Madea’s Big Happy Family

Tyler Perry has plenty to say about his latest movie, Madea’s Big Happy Family, and not all of it has to do with the irascible matriarch he is best known for.  This family is anything but happy as is Perry who discussed his disgust with the efforts he purports many naysayers are making to bash his franchise that has generated hundreds of millions in box office receipts.

Tyler Perry

Responding to Brooklyn-based filmmaker Shelton "Spike" Lee, one of his fiercest critics to date who has publicly gone on record about Perry's films, the Atlanta-based Perry says he is fed up; turning forty has given him a new attitude on life. "Spike can go straight to hell! I am sick of him talking about me, I am sick of him saying, 'this is a coon; this is a buffoon.' I am sick of him talking about black people going to see my movies… he talked about Whoopi, he talked about Oprah, he talked about me, and he talked about Clint Eastwood. Spike needs to shut the hell up!"

Spike Lee

As for the movie, members of Madea’s family have run amuck, namely the offspring of her niece Shirley (Loretta Devine), who’s salty and disrespectful adult children and their trifling ways have turned the family upside down.  All Shirley wants to do is to gather them together for a family dinner to share some very important news.

Loretta Devine

Failing to do so, Madea comes to the rescue. 

Trotting out “the grand dame” -- in this the 11th film he has directed -- it appears Perry unleashed every thought he’s ever had about Madea’s rough side.  She is in overdrive -- from kicking butt and drive-bys to cussing folks out, sandwiched between all manners of jocularity -- common to this gray-headed tornado.

Surprise among surprises, it’s not just Madea who can crack a face into a million pieces.  One of Shirley’s kids lets the cat out of the bag once they finally gather over the dinner table with a secret that shook everyone to the core.

Picking up the pieces will take a whole lot of love and forgiveness like they have never known.

Lauren Devine

The cast includes Shad “Bow Wow” Moss, David Mann, Cassi Davis, Tamela Mann, Lauren London, Isaiah Mustafa, Rodney Perry, Shannon Kane, Teyana Taylor and Natalie Desselle Reid with Maury Povich.

Our exclusive one-on-one conversations with Lauren London, David and Tamala Mann are also posted.

Madea’s Big Happy Family is rated PG-13 and released by Lionsgate Films in theaters April 22.