Poster art for "Tyler Perry's The Family That Preys."

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So-so
Avg. Critic Score: 49 out of 100 Mixed or average reviews Metascore® based on all critic reviews
Information for Parents:
14 OK for kids 14+
Read Common Sense Media review

Critic scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating more favorable reviews.

  • 75
    Philadelphia Inquirer | Carrie Rickey

    Was it just three years ago that Perry made his feature debut with "Diary of a Mad Black Woman?" Then his filmmaking was strictly amateur; now his sweeping pans and portentous closeups approach those of Pedro Almdovar. Read full review

  • 70
    Los Angeles Times |

    Dude, what made you refuse to screen your film for critics before it opened Friday? I'm betting you would have received an earful of praise for your writing and directing. Read full review

  • 70
    The Hollywood Reporter |

    Woodard conveys the rock-solid values of a true Christian without ever falling into sappiness. Bates is enjoyably larger-than-life, as the role requires. Read full review

  • 70
    Variety |

    Bates and Woodard strike up a real dynamic, and picture gives the duo room to improvise, leading to one raucous scene after another as they Thelma-and-Louise it in a top-down convertible. Read full review

  • 60
    New York Daily News |

    Perry's notoriously overstuffed plots have sometimes been top-heavy, but this movie, like Woody Allen's "Hannah and Her Sisters," hangs on an elegant structure that doesn't feel forced. Read full review

  • 58
    Entertainment Weekly |

    All over the place:It's a boardroom/family/couples/road-trip story. Read full review

  • 50
    USA Today | Claudia Puig

    Though better than most of Perry's broad comedies, The Family That Preys still suffers from excessive predictability and mawkish sentiment, which detracts from the story's believability. Read full review

  • 40
    Austin Chronicle | Steve Davis

    Contradictions abound in this messy and unfocused drama that purports to believe that family is everything, when all else fails. Read full review

  • 38
    Boston Globe | Ty Burr

    Family, sadly, is a plate of leftovers: a bland, baldly written melodrama about two longtime best friends and their messed-up families. Read full review

  • 30
    The New York Times | Stephen Holden

    The suds that cascade through Tyler Perry's The Family That Preys more than equal the cubic footage from nighttime soaps like "Dallas," "Dynasty" and their offspring. Read full review

View more reviews for Tyler Perry's The Family That Preys on Metacritic

Information for Parents
Common Sense Media says OK for kids 14+ Message-heavy dramedy features fine performances.
What Parents Need to Know Parents need to know that, like most Tyler Perry movies, this dramedy focuses on mature themes surrounding race, class, marriage, and family. It's considerably less joke-filled than his previous work, and there's very little strong language ("bastard" is the harshest word, and it's only said once). There are two violent scenes, but only one is notably disturbing -- a husband strikes his wife. There are several allusions to an extramarital affair, but only one scene in which the couple embraces/kisses. Otherwise, the sexuality is limited to a few kisses between married couples. Most of the commercialism involves the fancy cars that some of the characters drive.
  • Families can talk about the film's messages. What points does Perry emphasize in his movies? Class doesn't seem to be an issue between wealthy Charlotte and working-class Alice, but in what other relationships are money and entitlement a problem? Nick tells Pam that Alice is a saint. How is she depicted as the movie's most virtuous character? How is her daughter Andrea portrayed? Perry's movies have been compared to morality plays. Do the overt messages to be honest, hardworking, faithful, etc. take away from or add to the film's entertainment value?
The good stuff
  • message true3 Positive messages: The film's messages are clear: Stay loyal to your friends, don't disrespect your family, don't cheat because it always ends badly, and don't give up your dreams. An interracial relationship is depicted negatively, but that's because it's extramarital.
What to watch for
  • violence false3 Violence: A husband strikes his wife in the face after she insults him and admits to having an affair; he later grabs the other man and holds his body over a ledge. A character purposely overdoses (off screen) on prescription medication.
  • sex false2 Sex: Couples embrace and kiss, including a man and a woman who are having an affair. The affair is discussed by various characters.
  • language false2 Language: Fairly mild; language includes "bastard," "piss," and "colored woman" (said jokingly by an African-American woman).
  • consumerism false3 Consumerism: Featured brands include Mercedes, Porsche, Coke, and Dasani water. The song "I Hope You Dance" is prominently mentioned in the film, instead of just being on the soundtrack. Oprah Winfrey's roadtrip with her friend Gayle is Charlotte and Alice's inspiration.
  • drugsalcoholtobacco false3 Drinking, drugs and smoking: Characters say "I need a drink" or "get me to a bar" a few times; wedding guests drink cocktails; Charlotte gets drunk doing tequila shots and orders mixed drinks on the road trip.
An independent nonprofit dedicated to providing families the information they need to help kids thrive in a world of media and technology. © Common Sense Media Inc. 2010. All rights reserved.

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