So you know, as a critic, that things aren't so great when you have to sign a waiver that pledges you to not write a review before the movie is released in theaters. Not even if you promise not to publish it until the day of. But then again, we all know what to expect when Tyler Perry presents.

Now don't get me wrong, I like and respect Mr. Perry. He is a likable enough presence when not in drag, the straight man as it were. I'm absolutely crazy about him when he's Medea. In fact I'm praying for an all comedy, all Medea film. It would definitely be as good as anything from Apatow and company. It's like if Flip Wilson's Geraldine had a shotgun to go with that big mouth.

But alas, Medea has gone and Mr. Perry has gone boring much like many brilliant comedians (Tom Hanks, Steve Martin) who had the funny wrung out of them on the path to fame. Sadly, however, the preaching has not gone. And the preaching pedantism is exactly what so many of us high minded critics dislike about these films.

Because when they're not funny, they are like a lesson in the manichean dynamics of melodrama. Mr. Perry's films and the plays from which they derive come out of the 19th century melodrama tradition. These were plays, often with musical interludes, pitched at the lower classes that told very black and white tales of good versus evil, usually with a hopeful uplifting ending where the 'bad' rich evildoer or exploiter got their just desserts.

In THE FAMILY THAT PREYS, Perry gives us the usual assortment of melodrama de-nizens. This time, the two great anchors are Alice and Charlotte played with great skill by two of the best female actresses around, Alfre Woodard and Kathy Bates. Although they are from opposite sides of the tracks in every way, race, class etc, they have be-come friends and have parallel problems with troublesome offspring. Alice has two daughters, Pam (Taraji P. Henson) and Andrea (Sanaa Lathan) - good and bad. Charlotte just has the bad, as in William, the bad, greedy and adulterous son. These characters all drop in and out of a convulted story about business takeovers and a Thelma and Louise like road trip with Alice and Charlotte.

As usual Mr. Perry can't decide between 1864, 1964 or 2004. Although he tolerates interracial friendship, as between Charlotte and Alice, we still have a sort of tragic mulatto, Imitation of Life Story where the girl who transgresses the racial boundary get 'used' by the bad/evil white man. Tyler, wake up, there are any number of African American women married to responsible and committed white men.

As usual, it's too much plot, too many characters and too much contrivance. We have several retreaded movies within movies within movies but none done with anything like originality, aplomb or camp. In 2008, it's supposed to be over-the-top excess, there needs to be a pressure release valve and when Medea's gone, there's nothing left but heartfelt seriousness. But then you need a better story. And because Mr. Perry is real-ly a comedian at heart and a sly one, he can't help but insert the zingers here and there, but you always, always come away from these things wishing there was more fun and less yawning. Just rent some Douglas Sirk instead, the music, cinematography and stories are much more fun.

Opened September 12, 2008.

Produced, written and directed by Tyler Perry, Director of Photography, Toyomichi Kuri-ta, edited by Maysie Hoy, music by Aaron Zigman. Released by Lionsgate.

With:Kathy Bates (Charlotte), Alfre Woodard (Alice), Tyler Perry (Ben), Cole Hauser (William), Sanaa Lathan (Andrea), Rockmond Dunbar (Chris), Taraji P. Henson (Pam), and Robin Givens (Abby.)