By Michelle Mellor
mellor@newsroom.byu.edu
If the audience is indicative of the quality of a movie, the obnoxious teenagers that filled the screening of Martin Lawrence's new film, 'Big Momma's House,' say it all.
From the first few scenes of this film, the audience was in for a long, ridiculous attempt at comedy disguised through cheap shots and bathroom humor.
In the film, FBI agent Malcolm Turner (Martin Lawrence) is supposedly a tough cop and master of disguise. In the beginning of the movie, he is dressed as an aged Asian man in order to crack a brutal crime ring.
His next assignment then takes him to a small Southern town to trap an escaped bank robber. While there, he sets up a stakeout across from the home of Big Momma, the relative of the bank robber's girlfriend, Sherry.
When Big Momma unexpectedly leaves town, Turner transforms himself into Big Momma to try and find the truth from Sherry. In a classic twist, Turner of course falls in love with Sherry.
Before seeing the movie, the story line and plot seem kind of cheesy and predictable, but with the potential for maybe a few good laughs.
However, after watching it, there are almost no redeeming points or aspects of the film.
In defense of the movie, Lawrence does have his few funny moments, and the costume design is creative.
Turning Lawrence into an extremely overweight Southern granny is no easy task. But it can't overshadow the fact that the movie is simply ridiculous.
The rest of the cast is also mediocre. No characters jump out and steal the show or even add to the comedic element of the movie.
With all the summer movies to choose from, 'Big Momma's House' is not worth the time and money. But again, this is only one opinion. The teenagers in front of me thought it was the greatest @*#?#%! movie they'd ever seen.
'Big Momma's House' is rated PG-13 for crude humor including sexual innuendo, language and some violence.