Madea's Big Happy Family

If you are after a comedy that actually makes you laugh out loud, Madea's Big Happy Family is available in the US on Peacock Premium and Starz Apple TV Channel right now. It knows exactly what kind of film it is from the opening scene, and never loses that thread. With 163 viewer ratings on TMDB, this is not a title flying under the radar. Watch it for Tyler Perry — stay for everyone else around them. Put it on tonight on Peacock Premium and see for yourself.

Part of the current wave of titles people are actually watching, Madea's Big Happy Family earns its spot. Madea's Big Happy Family gets the fundamentals right first, then finds room to get weird with it. When Shirley, Madea's niece, receives distressing news about her health, the only thing she wants is her family gathered around her. However, Shirley's three adult children are too preoccupied with their own troubled lives to pay attention to their mother. It is up to Madea, with the help of rowdy Aunt Bam, to bring the clan together and help Shirley deal with her crisis. Tyler Perry and Loretta Devine lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 2011. The real test of any comedy is whether it is still funny once you know all the jokes, and Madea's Big Happy Family holds up on rewatch in a way that separates it from one-off curiosities. There is real craft here, even in the moments that do not fully land.

For viewers who want something light without wanting something stupid, Madea's Big Happy Family respects your intelligence. It rewards viewers regardless of what else is in their watch history. A contained runtime means every scene is doing real work. Tyler Perry anchors an ensemble with real chemistry. Genuinely funny, consistently, across the whole run.