No matter how far you go in life, you can’t get rid of your family, or change their opinions. Poor Roscoe Jenkins has gone to the top, becoming a self-help guru Dr. RJ Stevens, creator of The Team of Me and successful television show host.
When he decides to return home for his parent’s 50th wedding anniversary celebration, it is not without some concern as to how the family is going to react.
Calm in control Dr. RJ Stevens (Lawrence) accepts the invitation to take his son and his Survivor winner fiancée back to his small southern hometown to celebrate the Golden Anniversary of his parents.
What could possibly go wrong? He is successful, well respected and has developed a life philosophy that he teaches to others as The Team of Me. From the moment he starts this journey home, fate seems to be against him, and when he gets with his family, it is as if the old Roscoe is back.
A large close family often represents the biggest hurdle in a person’s life. Everyone knows your business, and wants to help change things. Not all the ideas are for the best, and poor Roscoe has had years of love and torment from these people, before he escaped and re-invented himself.
Now it seems as if they are determined to drag him back to being his old self, by teasing and bullying and demanding not to mention loving and setting him up in competition with past adversaries.
Roscoe’s family members are played by a great cast of actors who can deliver wonderfully believable performances as the too helpful, too crazy brother, sister and cousins. James Earl Jones is Papa Jenkins, the all-controlling patriarch and Margaret Avery plays his sweetly ditzy wife. Mama J. just can’t understand why Roscoe hasn’t been home in eight years!
Mo’Nique is hysterical as Betty, Roscoe’s loud, wild and opinionated sister. And Cedric the Entertainer plays Roscoe’s life-long nemesis, his cousin Clyde. Mike Epps as cousin Reggie, and Michael Clarke Duncan as Roscoe’s big brother Otis are so very funny, and have some of the best lines, and bits in the whole film.
Director Malcolm D. Lee allowed these master crafts-persons of humor to ad lib and re-work scenes to bring out every bit of fun possible. Margaret Avery in an interview says that she hadn’t had such a good time making a film since working with Richard Pryor in “Which Way is Up.”
Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins is presented on single disc widescreen format with playing time of 1hour and 54 minutes.
The disc is loaded with special features that are every bit as enjoyable as the film itself. The alternate beginning is wild and funny, as are the outtakes, and the deleted and extended scenes.
I know the editors must have hated editing anything out, as this cast just thrives on the humor they create. In addition there are featurettes with comments by cast and crew “Bringing the Family Together” and On Location: Getting Down and Dirty, describing what was involved with shooting the film in the Shreveport Louisiana area.
“Going Home: Real Stories of the Cast” a Joe “We’re Family” music video, and the commentary for the feature with director Malcolm D. Lee make this DVD a powerhouse of fun.
Martin Lawrence stars in this hilarious over the top comedy with a serious message, you can go home again, but you better watch out, your family is going to destroy your self image.
Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins is now available at Amazon . It is available for pre-order at AmazonUK for a Sept. 22nd. Visit the DVD database for more information.
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