Truly Dreadful Film

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

It's simply great fun, a winsome film and an occasionally over-the-top luxury fantasy that never flags.

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

Without going into the characters and who does what I can say I really like this movie. I watch it frequently. I thoroughly enjoy Kathy and Alfre in this and other movies. I think the plots and the morale issues at hand are presented nicely. I particularly love the ending. I certainly didn't see it coming and was ecstatic. One needs to see the movie and think about the concepts presented before judging it.

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

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.

I am an avid film buff and every now and then I find great satisfaction from an unassumingly simple story...When the film ended, I heard myself say: I liked that! - and the main reason for that statement was the sheer ease of flow of the story.Albeit connoisseurs may find much to critique about the film, what I appreciated most was the absence of pretense and assumption on the part of the writer and director. It is an endearing glimpse into the lives of two friends, played brilliantly by both Kathy Bates and Alfree Woodard. Sanaa carried her role impeccably as the "unlikable character and Rockmond was perfectly vulnerable... Granted, the twists that tie it all together in the end may seem somewhat gratuitous and simplistic but the truth is that every now and then, a straight forward and simple story does the trick... Again, the friendship between the two women is what remains highlighted in my mind and I am happy to give this director the kudos that are well due. Well done.