I stumbled across this movie while sifting through movies on Amazon Prime. I was pressured into watching a “Black” movie as I’m told I don’t watch or review enough films in this sub-genre. Below you will find the trailer and my thoughts…

A teenager and her step-brothers are forced to move in with Grandma. They learn the true meaning of love, faith, and family through the strict rules she imposes, and devotion she displays as the extended family has its ups and downs.

The Good

This movie really follows the template for a a feel good movie. There’s a big family in a big house, some scenes that take place in a church, a singing choir, and more. And a lot of positive messages delivered to the audience about self awareness, self worth, and family. This falls into the Good category because it’s genuinely refreshing to enjoy a film that doesn’t take place in a completely urban setting.

Loretta Devine is down right consistent in her performance. Loretta could write the book on playing a portly southern woman with good Christian values. Seeing her take her talents and apply them to a grandma figure is unexpectedly appropriate for her talents. There are a few moments where she steals a scene and had me bursting in laughter. The jokes can be hit or miss but when they hit they really keep you laughing.

The Bad

The acting from everyone not named Grandma is painfully inconsistent. A lot of the cast leans on Loretta to lead the scene when she shares a scene and moments without her suffer for her lack of participation. There are a lot of moments that seem OVER acted and some where the actors seem incapable of emoting. I give a slight pass to the over acting when someone is inebriated as that could be an intentional part of the performance but those moments pull me out of the immersion of the film.

The Gangsters. Good god, the gangsters. These are the cheesy Saturday morning/after school special gangsters that only wear all black, wear bandannas and have big thick silver chains hanging over their clothes at all times. I can’t understand why they seemed to wear the same wardrobe despite time passing in the movie and I can’t understand their circumstantial motives. They are a plot device that is reflective of the caricature of the black american thug. Tupac would be ashamed.

Grandma’s house plays out like the old film ‘Soul Food’ mixed in with some Tyler Perry’s Madea without the charisma or comedy of Madea. Grandma is a jack of all trades and knows all. Grandma is always the smartest person in the room. Grandma’s House has a story that is predictable and derivative of a bunch of other films leaving little to the imagination. You know how this movie will progress from the beginning and there’s no twists or surprises along the way to spice things up. The predictability is slightly believable and the reason that the ideas are derivative is because they are based on common truths. As someone raised in their Grandma’s house I totally get the concept of young parents unloading their kids on their parents while they deal with something. It happens.

Grandma’s house The movie felt longer than it needed to be. There are a handful of scenes that seemed needless or just could have used some trimming or better editing. I still don’t understand some of the pivotal scenes from within the movie but more importantly, I don’t care.

Overall

I don’t want to knock low budget movies. Some are really really entertaining and can be the next Madea or Friday. More often than not they go this route and are simply there and forgotten. It was good for what it was but half way through Grandma’s House I was looking forward to going home.