Jennifer Lewis Movies

Prolific playwright Tyler Perry adapts his popular stage play of the same name in this family-oriented comedy concerning a desperate mother who connects with the family she never knew. Brenda is a single Chicago mother of three who has been struggling for years to keep her kids off of the streets. Suddenly let go from her job with no warning to speak of, the eternally optimistic mother begins to experience a suffocating sense of hopelessness for the very first time in her life. When Brenda receives a death notice claiming that the father she has never met has passed away, she quickly gathers up the kids and sets out for Georgia to attend the funeral. Upon arriving in the Deep South, the once fretful mother is pleasantly surprised to discover that there is a whole side of the family she never knew existed. A crass but good-natured clan that welcomes Brenda and her children with open arms, the Browns' lazy summer afternoons and frequent trips to the county fair offer a much-needed contrast to the stress of surviving in inner city Chicago. Writer/director/actor Perry reprises his role as indomitable, law-breaking grandmother Madea in a comedy that proves sometimes second chances come when you least expect it. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Actor and playwright Tyler Perry returns as Madea, a brash but loving African-American grandmother with her own way of doing things in this screen adaptation of his popular stage comedy drama. Madea has her work cut out for her when she finds herself dealing with a handful of family crises the same weekend that she's planned a massive family reunion. Her niece Lisa (Rochelle Aytes) is engaged to marry a handsome and successful man (Blair Underwood), but the good news is blunted when she reveals to her friends that he beats her. Another niece, Vanessa (Lisa Anderson), has been having romantic problems of her own, and isn't sure she should take another chance on love with a humble but good-hearted bus driver (Boris Kodjoe). Madea's older sister dies, with the funeral landing the same weekend as Lisa's wedding. And on top of all this, a court order forces Madea to look after Nikki (Keke Palmer), a troubled and angry teenager from a broken home. Madea's Family Reunion also stars Lynn Whitfield, Jennifer Lewis, Cicely Tyson, and Maya Angelou. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

In the conclusion of a two-part story, poor Philip (James Avery) feels like he's been cast adrift after Vivian (Daphne Maxwell Reid) walks out on him. Hoping to restore harmony in the Banks household, Will (Will Smith) and Carlton (Alfonso Ribeiro) cook up a scheme to bring Philip and Vivian back together. Meanwhile, Ashley (Tatyana M. Ali) may never become a professional model so long as it is necessary to get permission from both her parents. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In the conclusion of a two-part story (originally telecast as a single one-hour episode), Thanksgiving dinner at the Banks mansion is minus two participants. Having visited a fancy massage parlor for a rubdown, Will (Will Smith) and Philip (James Avery) were innocently swept up in a sting operation and are now languishing in jail. Meanwhile, Vivian (Daphne Maxwell Reid) tries to deal with the parade of unexpected guests after Hilary (Karyn Parsons) and Carlton (Alfonso Ribeiro) befriend several denizens of a homeless shelter. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Will (Will Smith) and Carlton (Alfonso Ribeiro) have carefully planned an intimate and very romantic evening with two French girls, Monique (Kent Masters King) and Renee (Monique Mannen). Alas, this is the very same evening that Will's Aunt Helen (Jennifer Lewis) has chosen to drop by unannounced. Even worse, Aunt Helen is a highly emotional state, convinced that her husband Lester (Felton Perry) is cheating on her. Listen to a quick but pointed reference to Will Smith's recent Grammy Award win. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

The family heads to a mountain-resort cabin for the Christmas holidays. Unfortunately, while Philip (James Avery) and Viv (Janet Hubert-Whitten) are elsewhere, a charming thief (Charley Lang) inveigles his way into the cabin, ties up the kids, and makes off with all the Christmas presents. How can Will (Will Smith) make things come out right THIS time? And what news has Aunt Helen (Jennifer Lewis) brought for the family? Keep an eye out for the world debut of the fabled "Carlton Dance." ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi