How a high-stakes FBI undercover operation became a surprise box office comedy hit
In short: In the year 2000, Martin Lawrence donned a prosthetic fat suit to play an elderly woman in a crime comedy that defied critical pans to become a massive financial success. While reviewers dismissed the film as a one-joke premise, audiences flocked to theaters, launching a multi-film franchise.
Directed by Raja Gosnell and released by 20th Century Fox on June 2, 2000, Big Momma's House follows FBI agent Malcolm Turner as he goes undercover to track an escaped convict. To infiltrate the home of Hattie Mae Pierce—the estranged grandmother of the convict's former girlfriend—Turner adopts the persona of the elderly, obese woman, complete with a complex prosthetic mask and fat suit created by Greg Cannom, who previously designed the makeup for Mrs. Doubtfire.
The production process was physically demanding and occasionally dangerous. Martin Lawrence, who starred alongside Nia Long, Paul Giamatti, and Terrence Howard, was hospitalized after collapsing from heat exhaustion during training. Despite these challenges, the film proved to be a commercial juggernaut. It grossed over $117 million at the US box office and nearly $174 million worldwide, far exceeding its $30 million budget. This success paved the way for two sequels, Big Momma's House 2 in 2006 and Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son in 2011.
Critical reception was largely negative, with many reviewers labeling it a one-joke movie that lacked the heart of similar films like The Nutty Professor. Critics also raised concerns regarding the representation of Black women, noting that the series relies on male actors in latex suits to portray them. However, the film maintained a disconnect between critics and viewers; while Rotten Tomatoes recorded a 31% approval rating, audiences polled by CinemaScore awarded the film an average grade of A, highlighting the enduring appeal of its slapstick humor and the accompanying hip-hop soundtrack featuring Lil Bow Wow.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Big Momma's House
- Also: Wikidata — Big Momma's House – Music From the Motion Picture · CC0
- Also: Wikidata — Big Momma's House · CC0
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