Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins
Written & Directed by Malcolm D. Lee
Starring Martin Lawrence, Mike Epps, James Earl Jones, Mo’Nique, Nicole Ari Parker, Michael Clarke Duncan, Cedric the Entertainer, Joy Bryant
PG-13
Release date: Feb. 8, 2008

Growing up a “loser” was never easy for RJ Stevens (Martin Lawrence). So when he is shamed into going home for a huge family function and must spend time with the people who love and hurt him the most, a hilarious little movie, complete with a skunk bomb, a funky dog sex-scene, and the brother and sister fight to end all brother and sister fights ensues.

RJ Stevens has it all: a great career as a hugely popular talk show host, a beautiful home, a soccer-playing son Jamal (Damani Roberts), and a Survivor winner fiancée Bianca Kittles (Joy Bryant). Sadly, RJ’s life priorities are in exactly that order. With the “Out Win, Out Last, and Out Play” competitive spirit of Bianca, the puppy dog face that only a child can master, and the phone call from Mama and Papa Jenkins (James Earl Jones and Margaret Avery) with the inevitable line “Don’t upset your mother,” RJ unwillingly travels down South into the mouth of the monster. Right from the start, RJ’s trip South is marred with a ruined white ensemble, lost luggage, and a pair of horrendous gingham pants.

It is in the relationship between Clyde (Cedric the Entertainer) and RJ that we learn exactly why RJ has stayed away from home for nine years, and feels that he is the outcast in his family. Because Clyde came into the Jenkins family orphaned, the family made up for his loss by treating him as a son. But, his acceptance into the family came at a cost to RJ because the attention and affection he had previously received has moved elsewhere. The culmination of RJ feeling wronged by his family is when Clyde steals his true love Lucinda (Nicole Ari Parker). In this instance RJ begins to plan his “Team of Me” mentality and moves from Roscoe Steven Jenkins, Jr. to the Dr. RJ Stevens of talk show acclaim.

I really hate give away spoilers, but, I must tell everyone that goes to see this movie, when the credits begin rolling, keep your butt in that chair and wait!!! You won’t be sorry, and it’s totally worth the extra few minutes!

I loved this movie. I laughed the entire time, and not once was I bored and zoned out. This is the best Martin movie yet!!! The entire cast added that extra bit of funny that made their characters personable and believable. It’s an honor to watch a comedy and get a feeling that the actors in it really believe in the movie and are having fun doing it. The fun that they have is truly palatable because we the audience has fun watching them.

But, to every rave review there is a bit of a downfall. We remember James Earl Jones with his cool as voice”¦”Luke, I am your father” and Michael Clark Duncan from playing the big baby man in Green Mile. They are memorable and great actors. But, while watching Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins, I couldn’t help but think “˜they should have more lines’ or “˜is it necessary for Green Mile dude to look soooooo asinine in that shot?’ Just some passing thoughts, as they really didn’t have a huge impact on the good time I had watching this movie.

In short, the movie was fun. It won’t win any awards, it won’t set the stage for Academy Award winning scripts to show up at the actors’ doorsteps, but it will do well, and it won’t make people run from the theaters screaming “Give me my $50 back!!!” (It’s run you about that much for a movie theater night out, right?)