Customer Reviews

Kingdom Come [VHS]

5 star:		(27)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Whoopie Goldberg, LL Cool J, Loretta Devine and Jada Pinkett - Smith star in this overlooked little comic gem of a movie. The supporting cast, including Cedric the Entertainer, are also on hand to bring to life a funny farce on death and dying, dysfunction and survival. Admittedly, perhaps a few of the plot devices may be trite, but it's very rare for a movie not to have a few over used plots or farcial moments. This movie is all about family surviving family and life and trying to rise above whatever life has in store - be it fate or human blunder. Goldberg plays Mama Rae, a stoic and strong woman, who does know her own mind. When her husband drops dead at the breakfast table, she continues on - with an assortment of family members and friends who are coming home to " help " her. The always amazing Loretta Devine, the bombastic, morally and religiously effusive, bounds onto the screen and doesn't stop chewing the scenery throughout her turn as Aunt Marguerite - the long suffering sister of the recently departed Bud and the mother of two lowdown sons, who try her patience at every turn. LL Cool J is the eldest son of Mama Rae and Bud, who battles his own demons, but seems to bring stability to a very fractured family. Pinkett - Smith is the one person that every family seems to have - The Drama Queen and the Eternal Victim. The rest of the cast deserves to be singled out, but time and space is limited. The bottomline is - this is a movie that can make you laugh - even if you stop laughing and think - " this reminds me of someone in MY family. " It ain't brain surgery, folks and not all movies have to be or even should be. A nice clue, watch the credit roll - the photos seem to tie up the stories in the movie.

I really wasn't expect much from this film. I expected it to be your typical cookie cutter fare. I ended up being pleasantly surprised. The cast was likable, the storyline was interesting, and the film's comedy was VERY funny and VERY down to Earth.

In a way, the family in the film reminded me of my family. I'm sure it will remind you of your folks, too. I don't care if you're white, black, or whatever. This movie has UNIVERSAL APPEAL. I recommend it to EVERYONE who loves to laugh! Buy or rent this film today!

When this movie was released in theaters, it received bad reviews and I wondered out loud: "What movie was the critics watching????" This movie is awesome! I was completely drawn into the story because I could relate on a very personal level to all the things that happened in the movie, from beginning to end. The music was wonderful, too. I couldn't find anything to dislike about "Kingdom Come." It was the southern version of "Soul Food" only better. If you buy this DVD, you won't go wrong!

I'm majoring in child and family development and stumbled across this movie at 2 in the morning. I had never heard of the movie, but laughed myself silly. I could write an 8 page paper over the dysfunctions and strengths of this family! This cast consists of many well known individuals. My favorite part had to have been when the Rev. coped with the after effects of his dinner from the previous evening while performing the funeral. Much of the this movie reminded me of Nutty Professor with so much chaos in that family. For our family, this is one that we'll purchase on DVD and watch time and time again!

I liked Kingdom Come. Especially, when it had my favorite singer, Toni Braxton in it. She did a very good job for her first movie. I thought the movie was heartwarming. A family type movie. It was full of life. A down to earth movie. Just like real life situations. The movie really meant something to me. Sometimes it has to take someone to die to bring the family together. I highly reccommend this movie to all ages. Full of laughs. Cedric the Entertainer will have you cracking up all through the movie. He's so hilarious. This is a gotta see movie.

This movie is another that I think you may love or hate. But it's one that is SO funny to me. One I'll watch over and over. I know full well that funerals aren't supposed to be funny, but the family and the people around them-crap you can't help but laugh! I've never seen Jada Pinkett Smith in a part quite like this, it was really quite hillarious. The cast is full of people everyone knows!

The movie begins with "death" [of actress Whoopi Goldberg's husband ] , and is its entire theme:and is about all types of situations that can happen "when chaotic clan reunite" or are confined in close spaces with one another for more time than just a "do drop by" ;it softens for the fiction at least the reason they're there "to pay their last repects"..Its fine cast lead by actor/comedian Anthony Anderson make it believable,and even in its taudy way(poignant)& a little humorous and the decision of actress Loretta Devine's son to quit being a "prodical son" and to have verses from the prophet "Isaiah" be replaced with verses from "Psalms" adds to the "subdued scenes" near the end of the movie "Kingdom Come",which concludes with an epilogue of "still life" photos with comments just before the movie credits are shown.

Almost didn't watch this movie....wasn't in the mood for musicians trying to be actors....but decided what the hey, might be lighthearted and worth the video rental price...ended up really enjoying it, even coming to amazon.com to buy it. This film has many southernisms and dysfunctional-but-you-gotta-love-them familyisms. We adopted several lines in our own family "You know yo Daddy love us!" ....a certain sign that we enjoyed it! It had excellent situational comedy and Whoopi plays the most understated part of her career, and it really works!

I must admit that I only wanted to see this movie because my favorite singer in the whole world Toni Braxton was in it. But then again some of my most favorite actresses were in it too like Vivika, Tamala (always funny) and Jada. When I got to the movies I almost choked at how funny this movie was... It reminded me of my family. However I was kind of disapointed that there were only really 3 main scenes and that Toni Braxton was only in a few and did not sing. I do agree that they should not have had Jada acting like she could sing when Toni was in the mivie. But all toghther the best characters were Loretta, Jada, and Anthony. This is a great movie with no curses under the exception of maybe 1 little word, but I would recommend this movie to anyone who likes to laugh and my little brother 4 years old enjoyed it so maybe other kid mught as well.

Weddings and funerals always seem to bring out the worst in some families. The Slocum family is no exception, all together in this small Southern town named Lula all these half-cocked personalities involved, and you know you're in for a major twister. I have seen this movie numerous times and it still gets me. Director Doug McHenry (Jason's Lyric) gets up close on these people and even though doesn't break any ground in filmmaking; it is darkly funny and simple.

It starts off with Whoopi Goldberg who plays Mamma Ray, a woman whose "mean and surly" husband, Bud, drops dead at the dinner table. Her large and dysfunctional family gathers for his funeral and brings all their personal baggage with them. Eldest Son Ray Bud (LL Cool J) never liked his dad and is angry at his brother Junior (Anthony Anderson) for being a dreaming bum. Ray Bud's wife Lucille hides her unhappiness behind pills and soothing words. Junior's marriage to his childhood sweetheart, Charise (Jada Pinkett), is falling apart due to poverty, infidelity, and general unpleasantness. Bud's sister Marguerite, a bible-thumping Baptist, comes to comfort Mamma Ray (Loretta Devine) but instead fights with her own "demon" son, Royce (Darius McCrary). All problems may be predictably solved in the end but watching the destruction and salvation of the all these relationships endlessly entertained me.

What lifted this movie above the level of sitcom was the performances, particularly Whoopi Goldberg's. She is divine in this film, portraying a strong woman of few words but great strength and dignity. Anthony Anderson is also delightful and shows a greater range than he has in "Exit Wounds" or "Romeo Must Die." His scene where he explains why he cheated on his wife is a wonderful moment of understated sadness. It is such moments balanced with his usual high-energy comedy that makes his performance so strong. Loretta Devine and Darius McCrary work together extremely well as bickering mother and son and provide the biggest laughs of the film. McCrary also has some nice serious moments and manages to flush out a pretty standard bad-boy-with-a-heart role.

All the performances were strong and never flinched from honestly showing the character or situation. There are some really ugly people and circumstances in the film and they are not sugar-coated which makes them all the more funny or frightening to watch.