Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins

Plot

Dr. R.J. (Roscoe) Stevens (Martin Lawrence) is a talk-show sensation who has discarded his simple Southern awkward-boy past and the awkward boy he used to be to dispense motivational advice to millions of adoring fans. With reality TV series Survivor winner, Bianca Kittles (Joy Bryant) on his arm and enough cash in his pocket to easily afford expensive gifts for his parents, he feels like there's nothing he hasn't achieved.

When his parents request that he come home for their 50th wedding anniversary, R.J. packs up his 10-year-old son, Jamaal (Damani Roberts) and his fiancée, Bianca and heads back to his sleepy Southern hometown. Ready to impress his down-home kin with how much he’s changed, R.J. will prove he’s no longer the walking disaster they used to pick on. When they arrive in Georgia, he is first greeted by his pick pocketing cousin, Reggie (Mike Epps), who asks him for $300 to buy ice for the family barbecue. At the family home, Roscoe is greeted by his parents, Roscoe Sr. (James Earl Jones) and Mama Jenkins (Margaret Avery); his brother, Otis (Michael Clarke Duncan), the town sheriff; Otis' wife, Ruthie (Liz Mikel) and their overgrown kids, Junior (Brandin Jenkins) and Callie (Krystal Marea Braud); and Roscoe's loud, rowdy sister, Betty (Mo'Nique). Before long, Roscoe's cousin, Clyde (Cedric the Entertainer) drops in, bringing the old spark of competition with Roscoe, he is also escorting Lucinda (Nicole Ari Parker), a past love interest of Roscoe's.

During the visit, Roscoe endures much self-humiliation such as accidentally hitting his mother in the head with a softball during a softball game, getting beaten up by Otis and Betty after he insults them, constantly getting blackmailed by Reggie, and getting sprayed by a skunk while sleeping. It becomes obvious that he still holds a grudge against his father for how he treated him when he was younger such as showing such preference for Clyde that he wouldn't even fully discipline him. Roscoe Sr. resents his son for changing his name and distancing himself from his family. Meanwhile, Bianca doesn't fit in well with the family and Roscoe and Lucinda get reacquainted.

On the day of the Jenkins' anniversary, the whole family gathers for the traditional Jenkins-family obstacle course. Roscoe is determined to defeat Clyde when he challenges him and the two become even more competitive. As the race begins, Roscoe and Clyde aggressively make their way through the obstacles, sometimes hurting themselves and other contestants. While climbing over a wall with ropes, Roscoe begins to help his son over, but Bianca tells him to leave him and he does, much to his parents' shock. Roscoe and Clyde race to the finish line, and Roscoe wins. As Bianca cheers for him, Roscoe, overjoyed by the victory, begins to berate everyone reminding them that it is all about "the team of me" (him). The family is angry about his actions during the obstacle course, Jamaal refuses to go near his father, and Roscoe Sr. chastises his son. Unable to contain his resentment, Roscoe lashes out at his father, saying that although Clyde's father died, he Roscoe felt he lost his father because he favored Clyde over him and chastises him for always crediting Clyde for things he's done while never acknowledging any of his successes or accomplishments. Stunned and distraught by this admission, Roscoe Sr. walks away; feeling hurt. Clyde walks up to Roscoe and says he never tried to take his place. He tries to shake Roscoe's hand to make amends, but Bianca tells him to back off, and Roscoe decides he, Bianca, and Jamaal should start for home. Before he leaves, his mother reminds him that his family still loves him. As they drive to the airport, Bianca proposes not inviting the family to their wedding. Roscoe seems to agree, which upsets Jamaal and despite Bianca wanting him to get on board the "Team of Me," he proudly declares himself a Jenkins. Bianca continues to say mean things about the Jenkins clan and Roscoe pretends to agree with her, but at the airport, he thanks her for finally letting him see her true colors and then he dumps her. Angrily, feeling humiliated by Roscoe and Jamaal, she gets out of the car. As they pull away from the airport, he pulls the rope holding her bags on top of the car; dumping them into the airport driveway. Roscoe and Jamaal head back to the family home; keeping Bianca's pet Pomeranian Fifi, who had turned against Bianca and joined the Jenkins clan to pursue a relationship with the family's over-aged dog, Bucky (25 in dog years = 175 in human years).

During the anniversary celebration, Clyde cries during his speech for Mama and Papa Jenkins; admitting that he cared a lot about Roscoe. Roscoe suddenly appears, apologizes to his family, and congratulates his parents. He and his father make amends, then Roscoe asks Lucinda to dance. After the celebration, the family watches it on a hi-def television while Roscoe and Lucinda make love—but find a nasty surprise (Bucky and Fifi in his bedroom having had intercourse like before). During the credits, Roscoe is seen interviewing his family on his show, renamed The Roscoe Jenkins Show.

Cast

Production

The movie was filmed in Shreveport, Louisiana.

Box office

In its opening weekend at the North American box office, the film grossed $16.2 million USD, opening at #2 behind Fool's Gold.

Critical reception

Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins received negative reviews from critics. Review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes gives the film an approval rating of 22% based on 82 reviews, with an average rating of 4.4/10. The site's consensus reads, Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins has moments of comic inspiration – and long stretches of overdone slapstick. On Metacritic, the film has a score of 46 out of 100 based on 26 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".

Home release

The film was released on DVD June 17, 2008 and in the UK May 30, 2008.