by Thomas Ferguson

Tyler Perry has surely matured as a writer/director over the course of his short, yet impressive career. He proves this fact solidly with his latest entry. The Family That Preys is a story about deceit, greed, and well, family.

Academy Award winner Kathy Bates and Academy Award nominated actress Alfre Woodard star as best friends and matriarchs of two vastly different Southern families.

Charlotte Cartwright (Bates) is a filthy rich socialite who runs a multi-million dollar construction company with her overly ambitious son William (Cole Hauser). Her best friend Alice Prat (Woodard) is a religious and humbled woman running a family diner with her daughter Pam (Taraji P. Henson). Her other daughter Andrea (Sanaa Lathan) is an ungrateful and self-centered woman who is cheating on her loyal husband Chris (Rockmond Dunbar) with William. Both families are torn apart as the scandalous affair starts to unravel and the secrets between the two families are put on display.

Not a very complex concept, but I have to admit, I was quickly taken by these characters and the situations they put themselves into. Tyler Perry has made some decent movies in the past, but each of them has had their share of problems. Whether it is a tonal issue or a pacing issue, there has always been something holding back  that “wow” factor with Perry’s movies.

Let me be the first to say, Perry almost nails it here. In my opinion, The Family That Preys is by far his best entry to date.  It is full of intrigue, comedic relief, and powerful performances from all the key players. Not forgetting powerful supporting performances by Perry who play’s Pam’s husband Ben and Robin Givens who plays Abigail Dexter, Ms. Cartwright’s new COO. She helps Charlotte to stay one step ahead of William, who is trying to get both of them thrown off the board of directors, giving him controlling interest in the company.

There are some predictable moments, but not every movie is perfect. This one is sure to peak your interest, have you yelling at the screen, and clapping. If you’re like me, you’ll want to jump through the screen to shake the hell out of Lathan’s Andrea character.  She was a real piece of...work.