Tyler Perry's A Madea Christmas

Rather than rising above the fray, Madea is very much the fray itself.

If you find yourself outside Tyler Perry's loyal following (even if the reason is skin-deep), this Christmas get-together is still inviting.

Larry the Cable Guy and Madea are an oddly perfect pairing. They're both comedians in drag - Larry just gets to wear pants

The same slapdash, lightweight effort as Madea in any other season, with a few Yuletide flourishes.

Slapdash, with dialogue and plot points that were cliches in Dickens' era, the pic sends up, then reaffirms, all the values the media sell us each holiday: compassion, forgiveness, tolerance.

The humor seems sour and perfunctory from the start.

This Madea creaks as it starts, before predictable plot mechanics mesh for an upbeat finish, complete with a Christmas carol.

The problem is the treatment of racism breaks no new ground and represents the issues in the simplest most condescending form.

A toned down, crassly calculated attempt to expand the brand to a wider audience (see also: white people) and everybody is on their best behavior.

Here's the simple truth: If you like the character of Madea, who is filmmaker Tyler Perry in drag, you will like Perry's 'A Madea Christmas.' If you don't, or if you haven't 'met' Madea yet, then this probably isn't for you.