The sequel to the box office hit “Diary of a Mad Black Woman”, Tyler’s Perry’s “Madea’s Family Reunion” is a lot like the character Madea: loud, gutsy and bold. It’s that rare film which successfully pairs side-splitting humor with heartbreaking drama.

This film finds the crusty grandmother Madea (director/writer Tyler Perry) trying to look over her nieces. Lisa (Rochelle Aytes), under pressure from her mother, Victoria (Lynn Whitfield), is engaged to the abusive Carlos (Blair Underwood). Her sister, Vanessa (Lisa Arrindell Anderson), is a single mother so scarred by her past relationships, she keeps herself at arm’s length.

This is the kind of plot that could spell disaster for even the most experienced filmmaker. It has several story lines, each demand equal attention, and a message which deals with several heavy issues. Perry pulls it off without breaking a sweat. His command of dialogue builds upon the unprintable things which spill out of Madea’s mouth while subtly underlining the most powerful moments of the film.

While most of the characters are incredibly detailed, Victoria feels like she just walked off of the set of a soap opera. She’s the stereotype of the domineering mother. Lack of detail, or any sort of sympathy for her, prevent Victoria from being a true asset to the cast of characters that make up the movie.

Ultimately, “Madea’s Family Reunion” is a film that mixes its bite with its bravado and never confuses one or the other, and most importantly, never confuses either for its heart, of which it has plenty.