The Scene staff
Back in the good old days, when cable television was a luxury, and I was lucky enough to own a DVD player, I used to binge-watch Tyler Perry productions, specifically Madea plays and movies.
I’d sit with my family and laugh hysterically at the 6-foot-5 elderly black woman, who shared wisdom on the one hand and knocked some sense into people on the other. Those memories bring back a wave of nostalgia.
Perry has been using the Madea character in comedic films, plays and TV shows for more than 20 years. His most recent movie, “A Madea Homecoming,” is supposedly the final one in the 10-movie franchise.
It occurs to me that it’s much different than “Diary of a Mad Black Woman,” the first Madea movie I watched as a kid, and other Madea movies I watched with friends and family over the years.
“A Madea Homecoming” is about a college graduation party for Madea’s great-grandson, Tim, which takes a bizarre turn. Many characters reveal secret relationships or get raw emotions off their chests.
Tim and his partner announce their status as a gay couple rather than friends. Both comedy and head-spinning drama follow. Instead of being a no-nonsense dominant character, Madea uses the opportunity to show compassion and wisdom in her own way.
Perry has played the lead role of Madea in all 10 franchise films, as well as plays that preceded them and other productions. He also served as director and producer, winning numerous awards.
“A Madea Homecoming” begins with the Bill Withers song “Lovely Day” playing while the camera pans over Madea’s front yard. Mr. Brown (David Mann) dowses his barbecue grill in comedic fashion to prepare for his great-grandson’s party.
The camera switches to the kitchen, where Madea and Joe (both played by Perry) are bickering at each other about whether to tell Mr. Brown to take it easy on the grill.
Joe reluctantly goes outside to check on Mr. Brown, only to find out that Mr. Brown has poured enough lighter fluid and gasoline to cause a Level 5 forest fire.
Not wanting to become human barbecue, Joe hands Mr. Brown the matches and makes a hasty retreat to the house. Once Joe is out of site, Mr. Brown catches fire and runs around the yard, looking like Yosemite Sam, before rolling around and extinguishing himself.
Soon, we see the whole family gathering at Madea’s house, with old characters from earlier Madea movies, including Cora Brown (Tamela Mann) and Aunt Bam (Cassi Davis).
The movie also introduces new characters, such as Laura (Gabrielle Dennis), the main character, Tim (Brandon Black), and his boyfriend, Davi (Isha Blaaker).
In addition, there are two oddball cameo appearances by the characters Great Aunt Agnes and her daughter, Cathy, from the TV show “Mrs. Brown’s Boys.” They share a few “Hellurs” and get into some entertaining comedic exchanges.
Later, the black sheep of the family, Richard (Amani Atkinson), who is Tim’s somewhat-estranged father, shows up at Madea’s house. He awkwardly introduces himself to the family. Some people show hospitality, and others give him the cold shoulder.
The party moves to the backyard, where Tim comes out of the closet, letting everyone know that Davi is actually his boyfriend. Everyone except for Richard is happy.
The next day, the family gathers for another party to the song “Before I Let Go” by Maze featuring Frankie Beverly. Everyone is having a good time until Richard shows up again, this time with his unwelcome girlfriend, Sylvia (Geneva Maccarone).
After a few heated exchanges, Richard and Davi get into a fight. Tim and Laura break up the fight, then Davi decides to propose to Laura, who at first rejects him.
Davi and Laura leave the party to collect their thoughts and get some air. Davi tries to explain himself to Tim, but for the rest of the movie, he maintains his love for Laura.
The next day, everyone goes to Tim’s graduation ceremony and listen to him give what seems to be a backhanded speech about trust. Laura accepts Davi’s marriage proposal, and the movie ends on a happy note.
“A Madea Homecoming” isn’t the best film in the franchise, but it’s not the worst, either. The comedy and drama were all over the place, like a Wayans Bros. or Monty Python movie.
The story was a bit confusing with some of the older characters, like Aunt Bam and Joe just there for comedic relief. The younger characters are clueless or pointing fingers at each other.
Madea has appeared in her own franchise movies, other Perry movies, plays and TV shows and other shows such as “Saturday Night Live,” so the character is established and well-known.
The final franchise movie can stand on its own. It doesn’t require viewers to watch the earlier films. Perry never disappoints with Madea, his other characters, his music or performances.
“A Madea Homecoming” is more uneven than the preceding play, called “Madea’s Farewell Tour,” but it’s still good entertainment for Madea fans and those familiar with the franchise. For the comedy alone, it’s worth the hour.