Okay, here's the deal. I know you've probably heard all about the American Film Institute's latest "Top 100" list. They picked the top 100 comedies of all time. Numero Uno was Some Like It Hot, a choice I agree with fully, because of its fantastic script, great cast, and possibly the best-ever last line in a film. Number Two threw me a bit, being a film I would've put in the top ten, but maybe not quite as high as Two. The AFI chose Tootsie as the number two comedy of all time. Another great script, with a great cast (particularly a wonderful Bill Murray performance that generally gets ignored when people speak of Bill.) I found it interesting that the top two choices both involve men dressing as women.
I guess a man in drag is always going to be played for laughs, even though it was once the accepted standard for theatre. Nathan Lane became a household name for his performance in The Birdcage. Robin Williams scored big playing Mrs. Doubtfire. Patrick Swayze and Wesley Snipes did it in To Wong Foo..., even though John Leguizamo was almost frighteningly realistic as a woman in the same movie. Dang, even Cary Grant did it, albeit briefly, in I Was A Male War Bride.
One of the best, though, had to be Eddie Murphy's performance of Mama Klump in The Nutty Professor. Eddie didn't just throw on a dress and act like a woman. He did full body makeup, including latex appliances and a weight suit, and made Mama Klump one of the best characters in the movie.
Now, his friend Martin Lawrence has decided to join the club and do a character in drag on the bigscreen. His movie, Big Momma's House, is out now, and, while it's not especially original, it is a showcase for what Lawrence does best. He plays characters like few can, and he plays this one for gold.
Lawrence stars as Malcolm Turner, an FBI agent hunting for an escaped prisoner named Lester (Terrence Howard). Lester's ex-girlfriend Sherry (Nia Long) was a suspected accomplice to Lester's armed robbery, so Malcolm figures that Lester might go looking for Sherry to get the rest of his money. Malcolm and his partner John (the ever-funny Paul Giamatti) find out that Sherry is heading for her long-lost grandma's house, so they stake the place out. Turns out, though, that Big Momma leaves to go on an unexpected trip, so Malcolm, who is (ever so conveniently) a master of disguise, dresses up as Big Momma and accepts Sherry and Sherry's son Trent (Jascha Washington) into "her" home. It also turns out that Sherry is quite lovely, and, you guessed it, Malcolm falls for her hard.
Alter the plot a little bit here and there, and you have the basic "drag" formula that always appears in these movies. Nobody realizes Big Momma is actually a man until it suits the comedic timing. Big Momma manages to help everyone while still staying in character as a woman, all the usual stuff. What makes this thing move to the upper echelon, though, is Lawrence himself. He delivers a one-of-a-kind comedic performance, and even with the la-de-dah plot, he makes the situations funny, often funnier than they really are. And, for lack of a better phrase, this is completely Martin's show. This is one of those showcase packages that puts the lead actor in the sole spotlight. He's a comedian, he can play semi-serious, he can play drag, and he can play tough guy. See Martin run. Run, Martin, run.
In that same thought, though, it leaves the rest of the cast almost totally two-dimensional. Nia Long is here mostly for eye candy, the love interest who's in danger, but dang, don't she look good. Washington is a cute kid, and he gets to play straight man for a few sight gags, most notably when Big Momma helps him run some bullies off the local basketball court. Even Giamatti gets precious little screen time, which is the biggest waste of them all.
What this thing really needs more than anything, though, is a full story. Films like Tootsie and Mrs. Doubtfire worked so well because the drag gag was the basis of the central character's development. While the other cast members learned from the man in the dress, the man in the dress also learned a lot about himself. Here, the drag gag is just that, a gag. It's a way to put Martin in a dress. It makes for laughs, but it borders on simple sitcom. Is it a reason to fault Lawrence, or director Raja Gosnell? Not especially, considering the season. Summer is Gimmick Time, not Oscar® Time. I guess I was hoping for more from the teaming of an exceptional comedian and the director that surprised me with his last film, Never Been Kissed.
Is it worth seeing? Definitely. Is it worth the cost of a ticket? Yep. Is it going to propel Lawrence higher up the bankability chart? Sure. But is it a cinematic masterpiece worthy of the AFI? Nah. It's a fun movie for a fun time of year. If you want some easy laughs, go see Big Momma's House. Just don't order the pork chops (you'll see what I mean....)
Image copyright 20th Century Fox.
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