Filmmaker Tyler Perry has a tried and true formula he uses in all of his films
and it’s been successful enough for him to build his own movie mini-empire. With
soundstages in Atlanta and the full cooperation of the city behind him, the
writer/director has cultivated a sizable and faithful audience that flock to
his films, which consist of broad comedy and less than subtle sermonizing.
Perry knows how to leave his viewers with a smile on their face and faith in
their souls and they attend his films, especially on opening weekend, with a
fervor similar to a Sunday morning congregation headed to a gospel sermon.
His latest, Madea Goes to Jail, doubled box office expectations with a weekend take of $41 million, which
averaged out to more than $20,000 per screen. With a budget of just under $20
million, this is a hit any way you cut it.
Perry’s films are predictable and this comfort-food quality is a large part of their
appeal. This time out, the ever-offensive Madea (Perry in drag), who never met
a confrontation she couldn’t escalate in her favor, has numerous brushes with the law until finally
(spoiler ahead!) she ends up in jail. Headed to the same destination is Candace
(Keshia Knight Pulliam), a prostitute with a self-destructive streak. Candace,
despite getting help from Joshua (Derek Luke), a former childhood friend, is
intent on ruining her life.
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see how these two stories will converge, despite
their radically different tones. While the Madea scenes are played for broad
laughs, the sections featuring Candace are so weighty I felt my center of
gravity shift as I watched them. Perry’s take on the Golden Rule is as obvious as his drag routine, but it almost
works. That’s thanks to the fine work of Luke and Viola Davis, recent Oscar nominees. Their
skill is proof positive that solid acting can elevate so-so material. Luke has
one of the finest moments of the young movie year with a scene that sees Joshua
unburden himself about a past sin. There’s no hokum here, just a moment of genuine emotion that, for a brief moment,
achieves the sort of sincerity Perry strives for.
Unfortunately, moments such as these are too few and far between to make Madea Goes to Jail a good movie. Perry’s intent with his films is a noble one and he’s to be commended for sticking to his guns and finding success on his own terms.
He’s also becoming a decent filmmaker. In the end, however, it hardly matters
whether he knows how to frame a shot or what I or any critic says about his
work. As long as he continues to give his audience what they want, that’s all that matters.
This article appears in Feb 19-25, 2009.
