Big Momma's House 2

Last updated
Big Momma's House 2
Big mommas house 2.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by John Whitesell
Written by Don Rhymer
Based onCharacters
by Darryl Quarles
Produced by David T. Friendly
Michael Green
Starring
Cinematography Mark Irwin
Edited by Priscilla Nedd-Friendly
Music by George S. Clinton
Production
companies
Distributed by 20th Century Fox
Release date
  • January 27, 2006 (2006-01-27)
Running time
99 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$40 million [1]
Box office$141.5 million [1]

Big Momma's House 2 is a 2006 American crime comedy film, the sequel to 2000's Big Momma's House and the second installment of the Big Momma Trilogy. The film was directed by John Whitesell and stars Martin Lawrence reprising his role as FBI agent Malcolm Turner, along with Nia Long, Zachary Levi, Mark Moses, Emily Procter, Kat Dennings and Chloë Grace Moretz in supporting roles.

Contents

Unlike the first film, Big Momma's House 2 takes on a family friendly tone compared to the original film's more mature target demographic. The film was released theatrically on January 27, 2006, by 20th Century Fox. Although it received mostly negative reviews from critics, it was a box office success, grossing $141.5 million against a budget of $40 million. A sequel, Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son , was released on February 18, 2011.

Plot

Six years after meeting her during an investigation, FBI agent Malcolm Turner is now married to Sherry Pierce and the stepfather of her son Trent, and assumes a desk job to be close to her as they await the arrival of their first child.

However, news reaches Malcolm that his friend Doug Hudson was killed, while working undercover in Orange County, California. He learns that he was investigating former military intelligence specialist Tom Fuller, who now works for the National Agenda Software corporation, and had discovered he was creating a computer worm that could provide backdoor access to government databases.

Although Malcolm asks to assist, his boss refuses to let him interfere in the investigation being conducted by agents Liliana Morales and Kevin Keneally. Discovering Morales is sending an agent undercover to secure the job of nanny within Tom's family, Malcolm decides to take advantage of this, lying to Sherry that he must go out-of-state for a conference.

Malcolm retrieves the disguise he used while impersonating Sherry's grandmother - known affectionally as Big Momma - and secures the nanny job by exposing flaws in the other candidates. While he keeps his eyes on Tom, Malcolm learns that the Fuller family has problems: Tom's wife Leah is very strict on chores; eldest daughter Molly seeks to be someone she is not; youngest daughter Carrie strives to do well as a cheerleader; and toddler son Andrew has a strange habit of jumping off of tall objects.

Although Malcolm finds evidence that Tom is working alongside a notorious hacker, Sherry tracks him down after discovering he lied to her and is appalled to discover he is working on another case posing as her grandmother. The matter is then made worse when Morales discover him interfering in her case, and allows him to assist as long as he maintains his cover and retains Kevin as his partner. After Leah threatens to fire Big Momma for her handling of her chores, Malcolm spends the night doing all of the work and successfully wins back her favor.

After an attempt to capture the hacker fails, Malcolm and Kevin recruit assistance from child hacker Stewart to access Fuller's workstation at Agenda. While they secure the means, Malcolm receives a call from a frightened Molly at a nightclub, and goes to find her as Big Momma. Soon after, men working for Agenda's CEO Casal take both of them hostage in order to coerce Tom to assist in a business deal involving the computer worm. Malcolm soon frees the pair before going to rescue Tom, while Molly calls the FBI.

Discovering that Casal plans to kill Tom as part of the deal he made with his customer, Malcolm saves his life and ensures Casal cannot escape before the FBI arrives. Although shocked to discover Malcolm's real identity, Tom is thankful to him when he informs Morales that he was being coerced by his boss under the threat of having his family killed for refusing.

While the case is ended and he has made amends with Sherry, Malcolm decides to stay in California a while longer in order to assist Carrie, after helping her team improve themselves for an upcoming cheerleading championships. Helping them to successfully win, Malcolm departs, leaving behind a letter from Big Momma bidding farewell to the Fullers and hints that their paths will cross again someday. Meanwhile, he resumes his life at home with Sherry, Trent, and their newborn baby.

Cast

Reception

Box office

Big Momma's House 2 grossed $27,736,056 in its opening weekend ranking number one. [2] It had the second-highest opening weekend for a Martin Lawrence film upon opening, behind Bad Boys II . [3] As of March 3, 2011, the film has grossed a total of $70,165,972 at the United States box office with a worldwide gross of $138,259,062.

Critical response

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 5% based on 74 reviews and an average rating of 3/10. The site's critical consensus reads: "Unfunny and unoriginal. In other words, a perfect piece of evidence for opponents of pointless movie sequels". [4] On Metacritic, the film has a score of 34 out of 100 based on 20 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews". [5] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A−" on an A+ to F scale. [6]

Brian Lowry of Variety called the film "episodic" and "flat" compared to the original film. [7]

Keith Uhlich of Slant Magazine gave the film 1⁄2 out of 4 stars. [8]

The film was nominated for a Golden Raspberry Awards in 2006 in the category "Worst Prequel or Sequel", but lost to Basic Instinct 2 .[ citation needed ]

Its poor reception has been lampooned in The Onion . [9]

Sequel

A third and final installment Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son was released on February 18, 2011. Brandon T. Jackson was cast in the role of Trent, who was originally played by Jascha Washington. Nia Long also did not reprise her role, which resulted in her character, Sherry, being written out. Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son fared worse critical reception than its predecessors, scoring a 5% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Martin Lawrence</span> American actor and comedian (born 1965)

Martin Fitzgerald Lawrence is an American actor and comedian. He came to fame during the 1990s, establishing a Hollywood career as a leading actor. He got his start playing Maurice Warfield in What's Happening Now!! (1987–1988), and is known for his lead performance in the Fox television sitcom Martin, as well as the Bad Boys film franchise. His other films include House Party, Boomerang, Life, Blue Streak, Big Momma's House, Open Season, and Wild Hogs.

<i>Home Alone 3</i> 1997 film by Raja Gosnell

Home Alone 3 is a 1997 American family comedy film directed by Raja Gosnell in his directorial debut, written and co-produced by John Hughes, and starring Alex D. Linz and Haviland Morris. The story follows Alex Pruitt, an 8-year-old boy who defends his home from a dangerous group of international criminals working for a terrorist organization. It is the third film in the Home Alone franchise, the only one not set during Christmas, and the first not to feature Macaulay Culkin or any cast from the first two Home Alone films, director Chris Columbus, or composer John Williams. It is also the final Home Alone film to receive a theatrical release.

<i>Man of the House</i> (2005 film) 2005 American crime comedy film

Man of the House is a 2005 American crime comedy film directed by Stephen Herek. The film stars Tommy Lee Jones as Roland Sharp, a lonesome Texas Ranger who goes undercover as an assistant coach to protect a group of college cheerleaders who have witnessed a murder. Much of the film was shot in Austin, Texas on the University of Texas campus.

<i>Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous</i> 2005 film by John Pasquin

Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous is a 2005 American female buddy action comedy film and sequel to the 2000 film Miss Congeniality directed by John Pasquin and written by co-producer Marc Lawrence with the title role played once again by star and co-producer Sandra Bullock. William Shatner, Ernie Hudson and Heather Burns also reprised their roles from the previous film with Regina King, Enrique Murciano, Diedrich Bader and Treat Williams joining the cast.

Jascha Akili Washington is an American actor and songwriter, best known for Big Momma's House (2000), Big Momma's House 2 (2006), and Like Mike 2 (2006).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brandon T. Jackson</span> American actor and comedian (born 1984)

Brandon Timothy Jackson is an American actor and stand-up comedian. He is known for his roles in the films Roll Bounce (2005), Tropic Thunder (2008), Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief (2010), Lottery Ticket (2010), Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son (2011), Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters (2013), and Roofie Jackson in Deadbeat (2014–2016).

<i>Borderline</i> (1980 film) 1980 American drama film by Jerrold Freedman

Borderline is a 1980 American action crime drama film directed and co-written by Jerrold Freedman. Starring Charles Bronson, Ed Harris and Bruno Kirby, it is set in the San Diego–Tijuana area of the U.S.-Mexican border and follows a United States Border Patrol (USBP) Agent who poses as an illegal alien to catch a killer smuggling laborers from Mexico.

<i>Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son</i> 2011 film by John Whitesell

Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son is a 2011 American crime comedy film. It is the third and final installment in the Big Momma film trilogy, and a sequel to 2000's Big Momma's House and 2006's Big Momma's House 2.

<i>So Undercover</i> 2013 American film

So Undercover is a 2013 American crime action comedy film directed by Tom Vaughan and written by Allan Loeb and Steven Pearl. It stars Miley Cyrus, Jeremy Piven, and Mike O'Malley. The film was released direct-to-video in the United States on February 5, 2013. The film has been released in theatres of only 13 countries worldwide. The film was held back without a release date from 2011 until 2013.

<i>Now You See Me</i> (film) 2013 film by Louis Leterrier

Now You See Me is a 2013 American heist film directed by Louis Leterrier from a screenplay by Ed Solomon, Boaz Yakin, and Edward Ricourt and a story by Yakin and Ricourt. It is the first installment in the Now You See Me series. The film features an ensemble cast of Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo, Woody Harrelson, Mélanie Laurent, Isla Fisher, Common, Dave Franco, Michael Caine, and Morgan Freeman. The plot follows an FBI agent and an Interpol detective who track and attempt to bring to justice a team of magicians who pull off bank heists and robberies during their performances and reward their audiences with the money.

<i>The Following</i> 2013 American crime thriller television series

The Following is an American crime thriller television series created by Kevin Williamson, and jointly produced by Outerbanks Entertainment and Warner Bros. Television.

<i>Big Mommas House</i> 2000 film by Raja Gosnell

Big Momma's House is a 2000 crime comedy film, directed by Raja Gosnell, and written by Darryl Quarles and Don Rhymer. The film stars Martin Lawrence as an FBI agent who is tasked with tracking down an escaped convict and his loot, by going undercover as the estranged grandmother of his former girlfriend, unaware of the bond he will form with her. The film also stars Nia Long, Paul Giamatti, and Terrence Howard.

<i>The Boy</i> (2016 film) 2016 film by William Brent Bell

The Boy is a 2016 horror film directed by William Brent Bell and written by Stacey Menear. The film stars Lauren Cohan and Rupert Evans. It is an international co-production between China and the United States. Filming began on March 10, 2015, in Victoria, British Columbia. STXfilms released The Boy in the United States on January 22. The film grossed $64 million worldwide on a $10 million budget. A sequel, Brahms: The Boy II, was released on February 21, 2020.

<i>My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2</i> 2016 American film

My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 is a 2016 American romantic comedy film directed by Kirk Jones and written by Nia Vardalos. The film stars Vardalos, John Corbett, Lainie Kazan, Michael Constantine, Andrea Martin, Ian Gomez, and Elena Kampouris.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Will Graham (character)</span> Fictional character

Will Graham is a fictional character and protagonist of Thomas Harris' 1981 novel Red Dragon. Graham is also the protagonist of two film adaptations of the novel, Manhunter (1986) and Red Dragon (2002), and the television series Hannibal (2013–2015), which adapted various parts of the Hannibal Lecter franchise.

"Entrée" is the sixth episode of the first season of the psychological thriller–horror series Hannibal. The episode was written by Kai Yu Wu and series creator Bryan Fuller from a story by Wu, and directed by Michael Rymer. It was first broadcast on May 2, 2013, on NBC. Although it was the seventh episode produced for the season, it was the sixth in scheduled order.

<i>A Dogs Journey</i> (film) 2019 film by Gail Mancuso

A Dog's Journey is a 2019 American adventure comedy drama film directed by Gail Mancuso in her feature film directorial debut and written by W. Bruce Cameron, Cathryn Michon, Maya Forbes, and Wally Wolodarsky. The film is based on the 2012 novel of the same name by Cameron and is the sequel to the 2017 film A Dog's Purpose. The film stars Josh Gad, Dennis Quaid, Marg Helgenberger, Betty Gilpin, Kathryn Prescott, and Henry Lau.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Idalia Ramos Rangel</span> Mexican drug lord

Idalia Ramos Rangel is a Mexican business owner and suspected drug lord. According to the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), she is a high-ranking member of the Gulf Cartel, a criminal group based in Tamaulipas, Mexico. In the cartel, Ramos Rangel is known by her aliases Big Momma and La Tía. She has reportedly been responsible for coordinating international drug trafficking shipments from Mexico to the United States since the mid-1980s. Her role in organized crime is unusual, as a woman active in the male-dominated Mexican drug trafficking industry over several decades.

<i>Missing</i> (2023 film) 2023 film by Nick Johnson and Will Merrick

Missing is a 2023 American screenlife mystery thriller film written and directed by Will Merrick and Nick Johnson from a story by Sev Ohanian and Aneesh Chaganty, who also produced the film with Natalie Qasabian. The film is a standalone film in the universe of Searching (2018). It stars Storm Reid, Joaquim de Almeida, Ken Leung, Amy Landecker, Daniel Henney, and Nia Long. Its plot follows June Allen, a teenager who tries to find her missing mother after she disappears on vacation in Colombia with her new boyfriend.

References

  1. 1 2 "Big Momma's House 2 Box Office". Box Office Mojo . Amazon.com. Archived from the original on 29 April 2010. Retrieved 12 April 2010.
  2. "'Big Momma' Jams, 'Nanny McPhee' Floats, 'Bubble' Bursts". Box Office Mojo.
  3. "Big Momma's House 2 Tops the Weekend Box Office". 30 January 2006.
  4. "Big Momma's House 2 (2006)". Rotten Tomatoes .
  5. "Big Momma's House 2 Reviews". Metacritic .
  6. "CinemaScore". Archived from the original on 2018-12-20.
  7. Lowry, Brian (27 January 2006). "Big Momma's House 2". Variety.
  8. Uhlich, Keith (25 January 2006). "Review: Big Momma's House 2". Slant Magazine .
  9. "Passengers Bravely Take Down Plane Showing Big Momma's House 2". The Onion . 24 May 2006. Retrieved 4 March 2011.