Photo Courtesy of Tyler Perry’s official Instagram page.
Tyler Perry has released his eighth and final film under the Lionsgate franchise and the last movie that will star his long-running Mabel “Madea” Simmons comedic character on the big screen after introducing her to the world in 1998.
In an interview with Sirius XM, Perry said why he is retiring his well-known character Madea.
“I just don’t wanna be her age playing her,” Perry said.
“A Madea Family Funeral,” which was written, produced and directed by Perry, shows how Madea and her crew travel to the backwoods of Georgia for a family reunion. But after the sudden death of a family member, unsavory family secrets arise which potentially tears the family apart.
Perry as usual plays several characters in the film such as Joe, Brian, Heathrow and Madea. But after the death of the family member, Madea is asked to organize the funeral and quickly realizes she was in for more than she imagined.
The cast also includes some familiar faces such as Cassi Davis, who plays Aunt Bam, and Patrice Lovely, who plays Hatti. Perry also introduces his audience to some new faces, which include David Otunga, KJ Smith and Ciera Payton.
Though this film had movie-goers laughing throughout, overall this movie isn’t a must-see film. With a lackluster cast, this has been one of the worst films in the history of Tyler Perry Productions. The movie was predictable, and the execution wasn’t Perry’s best work.
“I would only watch it again if it was free,” moviegoer Lometa Campbell said.
“On a scale of 1-10, I would rate this movie at a 4,” she added.
However, even with some bad reviews, in just its opening weekend the film brought in over $27 million making it the fourth highest opening weekend for Perry.
This film could possibly relate to many families, specifically in the black community, because it depicts how things could be kept a secret for so long until they eventually tear a family apart. Each character in the film experiences growth in their own individual way, but even with an overall good message, the movie isn’t worth seeing twice.
On a lighter note, Perry will be preparing to take Madea on the road for the very last time in his farewell stage tour later this year with his original cast.