WELCOME HOME ROSCOE JENKINS

US, 2008, 114 minutes, Colour.
Martin Lawrence, James Earl Jones, Margaret Avery, Joy Bryant, Cedric the Entertainer, Nicole Ari Parker, Michael Clarke Duncan, Mike Epps, Mo 'Nique.
Directed by Malcolm D. Lee.

Easy enough to offer a general review of this comedy. If you don’t like Martin Lawrence, don’t go. If you do, go.

It is much the same as most of Martin Lawrence’s recent comedies. Lawrence’s screen persona is usually of a man who has some low self-esteem but who really has the capacity for great self-worth. This entangles him in all kinds of either phony behaviour or disguise on the job – like a policeman in Blue Streak or his double outing as Big Momma. After the escapades, he is the better man for it.

This time he is invited home for his parents Golden Wedding anniversary celebrations. His parents are played with some aplomb by James Earl Jones and Margaret Avery. But Roscoe is now a TV host with a show that is a blend of Oprah and Jerry Springer. The trouble is he has bad memories of his father favouring his bombastic, fatherless cousin, Clyde, who was taken into the family when both were boys – and rivalry usually led to Roscoe’s humiliation. This is especially true of his crush on a local girl, Lucinda. He has not visited home for many years but his son persuades him to go. He is engaged to a dominating beauty, Bianca (Joy Bryant), who has won Survivor on TV and who is psychologically geared to dominate everyone. There is also his big (very big) brother, Otis (Michael Clarke Duncan) and his large, outspoken and amorous sister, Betty (Mo’nique).

Mishaps galore when he returns home. His cousin (Cedric the Entertainer) reignites the rivalry and he is smitten by Lucinda (Nicole Ari Parker) all to the competitive dismay of Bianca. It is all predictable enough but the comedy is in watching how it all pans out and whether sentiment will win out at the end – as if we ever doubted it!

The comedy is geared towards an African American audience, poking fun at types and customs but celebrating community and family. Because of Martin Lawrence’s popularity, it reaches out to a wider audience.

1. A Martin Lawrence comedy? Malcolm Lee and his African-American? comedies, especially the Best Man films?

2. The title, home? Difficulties? Roscoe and his television career, his show, tabloid, changing his name, calling himself a doctor? His decision to go home after nine years, being changed by home?

3. Hollywood, glitz, television, his glamorous fiancee, the shows, the guests and interviews, the touch of the sensational, his name? The contrast with the home town, his family, the lifestyle, the past and the clashes, especially with Clyde?

4. The portrait of the family, Papa, hard, his putdowns of his son, patriarchal, yet love for his wife, tenderness? His care for Clyde and taking him in? The absence of his son? Mama, love for her husband, love for her children? Otis, the big man, his big wife, the children? Sister Betty, big and brash? The women, Lucinda? Reggie and his girlfriend, asking for money, blackmail for the television set?

5. Betty, marriages, big, going to the choir, looking for partners, loud, listening in, her contribution to the comedy and to family life?

6. Otis, his wife, their life, at home, the bond with his brother, the clashes, the kids?

7. Reggie, his girlfriend, white? Cadging money? The television, keeping Roscoe’s secrets?

8. Bianca, glamour, wealth, the decision to go, the cutting remarks? And making demands on Roscoe, her interactions with the family? Roscoe’s son, at home, contact with his grandfather, playing ball, the tensions with Bianca?

9. Roscoe, his return, his character, the reasons for his leaving, memories of the family, Clyde coming into the house, Roscoe getting the beatings, Clyde let off? His father favouring Clyde? The fight with Clyde, the games at the reunion, desperate to win? His memories of Lucinda, the dance, the coming to the family celebration, interactions, talking, people fighting them?

10. The dinner, the intention of filming?

11. Roscoe leaving, the pressure from Bianca? With his son, the return? The happy celebration?

12. His telling the truth to his father, and the support of his mother, a reconciliation, with Clyde, and a future with Lucinda?