Shirley, a grandniece of Madea and Aunt Bam, and the biological mother of Byron upon being raped by her uncle
Isaiah Mustafa as Calvin, the husband of Kimberly
Natalie Desselle-Reid as Tammy, the daughter of Shirley, a grandniece of Madea and Aunt Bam, and co-owner of an auto-repair garage
Rodney Perry as Harold, the husband of Tammy and co-owner of an auto-repair garage
Steven Wash Jr. as H.J., the elder son of Tammy and Harold, as well as a grandson of Shirley, and a great-grandnephew of Madea and Aunt Bam
Nicholas Milton as Will, the younger son of Tammy and Harold, as well as a grandson of Shirley, and a great-grandnephew of Madea and Aunt Bam
Benjamin 'LB' Aiken as C.J., the son of Kimberly and Calvin, as well as the grandson of Shirley, and a great-grandnephew of Madea and Aunt Bam
Teyana Taylor as Sabrina, the nagging ex-girlfriend of Byron and manager of Snax
Philip Anthony-Rodriguez as Dr. Evans, a doctor who oversees the medical treatments of Shirley and Mr. Brown
Palmer Williams Jr. as Mr. Mills, the manager of Lam Co. Imports
Ron Grant as Pastor Jackson, a pastor who oversees Shirley's funeral
Chandra Currelley as Sister Laura; the actress also portrayed Shirley in the original stage play.
Maury Povich as himself; he hears the different cases of Sabrina and Cora
Release
Box office
Madea's Big Happy Family was released on April 22, 2011. It pulled in $25,068,677 on its opening weekend, ranking #2 at the box office behind Rio. By the end of its run, the $25 million film grossed $53,345,287 in the United States.
Critical reception
The film has received mixed reviews from critics. Based on 42 reviews collected by Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 38% with an average rating of 4.60/10. Metacritic gave the film an average rating of 45 based on 15 reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews". Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an A grade.
Home media
Madea's Big Happy Family was released on DVD and Blu-ray on August 30, 2011. The DVD features four featurettes: "By-reen: The Baby Mama from Hell", "Ties That Bind", "Madea's Family Tree", and "Brown Calls Maury". The Blu-ray contains these features as well as a digital copy.
See also
List of black films of the 2010s
References
External links
2011 films
2011 romantic comedy-drama films
American romantic comedy-drama films
Films directed by Tyler Perry
African-American films
American films based on plays
Films shot in Georgia (U.S. state)
Lionsgate films
Films scored by Aaron Zigman
Films with screenplays by Tyler Perry
2011 comedy films
2011 drama films
Films about dysfunctional families
2010s English-language films
2010s American films