Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins DVD Review

Welcome Home, Roscoe Jenkins is the story of television talk show host, Dr. R.J. Stephens, R.J. stands for Roscoe Jenkins, a Dr. Phil type talk show host who philosophizes his “Team of Me.” Dr. R.J. Stephens (Martin Lawrence, Bad Boys, Big Momma’s House) has found enormous success, living it up Los Angeles and even getting engaged to the latest winner of survivor, Bianca Kittles (Joy Bryant, The Skeleton Key, Get Rich or Die Tryin’). However, his success has come at a cost, as Dr. R.J. Stephens has lost touch with his upbringing back in the Deep South, until R.J.’s parents guilt trip him into coming home to help celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary.

So R.J. Stephens packs up his son and prize fiancée to travel cross-country to return home after 9 years. There he is welcomed with open arms by his “simple country folk” family, including his Sheriff brother Otis (Michael Clark Duncan, The Green Mile, Armageddon), his aspiring rap artist cousin Reggie (Mike Epps, Guess Who, All About the Benjamins) and sister Betty (Mo’Nique, Farce of the Penguins, Half Past Dead). Returning home sparks some old memories in Roscoe, as he is known at home, including a competitive side when it comes to his cousin Clyde (Cedric the Entertainer, Code Name: The Cleaner, Madagascar). It also reignites feelings Roscoe has harbored for 20 years on his crush Lucinda (Nicole Ari Parker, Remember the Titans, Kings Ransom).

What was supposed to be a fun filled weekend honoring Mama and Papa Jenkins (Margaret Avery, Lightning in a Bottle and James Earl Jones, Field of Dreams, Clear and Present Danger) quickly spirals out of control. His competitive edge, egged on by Bianca, as well as a feeling of disappointment from his father, causes him to take every event far to seriously.

Welcome Home, Roscoe Jenkins is a bit of a disappointment. The film lacks originality, as it seems to sample from so many other “going home” type films. It is as if the writer rented Elizabethtown, Indian Summer and Meet the Parents as obvious inspirations seem to be drawn from these films, up to and including an obstacle course race and a moment where someone is hit in the head during a sports game. Miraculously, much like in Meet the Parents, Roscoe is blamed when his mother, a bystander at a softball game, is hit in the head accidentally, as if he had control of the errant hit.

Sure there are several funny moments, but ultimately the film just does not have that special flare. The filmmakers also just beat the audience into submission until they are ready to scream out at the top of their lungs “We get it! Roscoe isn’t treated the same!”

That is not to say that the film’s actors do not do an excellent job, in fact there are several scenes where both Mo’Nique and Mike Epps, both secondary characters light up the screen and steal the scene. Martin Lawrence also does a tremendous job as do Cedric the Entertainer and Nicole Ari Parker.

The DVD special features include an alternate opening for the film, deleted and extended scenes and outtakes. Also on the DVD are several featurettes including “Bringing the Family Together,” “On Location: Getting Down and Dirty” and “Going Home: Real Stories of the Cast.” The DVD also includes “We’re Family” the music video from performer Joe and a feature commentary with writer/director Malcolm D. Lee. Welcome Home, Roscoe Jenkins will be available in either a widescreen version of a full frame release. The film features a 5.1 stereo surround soundtrack.