'Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son' Film Review: Time To Put Away The Fat Suit

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Some 'threequels' like 'Toy Story 3,' The Bourne Ultimatum,' and 'The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King' are films that audiences couldn't wait to see.

I don't think anyone was waiting for Martin Lawrence to come back as Big Momma in 'Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son,' 'the third installment of the 'Big Momma' franchise.

While the addition of rising star Brandon T. Jackson may bring out the youth, and add some flavor to the film, 'BM:LF,LS' is pretty thin on the comedy. A few chuckles doesn't justify the return of an aging character, whose make-up has already lost its appeal. It's time to put away the fat suit.

FBI agent Malcolm (played by Lawrence) comes home and wrestles his mailman for a college letter he eagerly awaits, while his stepson Trent (played by Jackson) is a wannabe rapper looking to ditch his stepfather's plans for him to go to Duke University. He would rather sign a recording contract and make money and be successful like Jay-Z. When his efforts to convince Malcolm to sign his legal papers lands him in the middle of Malcolm's stakeout, Trent finds himself dodging bullets and have to hide after witnessing Malcolm's informant be killed.

With his wife away on business (actress Nia Long is not in the film), what better way for Malcolm to protect Trent than to put him in an all-girls' art school where he can be in disguise and help find the dead informant's evidence they need to get their lives back in order.

New on the scene is Big Momma as the new house mother, with her grandniece, Charmaine!

Universal Pictures scored a hit with Eddie Murphy in 'The Nutty Professor' remake and its sequel, and 20th Century Fox followed with its own black man in a fat suit film, 2000's 'Big Momma's House,' which brought in a worldwide gross of $174 million. Its 2006 sequel, 'Big Momma's House 2,' tallied $138.3 million internationally.

Lionsgate has done well in the urban market since Tyler Perry came on the scene with his signature role, Madea. The Madea franchise is averaging around $50 million from the five films released so far, including 'Meet the Browns,' where Madea came in for a cameo.

Considering Lawrence's last big hit on his own was 'BMH2,' who can blame him for going for a bigger check; but at the same time, he should have been in a position where he had input on the script. Instead of going for broke with laugh out loud scenes and other gags, Lawrence stays motionless assuming the costume alone was good enough to do the trick and please audience members.

This film is a star vehicle for Jackson, Jessica Lucas and Faizon Love (who draws laughs as the janitor in love with Big Momma) while Lawrence takes a back seat. Lawrence is in initially appealing when Big Momma dances in a rap sequence in the cafeteria looks like an episode from 'Fame,' but the rest of the film is humorless and predictable.

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