When I first saw this play, I was blown away! It is fantastic! There are so many good things in this production! There's exposition of the characters...well, most of them. One or two of them don't get much exposition...He's not that important. Moving on.

As you should know, I really love Tyler Perry's earlier plays, that is those that came out on video and DVD between 2002 and 2006. I really enjoy them, though there are just a few moments where they begin to look the same. Here, everything appears much better. The faith-based themes and spirituality is shown better; the jokes are better; the fourth wall isn't always broken, but when it is the moment is that much more awesome; the plot is simple and great; the characters can sometimes be kind of two-dimensional, but they are still good on the whole; and I love all of the songs! Yes, the R&B medley is really, really awesome and fantastic, but I'm talking about the original songs. They work really, really well! I love the "You Are My Mama!" song, that is beautiful! Or how about the "Heaven Waits for Me" song? Isn't that just a gorgeous song? Not only is the "Heaven Waits for Me" number a fantastic song, but it's also a wonderful scene! Isn't this the way you'd want to see someone you love get sent to Heaven? This must be how Tyler Perry imagined his mother going to Heaven (sidebar: this play is based on his own family around the time his mother passed). It was this scene that made me realize that this play had gone above and beyond anything else Tyler Perry had done theatrically.

My favorite part of the play begins after this scene: the ending. From the time Madea talks to Byron, Rose, and Karen in the kitchen to the end of the play, all of that is awesome! I love the way she talks to Byron and his women in the kitchen. It's funny, but she's still speaking a lot of wisdom. And how about her addressing the fact that Tyler Perry is a grown man? You'll have to see it to know what I'm talking about, but when I first heard her say that, my mouth dropped down and I howled in surprise! That was awesome! I also like what she said to the family and the audience. Again it has its funny moments, but it's more wise than anything. It has wonderful lessons, and I was glad the situations were all resolved here rather than being dragged out. This is all followed by the R&B medley, which, as I said, is incredible! I love it, and I know so many other people do as well. It's done much better here than it was done in "The Marriage Counselor" (sidebar: there's a Tyler Perry play called "The Marriage Counselor;" it doesn't show up on this website) and "Madea Goes to Jail." Oh, the medley worked well in that play, but it's done so much better here! I don't know what else to say. This is one of the greatest plays and theatrical productions I've ever seen - not just from Tyler Perry, but period! Watch it! You'll love it, I promise you!

I thought to myself. "Hmm... another repetitive play is up for sale" Curious I watched it and laughed harder than ever, and for the first time I felt emotional in a certain scene.

It had way more depth than any other play he's ever done, with some new elements to his stories, it becomes very successful.

Better camera angles, good acting and great scenery. I was very amazed, with a deeper message for practically everyone (specially the youth) has made this one play I'd like to watch over and over again, with such rich musical scenes and excellently written script.

I don't understand the low rating here, but it's typical since everyone has haters.

Great for Tyler Perry it's a 10.

The wife rented Tyler Perrys 'Madea's Big Happy Family' for movie night. And, having watched a few of his movies in the past, I was thinking: "OK, it's not going to be an action movie tonight but I should be able to get through and even enjoy it." Then when it begins I mentioned to her that it has a strange beginning for a movie. It was at that moment that she uttered those feared words: "It's not a movie, it's a play." I started to panic! No less than five minutes later, I shocked myself by laughing out loud until I had tears in my eyes.

I was amazed at how his writing could take you from tears of laughter to tears of sorrow and back again like a roller-coaster ride. And while you are on this incredible ride, Mr. Perry is also weaving a tapestry of spiritual character and good old common sense that everyone can learn something from.

When it ended I wished that it would have gone on longer. I was shocked when I realized that I'd been watching it for two and a half hours already!

OH, and for those of you that can 'feel' music, and you know who you are, Mr. Perry has given you many gifts in this department also.

When I wrote this review the IMDb rating was 4.5 which was shocking to say the least. Even taking into account the unusual number of flakey or half brain dead people walking around today, it still amazes me that someone could watch this play and give it a very low rating. Anyway, I thought that it was so good I plan on buying the DVD to add to our collection.