Hey look people, Martin Lawrence is wearing a dress! Isn't that funny? Hey look, there is Martin Lawrence wearing a different dress, isn't that still funny? That seems to be the continuing running gag in the new film staring Martin Lawrence titled, BIG MOMMA'S HOUSE. A film that tries to pull off the same male dressed as female jokes that we've seen before in TOOTSIE, SOME LIKE IT HOT, and MRS. DOUBTFIRE. Lawrence plays Malcolm Turner, a federal agent who is after a escaped convict, Lester (Terrence Howard), who is looking for his ex-girlfriend Sherry (Nia Long) who might or might not have the $2 million dollars that he stole during a robbery. Before you can say, STAKEOUT, Malcolm and his partner John (Paul Giamatti), travel to Georgia to watch over the house that belongs to one Big Momma (Ella Mitchell), hoping that Sherry will show up to see her big grandmother. When Big Momma makes a unexpected departure, Malcolm decides to play Big Momma so he can help capture Lester. The plot to this film is as routine as Lawrence's last film, BLUE STREAK. And like BLUE STREAK, it also has another element missing, humor. The jokes in this film are so predictable and lame. And to get the 12 year olds in the theater laughing, they also include some more left over potty jokes from READY TO RUMBLE, which were just as stupid in that film. And to get the audience groaning, they have a shot showing Big Momma's behind. Why they did that, I still don't know? Lawrence use to be funny on his t.v. show and in the movie BAD BOYS. Here, he's just playing the same role, Martin Lawrence, just this time he's dressed up as a woman. When Robin Williams and Eddie Murphy dress up as women, they at least add some personality to their disguises, and make their fictional character seem real. With Lawrence, it's just good ol' Martin wearing a wig and dress. And character actor Paul Giamatti is wasted playing the bumbling partner of Lawrence. Giamatti has been in some excellent films like PRIVATE PARTS, NEGOTATITOR, and MAN ON THE MOON, among many others. Why is he in this film, I still do not know. And Nia Long is also wasted playing the girl who notices the little differences in big momma, but just shrugges them off. What's bad about this movie, everything. There are no jokes, ripped off plot, stereo typed characters and stereo typed situations that the average movie audience has seen a dozen times already. I guess the people who never seen classic drag films like SOME LIKE IT HOT and TOOTSIE, would enjoy this. But for those who love and enjoy those films, will pity the filmmakers of this film. There is one good thing I can say about BIG MOMMA'S HOUSE, it will keep BATTLEFIELD EARTH company for one of the worst movies of the summer. * (out of five)
Review of Big Momma's House
