Movie Reviews
Tyler Perry Does it Again with The Family That Preys
Armond Richards |
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 If there is one aspect about humanity that will forever remain a mystery, it is the enigma of the relationship. People are overwhelmed with the duality of wrong and right. Children betray their parents for a greedy end, lovers cheat on the very person they claim to commit their lives…and enemies can miraculously provide you with the support you have needed throughout the entire ordeal. Without a doubt, every person has performed some function that goes against everything they claim to be. One can only hope that when you truly find someone who will do his or her best to perform their perceived function, true happiness will soon ensue.
In The Family That Preys, the latest feature film written, produced and directed by Tyler Perry, the friendship between Charlotte Cartwright and Alice Pratt proves to be a gift from God. Unfortunately, the secrets and turmoil running through their two families threatens to tear down everything they have built.
As with all of Perry’s films, the idea for The Family That Preys came from personal experience.
“This film is my catharsis,” Perry informed members of the media during a recent press day. “Every day is a gift. Live.”
 The movie stars Kathy Bates, Alfre Woodard, Cole Hauser, Sanaa Lathan, Taraji Henson and Rockmond Dunbar. Wealthy socialite Charlotte Cartwright (Bates) has enjoyed a lasting friendship for 30 years with Alice Pratt (Woodward), a middle-class workingwoman with a strong will and high morals. Without warning, their lives become mixed in turmoil: Charlotte’s son, William (Hauser), tries to use unethical business practices to take over his mother’s company; Alice’s youngest daughter, Andrea (Lathan), is cheating on her trusting, doting husband with William; and Alice’s other daughter, Pam (Henson), tries to steer her family in a more positive direction.
As Tyler Perry’s sixth feature film (the third to not utilize his iconic characterization of Madea), The Family That Preys is perhaps one of the most genuine portrayals of the simplicity of interracial relationships. Are you ready for a bombshell? They are in no way, shape or form different from a relationship with somebody of a shared ancestry. Perry expresses that color has nothing to do with the complexity of human emotion, and that love and betrayal crosses racial lines without hesitation or call to occasion. The apparently unbreakable friendship between Charlotte (Bates) and Alice (Woodard) serves as a model of inspiration. When they take a road trip together to escape the unnecessary complications of a working life, it is undeniable that two people with love in their heart can form a friendship that will outlast their lives.
“I wrote their story first,” Perry told the media. “Everything else followed after.”
 The extramarital trysts between William and Andrea show a love for all the wrong reasons. Like most films, The Family That Preys does its best to expose the absolute inexplicability of life without trying to preach to audiences from a soapbox. Even Andrea’s doting husband proves to be the near-perfect man whose sweet sensibility gets pushed to the limits and ends up lashing out in a violently out-of-character motion. Pam has a no-nonsense demeanor that extends to trying to bring her college-graduate sister back down to earth while simultaneously trying to get her hard-working husband to want just a little bit more in life.
By the end of the film, it is nearly impossible to remain detached from the trials of each character. Viewers will end up hating some characters while completely adoring others. One can’t help but tie each situation to his or her life, unconsciously making comparisons. I could honestly superimpose the face of one of my many relatives onto the screen and watch the story unfold. And yet, that is the beauty of a Tyler Perry production: he takes everyday situations and relationships and displays them honestly and accurately. It is no wonder the man has become a superstar over the course of a few years. He is the champion of the everyman, the teller of our tales and the chronicler of our stories. Those who deserve a happy ending receive their just rewards while those caught in the wake of their karmic storms are left tossing in the wind. One can only hope that maybe, just maybe, life imitates art.
The Family That Preys is now playing in theaters.
For more information, visit familythatpreysmovie.com.
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