Madea humor is arresting
Posted by The Skyliner on February 25th, 2009Tommy Lee
Staff Writer
In Tyler Perry’s latest comedy based on a crazy grandmother, Madea winds up in prison after multiple criminal offenses. The film features Tyler Perry as writer, director and star. Perry plays as three of the films characters, including Madea. Madea Goes to Jail also stars Derek Luke (Friday Night Lights) as Joshua Hardaway, Kieshia Knight Pulliam (Tyler Perry’s House of Payne) as Candace Washington RonReaco Lee as Chuck, Hardaway’s best friend and Ion Overman as Linda, Hardaway’s fiancée.
Madea follows too separate stories that eventually mold into one. Madea is irreverent as ever after she is arrested for a high-speed freeway chase. Surprisingly she does not end up in prison due to carelessness on the part of the police officers that arrested her. 
However, Madea does get stuck with anger management sessions, resulting in a hilarious scene with none other than the famous Dr. Phil. Needless to say, Madea does not stay out of trouble for long. After an incident in a store parking lot, Madea gets sent to prison.
Meanwhile, lawyer Joshua Hardaway, successful at his law firm and engaged, begins a court case with someone from his past. Candace Washington had been arrested for prostitution multiple times, and when Joshua offers to help her, she refuses. Joshua pushes the issue and Candace listens. Joshua’s obsession with helping Candace gets in the way of his life though. Joshua’s fiancée, Linda, does not approve of Joshua helping out his old friend, and this puts strain on their relationship.
Linda decides to take the issue with Joshua into her own hands and plants evidence in Candice’s criminal file, resulting in Candice going to jail for more time than she deserved. Candice and Madea meet up in prison and become friends and Madea teaches the inmates a thing or two.
Madea Goes to Jail is a comedy on the outside, but becomes quite a drama throughout. This sort of going back and forth between drama and comedy can be a bother. Tyler Perry is known to do this with most of his movies, however.
The acting put on by Tyler Perry in all of his three characters is great. Luke and Pulliam are deliver good acting.
Madea Goes to Jail is rated PG-13.