MOVIE OF THE WEEK #1 (5/10/13) PEEPLES
"Man, you could have told me a robe was optional - do you know how hot it gets with an afro?!" Virgil (David Alan Grier) meditates while his potential son-in-law Wade Walker (Craig Robinson) looks on in a scene from writer/director Tina Gordon Chism's family comedy PEEPLES. Credit: Nicole Rivelli © 2013 Lionsgate Publicity. All Rights Reserved.
KEY CAST MEMBERS: Craig Robinson, Kerry Washington, David Alan Grier, Kali Hawk, Malcolm Barrett, S. Epatha Merkerson, Kimrie Lewis-Davis, Tyler James Williams, Diahann Carroll, Melvin Van Peebles and Ana Gasteyer
WRITER(S): Drew Pearce and Shane Black (screenplay); Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Don Heck and Larry Lieber (comic book on which the film is based)
DIRECTOR: Tina Gordon Chism
WEB SITE: www.peeplesmovie.com
THE PLOT: Working off a tried and true premise for a family/romantic comedy, Peeples stars Craig Robinson as Wade Walker. A musician with a talent for helping children stop doing something that could result in staining people and/or their possessions (you read that right), Wade lives with his girlfriend Grace Peeples (Kerry Washington). And while the duo has been enjoying life in New York City together for a year, they haven't enjoyed it with Grace's family ... Because Wade has yet to meet them. With Grace getting ready to return upstate to her native Sag Harbor – home of Moby Dick author Herman Melville – the time seems right to Wade for him to do so ... And once he talks to his brother Chris (Malcolm Barrett), Wade is off to meet the Peeples.
Upon his arrival, Wade quickly realizes each of the family members has their own unique personality traits: There's Daphne (S. Epatha Merkerson), Grace's loving mother with a musical past of her own; Gloria (Kali Hawk), who's always seems to be joined by her CNN camerawoman/best friend Meg (Kimrie Lewis-Davis) wherever she goes and Simon a.k.a. "Sy" (Tyler James Williams, Grace's super-smart 16 year-old brother who is more interested in being the next Lil' Wayne than Steve Jobs. Wade quickly forms bonds with all of them, which makes it seem as if his plan to propose to Grace will go off without a hitch.
Except there is a hitch – and his name is Virgil (David Alan Grier), a.k.a. Judge Peeples a.k.a. Grace's very astute father who has seen boyfriends come and go all trying to win his daughter's hand. So, what happens when Wade steps into his home and gets to meet his potential future in-laws? There's only way to find out ...
THE TAKE: There have been dozens upon dozens with the same/similar premise – young man wants to marry the hot, wonderful woman of his dreams but has to deal with her wacky family – to Peeples over the years, some with more success than others. Some movies play out more like dramas with a few funny moments throw in; others take things to an extreme where every situation is wacky fodder for another over-the-top situation. (That whole Meet the Parents franchise ring a bell to anyone?)
What makes Peeples work as well as it does, however, is that it never tries to be wacky for the sake of wacky, letting the humor flow by letting its cast use a smartly written script by Tina Gordon Chism (who also directs) with its inherent comedic traits. By never becoming stereotypical versions of the characters you'd find in such a movie (the wannabe wild teen, the gay family member, the substance abuser, the stern head of household, etc.), the cast gives each character a true fit within the universe in which they coexist.
That's not to say that Robinson doesn't make full use of the opportunity to serve as the lead in the film, for he uses his natural stand-up talents well in the film, riffing and ranting effectively when the situation calls for it, not just for the sake of a joke. He, much like Malcolm Barrett as his younger brother, likewise plays well off each cast member he interacts with, which in turns helps peel away the façade the Peeples family to help them get to their true core. Sure, you can see things coming together at the end from a mile away, but it's an enjoyable enough journey that you don't care. In presenting a simple, straightforward situation about a simple, straightforward guy, Chism and Robinson create an enjoyable comedy – with a degree of intelligence and sharp wit – with a high rewatchability factor.
If there's one thing I fear about Peeples, it's that people may see the all black cast combined with the words "Tyler Perry presents" and make the assumption it's a film primarily for African-Americans. For the film is a movie that anyone can relate to and enjoy that just so happens to be set with (save for about 6 minutes of Ana Gasteyer as the Mayor of Sag Harbor) an all African-American cast.
What makes Peeples work as well as it does, however, is that it never tries to be wacky for the sake of wacky, letting the humor flow by letting its cast use a smartly written script by Tina Gordon Chism (who also directs) with its inherent comedic traits. By never becoming stereotypical versions of the characters you'd find in such a movie (the wannabe wild teen, the gay family member, the substance abuser, the stern head of household, etc.), the cast gives each character a true fit within the universe in which they coexist.
That's not to say that Robinson doesn't make full use of the opportunity to serve as the lead in the film, for he uses his natural stand-up talents well in the film, riffing and ranting effectively when the situation calls for it, not just for the sake of a joke. He, much like Malcolm Barrett as his younger brother, likewise plays well off each cast member he interacts with, which in turns helps peel away the façade the Peeples family to help them get to their true core. Sure, you can see things coming together at the end from a mile away, but it's an enjoyable enough journey that you don't care. In presenting a simple, straightforward situation about a simple, straightforward guy, Chism and Robinson create an enjoyable comedy – with a degree of intelligence and sharp wit – with a high rewatchability factor.
If there's one thing I fear about Peeples, it's that people may see the all black cast combined with the words "Tyler Perry presents" and make the assumption it's a film primarily for African-Americans. For the film is a movie that anyone can relate to and enjoy that just so happens to be set with (save for about 6 minutes of Ana Gasteyer as the Mayor of Sag Harbor) an all African-American cast.
PARTING SHOT: A film that doesn't attempt to do too much and in turn ends up achieving a lost, Peeples is a nice, simple throwback of a film that is funny, sweet and enjoyable while reminding us of why you can't choose your family, it's always best to be honest and accept people for who they are if they have your best interests at heart.
RATING (OUT OF FOUR BUCKETS OF POPCORN):
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