From Deseret News archives:
Kingdom Come
Film review
There are quite a few films that could have benefited from the all-star cast this one has among the biggest names are Jada Pinkett Smith, Vivica A. Fox and Whoopi Goldberg. Also, there's no telling what other filmmakers could have done with its seemingly sure-fire premise, which should have afforded this cast plenty of comic opportunities.
An attempt at breezy comedy, "Kingdom Come" is alternately so strained and so utterly shrill that it seems to be twice its relatively brief length. And it's so forgettable that by the time you leave the theater, you may not even be able to remember its title, much less any specific characters or situations.
Yet compared to much of its current cinematic competition, at least this film has its heart in the right place and believes in the worth of the family unit and that love can overcome most domestic problems.
It also considerably "opens up" its source material, David Dean Bottell's popular off-Broadway play, "Dearly Departed," about the Slocumbs, a California family coming together for the funeral of the family patriarch.
Meanwhile, oldest son Ray Bud (LL Cool J) has problems of his own most of them coming in the form of wayward younger brother Junior (Anthony Anderson) and his wife Charisse (Pinkett Smith), whose bickering has disrupting Ray Bud's usually peaceful home.
Then there's Bud's sister Marguerite (Loretta Devine), who's taken this opportunity to lecture her shiftless son Royce (Darius McCrary) about the evils of his carefree lifestyle.
These are not unappealing characters, yet many of them are played so broadly that they become less appealing (particularly Pinkett Smith's screeching Charisse, who is easily the most grating thing about the movie).
Instead, director Doug McHenry ("House Party 2") should have been encouraging his cast to be more subtle, though it doesn't help that they're playing to material that culminates with unwelcome toilet humor.
"Kingdom Come" is rated PG for scattered profanity, crude humor (a flatulence gag thankfully, only overheard) and brief violence (a scuffle). Running time: 95 minutes.
E-MAIL: jeff@desnews.com
Comments
Cast: LL Cool J, Vivica A. Fox, Jada Pinkett Smith, Whoopi Goldberg
Find a Movie Theater
- Two American pilots die in Iraq 12:47 a.m.
- Murder suspect is vetran, avid skier 12:47 a.m.
- MLB: Zambrano's mom kidnapped 12:32 a.m.
- Lambert surprisingly tops news 12:25 a.m.
- Philadelphia transit strike ends 12:25 a.m.
- TCU 4th in AP poll; U. 16th, Y. 22nd 12:24 a.m.
- 12 high schools ready for 'The Turf' 12:17 a.m.
- RSL unfazed by conference final 12:17 a.m.
- Korver and Miles to be evaluated 12:17 a.m.
- Today on TV 12:13 a.m.
- Gay advocates trek to LDS office
216 - House passes health care bill
201 - Lobo suspended
173 - Cougars crush hapless Cowboys
151 - Utah Jazz fall apart against Kings
129 - RSL rallies to advance
103 - Thousands protest health bill
102 - Provo company innovating engines
101 - Utes pound winless Lobos
89 - BYU cuts Women's Research Institute
88
STOP blaming the Democrats, BLAME THE REPUBLICANS FOR 8 YEARS DOING NOTHING...
The best way to break the law is to become someone who enforces the law.
It's a real shame so many folks have never gotten out and gotten to know the...
It's all talk... you do not have any evidence for your claims. You assume...
Maybe if you could bat .408 in the major leagues, you too would be paid a...
I prefer the “Wizard of Earthsea” quartet by Ursula Le Guin, an...
The bottom line question that no one can possibly answer is; what will be the...
It looks to me like special treatment.
Jazz will have a tough week, with what should be a easy win against the...
I am very excited for this game. As much as I want the Utes to win, it won't...




You can be the first to comment on this story.