"Family Troubles"
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What You Need To Know:
This movie is well made and engaging. The acting, especially by Kathy Bates and Alfre Woodard, is exceptional. They bring the characters to life. That said, the movie feels more like a TV movie or soap opera than a theatrical film. There are positive elements of faith, however. In one scene set in a church, Charlotte asks Alice if God can forgive her and Alice tells her “yes.” It’s implied, though not shown, that Alice then asks God to forgive her. It would have been stronger had viewers seen that scene. THE FAMILY THAT PREYS is an enjoyable movie, but it requires caution for children due to some mature content.
Content:
(CC, BB, H, LLL, V, S, N, A, D, MM) Strong Christian, moral worldview expressed by some characters mixed with secular humanist statements by other characters; 23 obscenities and five light profanities; man slaps woman and two men in fist fight; one scene of implied sexual relations that’s interrupted and adultery; upper male nudity at male strip club; much drinking of alcohol; smoking; and, lying, cheating, disreputable business practices.
More Detail:
THE FAMILY THAT PREYS is a dramatic comedy by successful filmmaker Tyler Perry about two families.
Matriarchs Charlotte Cartwright and Alice Pratt are two best friends, who set out on a road trip in an attempt to help bring their respective families back together. Charlotte is a wealthy socialite played by Kathy Bates. Alice is a working class woman with Christian ideals played by Alfre Woodard. Their strong, lifelong friendship is tested when their adult children’s extramarital affairs, unethical business practices and a dark paternity secret threaten to derail the families’ individual lives as well as their livelihoods.
Alice’s daughter Andrea is having an affair with her boss, who is also the son of her mother’s best friend, Charlotte. Andrea is trying to further her career with the affair. Meanwhile, Alice’s other daughter, Pam, tries to steer the family in a more positive direction.
This movie is well made and very enjoyable. The acting, especially by Kathy Bates and Alfre Woodard, is exceptional. They bring their characters to life. The story is also engaging, both humorous and moving. And, all of it is backed by a great Gospel music score.
That said, the movie feels more like a TV movie or TV soap opera than a theatrical film with all of the dramatic entanglements of the characters. It’s not a subtle movie by any means, and the plot unfolds in something of a workmanlike manner
As in other Tyler Perry movies, faith plays an important role in the movie. Alice is a strong Christian role model in the movie and takes out her Bible when she is dragged to a male strip club. In one scene while in a church, Charlotte asks Alice if God can forgive her and Alice tells her, “Yes.” It’s implied, though not shown, that Alice then asks God to forgive her. The movie would have been stronger had viewers seen that scene. Later on the road trip, Alice invites, and then forces, Charlotte to be baptized, which is a bit disturbing, since Charlotte was so reluctant to do it.
THE FAMILY THAT PREYS is an enjoyable movie that should be approached with caution due to some of the above noted comments and because of some foul language and other immoral behavior.