I think I’ve finally figured it out. Tyler Perry movies are for black people what classic Degrassi television episodes are for white folk.
Both are emotionally charged melodramas that mix sitcom-level humor with lessons ripped straight from after-school specials, church sermons or guidance counselor brochures. Both specifically target a dedicated audience and outsiders who try to peer in are left scratching their heads in confusion. Both are, at face value, entertaining enough to watch. Scratch the surface a bit deeper, though, and you’ll find flecks of paint and rust underneath your nails and a cheaply produced, hastily written soap opera-lite in your hands.
Tyler Perry writes, directs and stars in Madea Goes to Jail, the 2009 dramedy in which he reprises his signature role as Madea, loud-mouthed, quick-tempered matriarch and plot device all rolled into one. The film features parallel plots — one an aforementioned sudsy soap with dimensionless characters bouncing their moral codes off one another like plates broken off heads in an Andy Capp cartoon strip and another plotline that features Perry’s trademark brand of impenetrably theatrical humor.
Madea Goes to Jail is adapted from Perry’s 2006 play. In the film, Perry, as Madea, is once again running afoul the law. Unable to control her anger, Madea frequently finds herself in the confines of an Atlanta courtroom. Her smart-mouth attitude and unwillingness to repent is fuel for a court system’s determination to have the woman serve time behind bars.
Meanwhile, Derek Luke (Antwone Fisher) plays Joshua Hardaway, a young assistant district attorney facing his own crisis. Hardaway is engaged to be married to one of his fellow prosecutors, has managed to rise out of the ghetto he grew up in and is enjoying a nice stable career. Everything is turning up Milhouse but things quickly go upside down when Candy, a childhood friend turned prostitute, shows up in his courtroom. Keshia Knight Pulliam as Candy has history with the young assistant D.A. and Joshua’s determination to help the young woman turn her life around quickly earns the suspicions of his fiancé.
Since this is a Tyler Perry movie, don’t expect an emotionally complex showdown between a loving couple battling with their insecurities though. Linda, Joshua’s fiancé as played by Ion Overman, is a cruel, mean-spirited woman whose insecurities prompt her to meddle in Candy’s case — sending her to an unjustly earned prison sentence. It’s in jail that Madea and Candy’s stories briefly intersect — but really the movie features two distinct tales that only superficially affect one another.
Candy and Joshua’s story is a relatively entertaining piece of prime-A melodrama. Rich in exquisitely larger-than-life drama that plays out like a junior varsity high school drama team’s production of a Chick Tract, their story is a great seasonal sub-plot arc for a crime procedural show shoehorned into a not-quite two hour film. This condensation shows when a rushed third act tells too much of Candy’s character arc in a montage rather than showing it. By that time, though, most audiences will have already mentally checked out of the movie thanks to the film’s other parallel storyline.
Perry’s Madea character continues to be an annoying caricature that is possibly insulting to both an entire race and gender. Turgidly unfunny, Madea and her woes offer little to enjoy or enlighten audiences. The character’s highly unrealistic journey in and out of jail screams more of a ‘80s sitcom plot than a feature film’s storyline.
The fact that both storylines were padded together is a pretty clear hint that neither would hold up well enough on their own. With a little work, though, Joshua and Candy’s story could have made for a decent film. Saddled with the tumor that is Madea’s storyline, though, the movie sinks under its own water weight and audiences are left wondering what could have been.
Luke, Pulliam and Overman all turn in pretty respectable performances — considering the daytime soap opera-level script they were working with. As a missionary who helps Candy on the path towards getting off the streets, Viola Davis (Doubt) is strangely placid in her role considering the talent she has shown in other films.
Sofia Vergara (Modern Family) turns in a small performance as a wacky jail roommate to Madea that, while funny in its absurdness, seems completely out of place in the film.
Madea Goes to Jail, like most Tyler Perry films, has its audience pre-built into its production. Chances are you will already know whether or not you’re going to like this movie before you pop it into your Blu-ray player. Nothing Perry does in the movie will change the mind of his detractors nor will it drive away his loyal fans.
There are worse punishments than having to serve time with Madea. It’s hard to consider what those punishments might be, but they surely exist. Madea Goes to Jail is not an offensively bad movie — just offensively bland.
Madea Goes to Jail is presented in 1080p high definition in a 1.78.1 widescreen ratio. The movie looks very spiffy — with nice, clear colors and sharp detail. The film’s vibrant color palate is cleanly transferred to high definition — leaving nothing for viewers to complain about.
A 5.1 DTS-HD soundtrack perfectly captures and distinguishes the film’s various audio tracks. Dialogue and music is woven together nicely and both make good use of the various stereo channels.
Madea is Back — A seven minute featurette on Perry’s signature character. This is a self-congratulatory fluff piece that can easily be skipped.
Leroy “Law” Brown — Two minutes of improvisational “fun” with David Mann’s Mr. Brown character.
Looking for the Big House — A four-minute feature on the film’s production design — specifically concerning the third-act’s prison set.
You Have the Right to Remain Silent — A four-minute behind-the-scenes look at a scene from the movie involving a large number of police and extras.
Bring in the Heavy Hitters — A five-minute look at the film’s numerous, and painfully desperate, cameos.
Madea’s Crazy— Another five-minute feature on Madea — this time focusing on the obstacles she comes across during the movie.
Madea Goes to Jail is a weak entry in Tyler Perry’s filmography for those that enjoy his melodrama. Too much focus on unfunny humor and Perry’s Madea character drowns out what could have been an engrossing story about a couple’s struggle with trust and redemption. By the time the film hits its third act, though, everything falls apart. Both subplots dissolve into fantasy land — more concerned with audiences’ emotional expectations that have been created with unfairly constructed characters than with the emotional truths Perry’s stories called for.
For non Perry fans, there’s little to like in this Blu-ray. Even Perry supporters will feel a bit underwhelmed by the disc’s special feature selection. Hardcore Perrites will find enough to enjoy. Everybody else should probably just keep walking by — ignoring the loud, annoying woman behind bars.
Lions Gate presents Madea Goes to Jail. Directed by: Tyler Perry. Starring:Tyler Perry, Derek Luke, Keshia Knight Pulliam, Ion Overman and Sofia Vergara. Written by: Tyler Perry. Running time: 109 minutes. Rating: PG-13. Released on Blu-ray: November 23, 2010.
