Peeples

Pilfering characters and plot points from Ben Stiller's Meet the Parents, this silly marital comedy revolves around Wade Walker (Craig Robinson), an aspiring New York music therapist who works as a kiddie entertainer. Working-class Wade lives with successful lawyer Grace Peeples (Kerry Washington), who has never mentioned him to her distinguished, upper-class family—headed by demanding, disapproving Federal Judge Virgil Peeples (David Alan Grier)—whom Wade refers to as “the chocolate Kennedys.” Intending to propose marriage, bumbling Wade crashes the annual party at the Peeples' palatial waterfront Sag Harbor mansion, bringing a gift of wine—not knowing that Grace's kind-hearted mother (S. Epatha Merkerson) is a recovering alcoholic and former disco queen known as Lady Divine. Cue the formulaic chaos, which also involves Grace's siblings: a kleptomaniac teenage brother (Tyler James Williams) and a CNN broadcaster sister (Kali Hawk), the latter a closeted lesbian who has brought along her camerawoman partner (Kimrie Lewis-Davis). Add to the mix hapless Wade's consumption of psychedelic mushrooms and the arrival of his prankster brother (Malcolm Barrett), and you have the basic recipe for filmmaker Tina Gordon Chism's utterly familiar, fish-out-of-water sitcom that falls flat despite an amiable cast (including Diahann Carroll and Melvin Van Peebles as Judge Peeples' parents). Optional. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include audio commentary by cast and crew (including director Tina Gordon Chism and costar David Alan Grier), “Jam with the Fam” behind-the-scenes featurettes (23 min. total), a gag reel (6 min.), and trailers. Exclusive to the Blu-ray release is a bonus UltraViolet copy of the film. Bottom line: a solid extras package for an unremarkable comedy.] (S. Granger)