Martin Lawrence and Joy Bryant in "Welcome Home, Roscoe Jenkins"
courtesy of Universal Home Entertainment
“Homecoming”

Martin Lawrence has reinvented his career several times over. He has gone from comedian to action hero to family films star. And as other actors have come and gone he has remained a popular attraction. Now Lawrence stars in the new on DVD film "Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins.” He proves himself to be both a very funny man and one who can also be serious and sensitive. The show is a celebration of what family means - the good, the bad and the ugly. If the film had restrained itself against an overabundance of crudeness it could have been an even bigger success.

Lawrence plays Roscoe Jenkins, a man with a successful TV talk show in the Jerry Springer mode. He has a son named Jamaal (Damani Roberts) of whom he is neglectful, and a fiancée' named Bianca (Joy Bryant) who monopolizes his time. Bianca was on the TV show "Survivor" and she has been playing that game ever since.

Roscoe's parents are celebrating their fiftieth wedding anniversary and insist he come home for the party weekend. Roscoe agrees and he, Jamaal and Bianca make the trek to Georgia. It is the first time he has been home in nine years. Once there he is reunited with his sister Betty (Mo'Nique), his brother Otis (Michael Clarke Duncan), his cousin Reggie (Mike Epps) and his nemesis Clyde (Cedric the Entertainer).

Roscoe is warmly welcomed by his mother (Margaret Avery) but his father (James Earl Jones) still seems to prefer Clyde to him. Clyde also arrives at the festivities with a woman named Lucinda (Nicole Ari Parker) in tow. This was a girl Roscoe loved in high school and he is still smarting from the fact Clyde seemed to take her away from him.

The ins and outs of the family dynamic are explored in much detail and the result is heartfelt feelings as well as hilarity. Each character in the film gets a time to shine but Lawrence's Roscoe gets the most attention. 

Lawrence is at his best in this film. He hasn't lost his comic touch but he has added new maturity as an actor. Joy Bryant makes the most of her role as the "bad guy." She is as egotistical and obnoxious as can be but still entertaining. Cedric the Entertainer steals the show as much as possible but he has to battle Mo'Nique to do that often. She is at her bodacious best.

The film ends on a heart-warming note and should have left viewers with a warm glow. EXCEPT, there are clips during the credits that are as raw and raunchy as anything in the film and more. These afterthoughts spoil what is a positive feeling about the "family" in the film. My advice, cut off the DVD as soon as the credits start.

Kids will love watching the Disney film “The Sword and the Stone.” It is hard to believe it has been forty-five years since it was first released in theaters. Now a new generation can thrill to this story about Arthur and Merlin.

This movie not only has the Arthurian legend as its background, it also has songs by the Sherman Brothers who gave us all those “Mary Poppins” musical moments. Plus there is one bonus feature after another in this newly packaged “The Sword In the Stone 45th Anniversary Special Edition.”

Meg Ryan is not the major star she once was but her beauty and charisma are still on display in the new DVD movie “My Mom’s New Boyfriend.” In this comedy she plays the mother of Colin Hanks. He is an FBI Agent and her new boyfriend (Antonio Banderas) is being watched as a possible art thief.

The movie never quite comes together but it does make some points about children letting their parents grow up and have some freedom too. All of the actors are better than their roles and that includes Selma Blair who is also in the cast.

This film is no “When Harry Met Sally” but I actually had a good time with it. Maybe you will too.

“Jack & Jill Versus the World” is advertised as a comedy but I found some of the subject matter too serious to be taken lightly. Freddie Prinze Jr. and Taryn Manning star in this film about a serious man and a carefree spirit of a girl.

Both Prinze and Manning are good in their roles, and there are some funny moments in the film. But when it took a serious turn it stopped being funny. You should know that before you watch it. Being forewarned makes the film more enjoyable to watch.

The place is California; the town is Trona. It is the kind of town people call the dropping off place, as in the end of the world. But Ray Tuckby (Dylan Walsh) cares about his town and he wants it to be a better place. Everybody thinks he is a loser but Ray is ready to do the right thing.

Jonah Hill, Justin Long, Anika Noni Rose, Danny DeVito and Tracy Middendorf co-star in this film about man against thugs. It is a different kind of comedy but it is fun to watch from beginning to end.

Finally for those of you in your mid-twenties there is a DVD titled “Quarter Life Crisis.” Yes it is about exactly what you think it is about. You have survived for a quarter of a century and now what. Russell Peters, Lisa Ray and Maulik Pancholy star in this movie about breaking out and breaking loose.

If you are missing the night life and the singles scene well this movie shows you all you want to know about them. Plus the DVD has some added bonuses like featurettes, commentary and deleted scenes.
 

 

 

 

 

©2008 Jackie K. Cooper

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