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The Family that Preys
Despite the strong performances he pulls from two of the best actresses in the business, Tyler Perry draws a swing and a miss with a soapy melodrama called The Family That Preys.
Oscar winner Kathy Bates and Alfre Woodward play lifelong friends whose lives are forever interwined because of their children who have personal and professional connects with them, making it difficult when Charlotte, Bates character, convinces Woodward's character, Alice to take a cross country trip with her while Charlotte's son plots to take over Charlotte's company and Alice's daughter begins an affair with the man in order to advance her own career.
Perry's screenplay can pretty much be attributed to any of the writers on The Young and the Restless or General Hospital as this is pure soap oepra, though it is a bit contrived the way several of the characters have had their brains removed in order for the plot to have forward motion. Charlotte and Alice's children are pretty unlikable for the most part and their part of the story barely holds viewer attention.
The film is fun though when it stays focused on Charlotte and Alice and their cross country adventure. It's fun watching Charlotte wanting to have an adventure and trying to coax Alice into joining in on the fun, who is, of course, fighting her every step of the way. As a sort of elder variation on Thelma and Louise, Charlotte and Alice's part of the story is a lot of fun and frankly, if the film had just been about them, it would have been a lot better film, but the formulaic soap suds provided their rotten children really drag the film down.
Bates and Woodward are watchable as always and help to sustain interest. Sanaa Lathan plays one of the most unlikable character of her career as Alice's ambitious, social climbing executive, ashamed of her marriage to a hunky construction worker (Rockmund Dunbar). Cole Hauser is kind of one-note as Charlotte's weasely son and Taraji P Henson, Robin Givens, and Perry (sporting a dreadful wig) try to make something out of thankless roles. Hardcore Bates fans might find some entertainment here, others, be forewarned.
Despite the strong performances he pulls from two of the best actresses in the business, Tyler Perry draws a swing and a miss with a soapy melodrama called The Family That Preys.
Oscar winner Kathy Bates and Alfre Woodward play lifelong friends whose lives are forever interwined because of their children who have personal and professional connects with them, making it difficult when Charlotte, Bates character, convinces Woodward's character, Alice to take a cross country trip with her while Charlotte's son plots to take over Charlotte's company and Alice's daughter begins an affair with the man in order to advance her own career.
Perry's screenplay can pretty much be attributed to any of the writers on The Young and the Restless or General Hospital as this is pure soap oepra, though it is a bit contrived the way several of the characters have had their brains removed in order for the plot to have forward motion. Charlotte and Alice's children are pretty unlikable for the most part and their part of the story barely holds viewer attention.
The film is fun though when it stays focused on Charlotte and Alice and their cross country adventure. It's fun watching Charlotte wanting to have an adventure and trying to coax Alice into joining in on the fun, who is, of course, fighting her every step of the way. As a sort of elder variation on Thelma and Louise, Charlotte and Alice's part of the story is a lot of fun and frankly, if the film had just been about them, it would have been a lot better film, but the formulaic soap suds provided their rotten children really drag the film down.
Bates and Woodward are watchable as always and help to sustain interest. Sanaa Lathan plays one of the most unlikable character of her career as Alice's ambitious, social climbing executive, ashamed of her marriage to a hunky construction worker (Rockmund Dunbar). Cole Hauser is kind of one-note as Charlotte's weasely son and Taraji P Henson, Robin Givens, and Perry (sporting a dreadful wig) try to make something out of thankless roles. Hardcore Bates fans might find some entertainment here, others, be forewarned.