Alice Pratt, a hard working Christian woman, raised her two daughters while managing a simple diner of her own. Her snobbish and arrogant daughter Andrea graduated in Economic Science and works in a construction corporation while her sister Pam stayed with Alice and worked in the diner. Andrea is married to construction worker Chris, who works in the same corporation as his wife but dreams of starting up his own business. However she is being unfaithful to him - with their boss William Cartwright. William is the son of Alice's best friend, the wealthy Charlotte Cartwright. While Alice travels with Charlotte on a road trip, the ambition and infidelity of William triggers a series of events that will affect relationships in both families.
The film takes off when Woodard's and Bates' characters go on a Thelma & Louise-style road trip.
– Bob Baker,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Sep 2008
fresh:
By far the best thing about the enterprise is Woodard. If she's not in this thing, I think it goes kaput.
– Neely Tucker,
Washington Post,
15 Sep 2008
rotten:
The Family that Preys shows grand advances in the filmmaking education of playwright-turned-filmmaker Tyler Perry. It's also his soapiest film yet, an overwrought melodrama of sibling rivalry, infidelity, family business power plays and terminal illness.
– Roger Moore,
Orlando Sentinel,
15 Sep 2008
rotten:
While it's wonderful to see actresses as shamefully underemployed as Woodard and Bates on the big screen, even they can't make sense of [these] incoherent characters.
– Sam Adams,
AV Club,
15 Sep 2008
rotten:
This snail-paced film might as well take place in the 1950s, since it seems to have been inspired by one those Hollywood melodramas in which one company employs the entire town, and the only places free of corruption are the church and the local diner.