A Madea Christmas (film)
A Madea Christmas is a 2013 American Christmas comedy film directed, written, produced by and starring Tyler Perry. This is the first Christmas themed film from the writer-director. This is the seventeenth film by Perry, and the seventh film in the Madea franchise. It was released in theaters on December 13, 2013.
Plot
In Atlanta, Georgia, Mabel "Madea" Simmons has been talked into getting a job at a local store by her great-niece Eileen Murphy. Madea gets fired on her first day.Meanwhile, Eileen's daughter, Lacey Williams, a teacher at a small school in Alabama, is married to a white man named Conner. The school does not have enough money to fund their annual Christmas Jubilee, forcing Lacey to ask her ex-boyfriend Oliver to fund the school through his business. Lacey calls her mother and says she will be unable to come home for Christmas, but Eileen, determined to see her daughter, brings Madea and Oliver with her to visit. Eileen hopes that Lacey and Oliver might still work out as a couple; she does not know that Lacey is married to a white man, which is not what she wanted for Lacey.
Lacey brings Oliver to a town meeting and asks Madea to look after her class. One of the girls steals Madea’s purse while Madea tells the class a rather unorthodox version of the story of the first Christmas. When she finds her purse is missing, she loses her temper and ties the guilty party to a cross decoration in the classroom.
Conner's parents, Buddy and Kim, arrive at Conner and Lacey's house for Christmas and are told to keep the marriage a secret since Eileen is staying for Christmas as well. Eileen offends Kim by cutting down her father’s memory tree; though she didn’t realize the meaning, she shows no remorse for the act. She is convinced Buddy and Kim are part of the Ku Klux Klan after seeing Buddy with a sheet over his head, and promptly bars the door to the room she and Madea are sharing.
Lacey finds out that the sponsors are forcing the school to make the Jubilee a holiday theme as opposed to a Christmas theme, and that the sponsors are responsible for many of the town’s citizens losing their jobs. Angered by these facts, Tanner, a man who consistently gives Conner trouble, demands the mayor fire Lacey, which the mayor does. Lacey’s conflict at home reaches a boiling point when Eileen and Kim argue; Lacey tells the truth about her marriage to Conner, and Eileen’s true feelings about whites are revealed: her husband left her for a white woman. Hypocritically angered by the lies she has heard, Eileen storms out, vainly hoping for a taxi to pick her up.
Lacey admits to Conner that Tanner caused her to lose her job, setting Conner off. As Eileen walks into town, she sees Tanner in his overturned, burning truck and saves his life. Conner walks up to the scene and punches Tanner before demanding Eileen get in his truck. Tanner then follows Conner to apologize for everything and to thank Eileen for saving him. Eileen also accepts Conner and Lacey’s marriage.
At the Christmas Jubilee, Lacey thanks the sponsors and announces their promises to help the town, knowing the repercussions the company would face if they were to back out. She reveals to Oliver that she is married to Conner.
Cast
- Tyler Perry as Mabel "Madea" Simmons
- Anna Maria Horsford as Eileen Murphy
- Tika Sumpter as Lacey Williams
- Larry the Cable Guy as Buddy Williams
- Kathy Najimy as Kim Williams
- Eric Lively as Conner Williams
- Chad Michael Murray as Tanner McCoy
- JR Lemon as Oliver
- Alicia Witt as Amber McCoy
- Lisa Whelchel as Nancy Porter
- Noah Urrea as Bailey McCoy
- Ashlee Heath as Audry
- Caroline Kennedy as Lucy
- Sweet Brown as herself
- Antoine Dodson as YouTube guy
- Jonathan Chase as Alfred
- Vickie Eng as Customer #6
- Daniel Mann as Austin
Soundtrack
Reception
A Madea Christmas was panned by critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a 20% rating, based on 35 reviews, with the consensus: "It boasts a few laughs, but overall, Tyler Perry's A Madea Christmas ranks among Perry's least entertaining or substantive works." On Metacritic, the film has a score of 28 out of 100, based on 20 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews".Home media
A Madea Christmas was released on Blu-ray and DVD on November 25, 2014. The DVD contains a first look at the opening of the then-upcoming animated feature Madea's Tough Love.Awards and nominations
| Award | Category | Subject | Result |
| Golden Raspberry Award | Worst Picture | Ozzie Areu | |
| Golden Raspberry Award | Worst Picture | Matt Moore | |
| Golden Raspberry Award | Worst Picture | Tyler Perry | |
| Golden Raspberry Award | Worst Director | Tyler Perry | |
| Golden Raspberry Award | Worst Screenplay | Tyler Perry | |
| Golden Raspberry Award | Worst Actress | Tyler Perry | |
| Golden Raspberry Award | Worst Screen Combo | Tyler Perry | |
| Golden Raspberry Award | Worst Screen Combo | That worn-out wig and dress | |
| Golden Raspberry Award | Worst Screen Combo | Larry the Cable Guy | |
| Golden Raspberry Award | Worst Supporting Actor | Larry the Cable Guy |