It's that time of year again, when the daffodils spring up and Tyler Perry puts on a dress and becomes Madea. He doesn't look much like a lady, but his meddlesome, motor-mouthed granny has her moments of sassy grandeur. In this go-round, Madea has to unite the children of her niece Shirley (Loretta Devine), who's dying of cancer but can't get her kids all in the same room to tell them about it because they're too busy bickering. Especially the two daughters (Shannon Kane and Natalie Desselle), who also berate their husbands (one played by Old Spice hunk Isaiah Mustafa) and children. As a director, Perry relies on stereotype, but though he's didactic, he does have a heart. And his is one of the few comedy franchises that reliably delivers laughs.
