Big Momma's House (2000)

I don't care what people said about this movie! I think is very funny and entertaining all around. Lawrence is just hilarious and with Giamatti, they had a great chemistry. The story and costume-transformation for big momma's is just fantastic. Really a great funny movie! Love it!

Fmovies: BIG MAMMA'S HOUSE / (2000) **1/2 out of ****

"Big Mamma's House" offers exactly what you would expect in a comedy featuring Martin Lawrence dressing up as an old, grossly obese granny; this is a one-joke movie in which an undercover cop disguises himself as Big Mamma and participates in things we anticipate Big Mamma normally would not do. There are some big laughs involved with the size of the title character, as well as her with breasts, attitude, sexuality, and ignorance, but there are also some obvious audience pleasers that feel contrived. Although the make-up effects are astonishing and amusing, there are no surprises found within this material. We have already seen this film's punch line in better parodies like "Some Like It Hot," "Tootsie," and "Mrs. Doubtfire." This movie is predictable, over-enthusiastic, and does not take off with its ideas.

Martin Lawrence stars as a cop named Malcolm, who, with his partner John (Paul Giamatti), is assigned to investigate the jail bust of a convicted criminal named Laster (Terrence Dashon Howard). They suspect the murderer is after his ex-girlfriend, Sherry (Nia Long), and her son Trent (Jascha Washington), who may unknowingly own the stolen loot of a bank heist years ago. Sherry is somewhat aware of the danger she may be in, thus moves immediately to her relative's house, whom everyone calls Big Mamma (Ella Mitchell). Before Sherry arrives, however, Big Mamma leaves town for an engagement. John and Malcolm see potential involved with Big Mamma, thus they determine that having Malcolm go undercover as this character might originate information on Sherry's involvement with Laster's criminal actions.

Martin Lawrence, reprising his "Blue Streak" character, is perfect for the fast talking Mamma in which he disguises himself. The actor is in nearly every scene and is basically what the movie structures upon: one excessive comic situation after another featuring the concealed Malcolm participating in activities from karate class to a joyful church service and from the kitchen baking goodies to sleeping with the unknowing Sherry. Lawrence makes the movie succeed to the level that it does, however, his high spirits and willing energy only carry the film so far. It is only a matter of time before he wares out his welcome and becomes the only thing holding the story together.

The film does not stay focused on the plot of Laster attempting to reach Sherry; if a comedy makes the misconception to take its plot seriously, then it requires consistence. Here, although the setup contains potential, the only tension involved is when Sherry will discover her Big Mamma is an undercover cop. Essentially the movie's story is just an excuse to have Martin Lawrence play a funny character who does funny things.

The film's director is Raja Gosnell, whose "Never Been Kissed" and "Home Alone 3" provided trifling laughs, just like "Big Mamma's House" does. In this film, he and screenwriters Darryl Quarles and Don Rhymer attempt to do too much with too little like developing a romantic subplot that feels trite and predictable. No matter how much make-up or covering the filmmakers provide for their characters, beyond an occasional laugh there is simply nothing new here.

Big Momma's House By Dean Kish

Martin Lawrence stars in his second Hollywood vehicle but can his film overcome the comparisons to an `Eddie Murphy comedy' or `the black Mrs. Doubtfire'. Lawrence stars as undercover FBI agent Malcolm Turner, who is trying to capture a nasty prison escapee and bank robber before he can escape with the money. While tracking the con, Turner discovers the bank robber's girlfriend is leaving the abusive con and fleeing to her grandmother's (or Big Momma) house. After assembling a stakeout outside of the grandmother's house, Turner discovers that the grandmother is leaving for a trip. Panicking Turner assumes the role of Big Momma and greets her arriving grand-daughter. Big Momma has a lot of problems. Lawrence tries his very best to try to make the material funny. It's sometimes sad to see such a talented man so lost in such an ugly script. Why did Hollywood place this poor actor in this so obviously unfunny project? I can remember the 1980's and the huge success of Eddie Murphy but what made Eddie so successful was that the scripts accented his unique comedic talents. In recent years, the subtler Murphy has found success with the `Nutty Professor' and `Dr Dolittle' but they have never recaptured the magic of his earlier works. I believe the key problem with `Big Momma' is the script and that it can't seem to bring out the comedy trapped in Lawrence. Also the main comedic elements in this film are things we have seen countless times before. Some of the elements are the fat jokes, the man in the woman clothes gags and the dashing around as the main star tries to assume two identities at the same time. Some scenes are a direct rip-off of Mrs. Doubtfire with a black theme tucked in. During the cooking scene, I was waiting for Lawrence's huge fake breasts to catch fire but they never did and neither did the humor. Maybe within this film there are some elements that will appeal to some audiences but for me I found the whole experience very trying. (1 of 5) So Says the Soothsayer.

Big Momma's House fmovies. STAR RATING:*****Unmissable****Very Good***Okay**You Could Go Out For A Meal Instead*Avoid At All Costs

A lot of people have slammed Big Momma's House,but,appreciated on it's own levels,it's fairly enjoyable.There are some inventive laughs in the plot,Martin Lawrence is an effective comic performer as he had proved before in the excellent Bad Boys,although perhaps a little too crude and self styled in places.The plot seems a bit stretched out as well,but overall,this is much more engaging and funny than the awful Nutty Professor.**

Big Momma's House is directed by Raja Gosnell, written by Darryl Quarles and Don Rhymer, and stars Martin Lawrence, Paul Giamatti, Nia Long & Terrance Howard. Lawrence plays FBI Agent Malcolm Turner who goes undercover as "Big Momma" Hattie Mae Pierce (Ella Mitchell), so as to hopefully snare escaped convict Lester Vesco (Howard). "Big Momma" is the aunt of Vesco's ex-wife, Sherry (Long), who is on her way to "Big Momma's" to hide out after hearing of Lester's escape.

In spite of baffling critics-and not finding many casual film viewers willing to say they enjoyed it! the film was a surprise hit and opened as the number two movie in North America. It went on to gross over $117 million at the box office and subsequently ensured that a sequel would follow down the line (it arrived in 2006). The film isn't pretending to be anything other than the mindless comedy it is. If viewed on those terms then it can be enjoyed. Sure some of the gags are puerile, and Lawrence is an acquired taste, tho his energy and comedy timing are first rate here. But it does work to a degree. It's been done better in the likes of Tootsie and Mrs. Doubtfire, and the plot, with it's boorish romantic strand, is merely an excuse for "Big Momma" to get into daft scrapes. Yet the action is nicely staged and the pace of the piece never sags. There's also fun to be had in watching Giamatti & Howard looking like they just know they should be doing better stuff than this!.

Forgettable juvenile fluff for sure, but likable enough; in that brain at the door-bucket of popcorn-way. 6/10

Martin Lawrence goes undercover in a suburb of Georgia as an overweight southern grandmother in "Big Momma's House". It's up there with "Black Knight" and "Blue Streak" as a ridiculous, predictable and stupid yet charmingly funny Martin Lawrence vehicle. Some of the dialog is almost non-sensical and seems to rely on Martin Lawrence's improvisational, uh... skills. Of course, why nobody recognizes that their friend/mother (Big Momma) is being impersonated horribly, I don't know. But that sort of adds to the movie I guess.

The story here doesn't matter that much. Really, it doesn't. Paul Giamatti plays the signature goofy white partner, who occasionally gets pushed around by the neighborhood locals to much comedic success (it is actually pretty funny, if predictable, like everything else here). Nia Long reprises her typical role as the love interest, and then a bunch of goofy physical stunts are taken from "Mrs. Doubtfire" and given a slightly different flair -- playing on southern black stereotypes (deep fried home cooking, going to church, etc.).

This movie is cheesy and ridiculous. I don't think you even need to watch the whole thing, nor watch it twice (though there is a sequel, and seeing that would basically be watching this movie twice). But for what it is, it's pretty goofy and entertaining.

4.5