Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins (2008)
Directed by Malcolm D. Lee
Written by Malcolm D. Lee
Starring Martin Lawrence, Joy Bryant, Michael Clarke Duncan, Cedric the Entertainer, James Earl Jones
Release Date February 8th, 2008
Published February 9th, 2008
Martin Lawrence's dimming star power gets no boost from his latest strained effort, the alleged family comedy Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins. In Welcome Home Martin Lawrence plays Dr. RJ Stevens, a Jerry Springer-esque character with a hint of Dr. Phil. His high profile talk show has made him a celebrity but it is his new alliance with fiancée, and Survivor TV show winner, Bianca (Joy Bryant) that has secured his status as a top Hollywood player. However, no matter how much success Dr. Stevens accumulates he remains Roscoe Jenkins when he returns home to his parents house in the deep south.
It is Papa and Mama Jenkins (James Earl Jones and Margeret Avery) 50th Anniversary and though Roscoe hasn't been home in nine years his fiancée see's an opportunity for great TV. They, along with his 9 year old son Jamaal (Damani Roberts) will return home and film the whole event for the Dr. Stevens' show. Returning home of course offers other challenges like the family's many athletic competitions where Roscoe was repeatedly victimized by his cousin Clyde (Cedric The Entertainer). One of the most successful used car salesmen in the south, Clyde relishes the opportunity to once again show up his cousin, even going as far as bringing along Roscoe's childhood crush Lucinda (Nicole Ari Parker) as his date. She maintains that they are just friends.
Then there are Roscoe's immediate family. His brother Otis (Michael Clarke Duncan) a former all American linebacker now a small town sheriff and his sister Betty (Monique) a prison 'counselor' whose personal life is spotted with a number of criminal dalliances. Then there is cousin Reggie (Mike Epps) whose ability to find money without ever having a job is legendary in the family. Reggie brings along his dog who tormented Roscoe throughout his childhood and now turns his eyes towards Bianca's toy pup in one of this films many objectionable subplots.
If from this description you can't figure out the exact trajectory of this plot then you really haven't seen many movies. As predictable as the sunrise, Roscoe rekindles his romance with Lucinda as Bianca becomes more and more a victim of Roscoe's family. The film's perspective is that being rich and successful is bad and being down home and 'real' is all there is to life. Not a bad perspective but a limiting one. Roscoe isn't such a bad guy or even an unreasonable guy. His perspective is shaped by years of what he feels were slights from his father who seemed to give favor to Clyde and Roscoe's older siblings, though he gave his name to Roscoe.
Naturally, earning daddy's love is a major theme that plays out for Roscoe on two fronts. There is his trying to impress Papa Jenkins and his dealing with his own son, at first advising him on the importance of winning at all cost and eventually trying to let him be a kid. This subplot is part of director Malcom Lee's attempt at depth an attempt he undercuts every other turn of the plot. How seriously can you take any movie that takes such delight in the sex lives of dogs. Indeed, Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins has a number of jokes aimed at one giant dog attempting to mount a tiny toy pooch. Why is this funny?
Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins has yet another plot piece that has become popular in comedies that aren't all that funny. Mike Epps joins the cast in what has come to be called the Wanda Sykes role. It is Epps' job to enter scenes that are flailing for a joke and make a humorous observation and then exit the scene. Unfortunately, where Sykes' non-sequiter observations Monster In Law and Evan Almighty could fool people into thinking the movie was funny, Epps' more heavy handed approach lacks the same zing and ability to pull the wool over our eyes.
Malcolm Lee is not an untalented director but certainly undisciplined. A better director drops the dog jokes better utilizes Mike Epps talent for the one liner and is bolder than falling back on non-sequiters. If the script isn't strong enough without Mike Epps' character having to try to rescue every scene with one liners then go back to the drawing board, flesh out your characters and find some truth to bring forth from these characters. Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins is undercooked and underserves it's audience with warm over homilies about family life in the south and a struggling Martin Lawrence.
