callanvass This has always been one of my favorite Perry films. Yes. The melodramatics are present as always, but this movie has a quite a bit of heart. Tyler Perry is genuine in his approach, and he has something heavy to say as usual. I thought Tyler Perry did a really good job at exploring issues between two different families, but also make sure not to completely impede progress either. He delivers a great mix of humor & emotional drama. I do have a couple of carps. I felt the affair storyline between Andrea & William was a tad underdeveloped. I get that the point it was trying to serve was that both, Andrea & William are superficial people, but it didn't connect as powerfully as Tyler Perry intended it too. It came across as shallow and shoddily written. Both did excellent jobs on their respective characters (More on them in a bit) but the affair was awfully forgettable. I also thought the slow build towards Andrea's devious personality was pointless. It's obvious from the outset that she's heinous. Other than that, I don't really have all that much to complain about. The entire cast is solid, but it's the balance between the two best friends (Alfre Woodard & Kathy Bates) that really makes this film work. Alfre Woodard could have been potentially annoying with her deep religious beliefs, but her pure heart and her likability managed to negate that potential hindrance. She was a great old gal, and one who wasn't afraid to try controversial things, even if it was against her beliefs. Kathy Bates is fantastic, but you should already know that by now. She is as classy as they come. I loved how her character would alternate from superior confidence to drastic vulnerability, due to her predicament. The journey she & Alfre go on is an absolute blast to watch with many funny moments that stood out. It was also a great contrast in personalities, Bates being the rich woman who has it all, and Alfre being the relatively poor black woman. Sanaa Lathan plays the evil woman to a T. She is honestly despicable, and did her job way too well to the point where I hated her. Kadee Strickland is very good, but her character was a bit of a weakling for me, but I did feel bad for her. Cole Hauser plays a conceited prick very well. You'll be dying to see him get his comeuppance. His relationship with his mother in this movie (Kathy Bates) was very realistic. People like Tyler Perry & Taraji P. Henson & others don't have as much to do, but they do solid in their respective parts. There are so many story lines that entwine with each other in this movie. I felt the movie did a really good job of making you think, and telling you that past suffering is not productive to your potential future success. It does a very thorough probe on dreams and greed. I felt Perry did excellent at both of themFinal Thoughts: Some Tyler Perry films are overwrought with melodrama. Tyler is quite capable of making thought provoking films that stick with you. He's done a few now, and this is one of them. Ignore the low rating. It's a good movie7.3/10

Benjamin Black The trailer and previews for this movie really got me excited to see it, and, thankfully, it did not disappoint! "The Family that Preys" is a really good movie! I really like it! I don't know if I'd say it's as good as "Why Did I Get Married" or "Madea's Family Reunion," but it's still pretty good! This movie is a great drama, and you can see the tension between these two families. It's kind of a tragedy when you think about it; the matriarchs of the two families, Charlotte and Alice, are best friends, and yet their families are preying against themselves. Charlotte, head of the Cartwright Company, has a son, William, who is a big head at the company, and is sleeping with one of the employees, Andrea, who is one of Alice's daughters. He promises that he'll marry her, but he really won't because he's not going to leave his wife. Not only do the families prey against each other, but they prey against themselves, too. Andrea is married too, and continues to verbally abuse her husband, Chris. She also tries her best to stay away from the rest of her family: her mother and her sister, Pam. William also seems to have a strong hatred for his mother...Well, maybe he doesn't hate her, but the love is on sabbatical. He wants to vote her out of the company and force her into retirement so that he can take over. Yeah, that's...an interesting family.There are a few comedic moments, but they don't last as long as they do in other Tyler Perry productions; you're really just watching a drama, a really good drama! The tension just keeps building and building between these characters. You either become really annoyed with or feel really sorry for Chris. He's too blind to see that his wife is cheating on him, even though everyone else can see it. You really hate Andrea and can feel just how despicable she is. The moment when she got slapped in the movie had the entire theater howling and cheering. (That's my siblings' favorite part of the movie - they're so violent.) I should also mention the friendship between Charlotte and Alice is really good. It feels so genuine! Kathy Bates and Alfre Woodard are fantastic in these roles; it's really good seeing these great actresses share the screen and share their friendship with us.To be honest, I don't really have any problems with this movie. The pacing is good, the characters are good, the tone is different for Tyler Perry, and it works here. It has funny moments, a lot of heavy moments, and you'll just love this movie. A lot of people seem to talk about race in this movie, simply because the film features a White family and a Black family. Yeah, folks need to calm down. This movie is not trying to evoke any ideas or themes of racism; it's just trying to tell a story about the simultaneous friendship and tension between the two families. How about we let it be that rather than proclaim Tyler Perry is evoking racism? Watch the film for what it is, and you should enjoy it. BOOYIKA!

edwagreen Excellent film, and you know why- It transcends racial bounds. There is nothing really racial here and an affair between a white man and a black woman is tolerated and the friendship endured by his mother, a feisty Kathy Bates and her mother, the always wonderful Alfre Woodard endures.This is a film that shows you that education doesn't transcend everything.You wonder why the head strong Bates suddenly goes on a trip with Woodard until she unveils the big secret in her life.This is a film of a power struggle within the white family and what happens in business during apparent attempts to drive the head of the board (Bates) out of power.An engrossing, endearing film showcasing the American desire for upward mobility.

Adam Camp OK, I've read all the other reviews, to date, and I have to agree with those who had a positive experience. I'm a 62 year old gay white male, and I gave this movie an 8/10. I am not an unreserved fan of Tyler Perry, and think some of the Madea sub-plots are pretty ugly. That said, I have watched nearly everything he's done, enjoyed most, and feel that this one is the best I've seen. The plot(s) were not difficult to follow, or swallow, and the entire cast was perfect, not a bad actor among them. As expected, Alfre Woodard and Kathy Bates were truly excellent in their roles. These gals have been doing this, and doing it well, for a long time, and are perfect together. If they aren't long time friends off-camera, they surely fooled me.