The film that will most likely dominate the box office this weekend is Big Momma's House 2, starring Martin Lawrence. The critics, who were not particularly kind to the 2000 original (a big box-office hit), are even less kind to the sequel -- or "fatuous sequel," as David Hiltbrand in the Philadelphia Inquirer describes it. (Lawrence plays a fat, elderly woman.) After describing some of the sequences, Hiltbrand asks, "Now how much would you pay for a ticket? What's that? You're going to wait for BMH2 to come to cable? Good call." Kyle Smith in the New York Post writes in a similar vein: "If you experience any laughter while in the presence of this movie, it's a credit to your imagination. But if you can tickle yourself, why spend the $10.75?" On the other hand, Bob Longino in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, after taking some shots at the lame fat jokes in the film, observes: "But Big Momma also means Martin Lawrence. And if you're the kind of filmgoer who connects with his manic antics, this is the kind of infectious comedy that can make you believe your movie money has been sufficiently spent." |