Tyler Perry has struck gold with his movies, especially those that are plays. Madea Goes to Jail is adapted from his play and focuses on the rude, hot-tempered Madea (Perry). And while most of his movies do have heartfelt messages and meanings with attempts at providing tips on how to live life right, they rely on Madea way too much.
The story is relatively simple. Of course, Madea goes to jail due to many of her absurd altercations. At the same time, we see an engaged District Attorney (Derek Luke) helping out his old friend Candace (Keshia Knight Pulliam) who now is a prostitute living on the streets. But as he tries to help her, it starts to take its toll on his own relationship. So, there are a few subplots going on. However, they all run together once Candace finds herself in jail as well. Who do you think she meets in there?
Luke brings a solid performance here, which should come as no surprise. He has been in Antwone Fisher, Catch A Fire, Miracle at St. Anna, and earlier this year in Notorious. He has good taste for such a young actor. But, it is the character of Madea that steals the show. You find yourself waiting for when she shows up on screen again. The character might be out of control and very exaggerated, but it is still fun. It seems like the Tyler Perry movies that have her in it are better. The Diary of a Mad Black Woman has been the only movie that would still have been good if Madea was not in it.
Who am I kidding?! No it wouldn’t have.
What’s becoming painful to watch is all of Perry’s movies containing the exact same formula. You will always know how each of his movies end. Usually with a happy ending – no matter what the situation is. Besides the humor, there are no surprises involved. This is why the character of Madea brings people to the theater and not necessarily the stories Perry tells.
“Nature Boy” Brandon Vick is the resident film critic of the SoBros Network, and star of Brandon’s Box Office In Your Mouth. Follow him on Twitter @SirBrandonV and be sure to search #VicksFlicks for all of his latest movie reviews.
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