Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins is one of those heartfelt but dubious films about the importance of family.

When the family in question is portrayed by such comic talent as Martin Lawrence, Mo'Nique, Mike Epps and Cedric The Entertainer, however, that's a different story -- a very funny story.

Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins is a mediocre movie, but with enough brilliant laughs to make it worth seeing.

Self-centred witch

Lawrence stars as Dr. RJ Stevens, an L.A. talk-show host with big ratings and a bigger ego.

He's just become engaged to a woman named Bianca (Joy Bryant), a beautiful high-profile winner of a Survivor-like TV show -- and everything in his life looks rosy.

Well, he has a lousy relationship with his little son, and his lady Bianca is a bit of a self-centred witch, but nothing is perfect.

Then RJ gets manipulated into going home for the first time in nine years.

Home is in rural Georgia. Mom and dad (Margaret Avery and James Earl Jones) are having a 50th wedding anniversary.

RJ hasn't been home in a long time because he has been busy re-inventing himself, and he's not that interested in being reminded of his humble roots.

So, starting with a red-drink/white-suit mishap on the plane, RJ's return home is fraught.

Despite a flurry of juvenile sight gags (dogs having sex, baseballs to the face, wild animal encounters and similar stupidity) Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins has some wildly funny family encounters.

As cousin Reggie, Mike Epps is a studly con artist whose every comment sounds like an ad lib.

Mo'Nique is sister Betty, a one-liner machine who can kick your ass, and will; she has a fist-fight scene with Lawrence that will make you laugh out loud in spite of yourself.

And then there's big brother Otis (Michael Clarke Duncan), the tough enforcer in the family -- also hilarious.

RJ's nemesis is Clyde (Cedric The Entertainer). The two men were raised together and are as close as brothers, but they compete for everything.

Jealousy and sibling rivalry have not mellowed with age, and the two soon compete for the affections of Lucinda (Nicole Ari Parker), the girl they both loved in high school. Cue another knock-down fight scene.

The point of Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins appears to be (1) that family counts more than anything and family keeps you real; and (2) Don't be a phony ass. These are fine sentiments, no doubt, and one can but hope that conveying such ideas without any farting jokes will one day be possible.

Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins is much too long and far too sentimental, but it's often so funny that you won't even care. Much.

(This film is rated 14-A)
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