Big Momma's House (2000)

30% of critics liked it
(81 reviews)
68% of users liked it
(454,083 ratings)

In this comedy, a cop assumes a new identity in his valiant battle against crime: an elderly grandmother! Malcolm Turner (Martin Lawrence) is an FBI agent who is a master of disguise and will stop at nothing to get his man. When a bank robber escapes from prison and goes on a violent crime spree,… More In this comedy, a cop assumes a new identity in his valiant battle against crime: an elderly grandmother! Malcolm Turner (Martin Lawrence) is an FBI agent who is a master of disguise and will stop at nothing to get his man. When a bank robber escapes from prison and goes on a violent crime spree, Malcolm is assigned to bring him in. The thief's girlfriend Sherry (Nia Long), who is also the mother of his child, lives in a small Southern town, and Malcolm plans to set up a stake-out in the house across the street from Sherry's. However, the house is owned by Big Momma (Ella Mitchell), an older woman with a sharp tongue and no patience for back talk, and when Big Momma has to leave town, it leaves her house suspiciously empty. Determined to maintain his cover, Malcolm disguises himself as Big Momma, and now has to convince Sherry (and everyone else in the neighborhood) that Big Momma's still in town. Big Momma's House gained considerable pre-production publicity when Lawrence fell into a coma while jogging in a heat wave before the film's start date; Lawrence claimed that he was trying to lose weight to fit more comfortably into his character's "fat suit." ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: PG-13, 1 hr. 38 min.
Directed By: Raja Gosnell
Written By: Darryl Quarles, Don Rhymer
Genres: Comedy

In Theaters: Jun 2, 2000 Wide
On DVD: Nov 28, 2000
Studio: 20th Century Fox

Critic Reviews

Michael Wilmington, Chicago Tribune
This movie is rotten.
Jay Carr, Boston Globe
Farcical adroitness and Martin's ablity to turn on the charm keep Big Momma's House perking along.
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
The movie has some big laughs, yes, but never reaches takeoff velocity.
Nell Minow, Common Sense Media
Funny Martin Lawrence in drag with potty jokes.
Jeffrey Westhoff, Northwest Herald (Crystal Lake, IL)
Big Momma's House seldom finds anything funny for Lawrence to do in drag.
John R. McEwen, Film Quips Online
Lawrence isn't doing anything that hasn't been done before, and he's certainly not doing it any better.
James Rocchi, Netflix
Idiotic "comedy" is larded with thick makeup and thin performances.

Read all 7 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

Directors C

This movie is one bad joke stretched out to an hour and a bit. Lawrence im pretty sure you can do better, dont listen to Eddie Murphy!
Eric A

Good & fresh idea but it gets real old real fast.
Bethany M

Pretty funny! Had me in stitches at some scenes! A must see!
Matt G

Enjoyable for a little bit, but eventually gets really annoying aside from the fun performance from Lawrence.
KJ P

A great way to start off the decade with hilarious laughs! However, it seems like a replica of Mrs. Doubtfire! That being said, it provides something that every film needs, real emotion in the end to make a film complete. Big Momma's House is not by any means a leader in… More
A great way to start off the decade with hilarious laughs! However, it seems like a replica of Mrs. Doubtfire! That being said, it provides something that every film needs, real emotion in the end to make a film complete. Big Momma's House is not by any means a leader in originality, but it is a fun comedy!
Anthony L

Devoid of humour, intelligence and anything of quality. One of the worst films I've ever seen to the point where I'm not sure which is more unbelievable, the fact that this film has a sequel or that it was made in the first place.
Richard C

C
Lenny M

Martin Lawrence and pre-Sideways Giamatti. Forgettable but really funny once upon a time.
Jason O

Malcolm (Martin Lawrence) decides to investigate the case of a criminal who recently escaped from prison. The way Malcolm investigates the case is to dress up as a famous neighborhood icon, Big Momma, after the real Big Momma leaves for awhile. The woman he is going to investigate is… More
Malcolm (Martin Lawrence) decides to investigate the case of a criminal who recently escaped from prison. The way Malcolm investigates the case is to dress up as a famous neighborhood icon, Big Momma, after the real Big Momma leaves for awhile. The woman he is going to investigate is Sherry (Nia Long). Sherry was the former lover of the man who escaped from prison. Little does Malcolm know that he will become attracted to Sherry once he meets her. I didn't really think that "Big Momma's House" was a ripoff of "The Nutty Professor." They have a lot of similarities, but I think it's a lot more like "Mrs. Doubtfire." I thought "Big Momma's House" was funnier than "Nutty Professor II: The Klumps." While both are great comedy movies with tons of laughs, this movie wins my vote for funniest movie of the year by far. Just about all the movie's pranks and lines are hilarious, especially when Malcolm slips up and says or does things that'll make you wonder if Malcolm has forgotten that he's dressed up as Big Momma. Anybody who likes comedy movies such as "Tootsie" or "Mrs. Doubtfire" should really like "Big Momma's House," it's the must see comedy of the year! NOTE: That was my Amazon review from the year 2001.
EightThirty .

Big Laughs when watching Big Momma www (.^_^.)
Film C

this is a good movie to impress both children and adults! its funny with the laughs just coming in fast and smoothly its a nice funny but interesting action movie really worth a watch with the whole family
Bobby H

A great comedy with Martin Lawerence. I know that it's a little cheesy but it's Martin Lawerence. The guy is funny as himself, as a woman, and even funnier as a huge old lady.
Cassie H

Funny!!!!!!!!!!!
Dean M

Martin Lawrence looks so funny in his disguise as a 300-pound grandmother Big Momma while delivers a baby, takes karate lessons and plays basketball, but is dull and lame for the most part.
Candy R

Funny man Martin goes undercover.
Lewis C

The best Martin Lawrence movie.
Rachel F

pretty funny
danny d

i actually like this, nia long is always good
Jason S

Eh
Roy G

An infectious, good-hearted bag of fun.