The Family That Preys
Headline: ** Family Troubles **
Title: THE FAMILY THAT PREYS
Quality: * * * Acceptability: -1
SUBTITLES: None
WARNING CODES:
Language: L
Violence: V
Sex: S
Nudity: N
RATING: PG-13
RELEASE: September 12, 2008
TIME: 111 minutes
STARRING: Kathy Bates, Alfre Woodard, Tyler Perry, Cole Hauser, Sanaa Lathan, Rockmond Dunbar, Taraji P. Henson, KaDee Strickland, Sebastian Siegel, and Robin Givens
DIRECTOR: Tyler Perry
PRODUCER: Tyler Perry
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Michael Paseomek
WRITER: Tyler Perry
BASED ON THE NOVEL/PLAY BY: N/A
DISTRIBUTOR: Lionsgate Films
CONTENT: (CC, BB, H, L, V, S, N, A, D, MM) Strong Christian, moral worldview expressed by some characters mixed with secular humanist statements by other characters; five obscenities and no profanities; man slaps woman and two men in fist fight; one scene of implied sexual relations that's interrupted and adultery; upper male nudity at male strip club; much drinking of alcohol; smoking; and, lying, cheating, disreputable business practices.
GENRE: Comedy
INTENDED AUDIENCE: Older teenagers and adults
Please address your comments to:
Jon Feltheimer, CEO
Lionsgate AKA Lions Gate Films
2700 Colorado Ave.
Santa Monica, CA 90404
Phone: (310) 449-9200; Fax: (310) 255-3870
Website: www.lionsgatefilms.com
SUMMARY: THE FAMILY THAT PREYS is a dramatic comedy about two matriarchs who set out on a road trip in an attempt to bring their respective families back together. The movie is enjoyable and has some positive Christian content, but it could be stronger.
IN BRIEF:
THE FAMILY THAT PREYS is a dramatic comedy by Tyler Perry about two families. Matriarchs Charlotte Cartwright and Alice Pratt set out on a road trip to help bring their respective families back together. Charlotte is a wealthy socialite and Alice is a working class woman with Christian ideals. Their strong, lifelong friendship is tested when their adult children's extramarital affairs, unethical business practices and a dark paternity secret threaten to derail the families' individual lives as well as their livelihoods.
This movie is well made and engaging. The acting, especially by Kathy Bates and Alfre Woodard, is exceptional. They bring the characters to life. That said, the movie feels more like a TV movie or soap opera than a theatrical film. There are positive elements of faith, however. In one scene set in a church, Charlotte asks Alice if God can forgive her and Alice tells her "yes." It's implied, though not shown, that Alice then asks God to forgive her. It would have been stronger had viewers seen that scene. THE FAMILY THAT PREYS is an enjoyable movie, but it requires caution for children due to some mature content.
NOTE from Dr. Ted Baehr, publisher of Movieguide Magazine. For more information from a Christian perspective, order the latest Movieguide Magazine by calling 1-800-899-6684(MOVI) or visit our website at www.movieguide.org. Movieguide is dedicated to redeeming the values of Hollywood by informing parents about today's movies and entertainment and by showing media executives and artists that family-friendly and even Christian-friendly movies do best at the box office year in and year out. Movieguide now offers an online subscription to its magazine version, atwww.movieguide.org. The magazine, which comes out 25 times a year, contains many informative articles and reviews that help parents train their children to be media-wise consumers.
