When Tyler Perry announced Madea’s “retirement,” fans around the world were shocked. How could the world’s most iconic Black grandmother retire? Imagine the surprise of fans when a series of teaser images were released on Tyler Perry’s social media accounts. Each image spoofed a popular Netflix series or film, such as “Bridgerton” or “The Crown.” On Feb. 25, 2022, the secret was finally out: “A Madea Homecoming” was released to Netflix.

This latest addition to the Madea Cinematic Universe follows Madea’s preparations for her great-grandson’s college graduation party. Mischief, mayhem and hilarity ensue (in typical Madea fashion). The regular Madea cast members, such as Tamela Mann, Cassi Davis and David Mann, bring their excellent comic timing to the film.

What I found to be unexpected was the addition of Brendan O’Carroll as Agnes Brown and Jennifer Gibney as her daughter, Cathy Brown. Both starred in the Irish comedy series, “Mrs. Brown’s Boys,” which has received comparisons to the Madea films and stage performances.

The “meeting of the minds” between Mrs. Brown and Madea added a bit of seriousness to the narrative. Behind the humor typical of the Madea films was an undercurrent of commentary with regards to the current issues with race relations in the United States of America seems.

For example, in one hilarious scene, Madea is visibly uncomfortable with Mrs. Brown’s use of the term “knickers,” which is British slang for undergarments. Mr. Joe and Mr. Brown misconstrue Mrs. Brown’s statement as a racial slur.

In addition, the film deals with family tensions in a rather humorous manner. The shock Davi (played by Isha Blaaker) experiences when he learns Mrs. Brown has visited from across the pond for his graduation is a prime example. Madea also expresses shock and dismay at her grandchild being a police officer, which is well-founded, given her history with law enforcement.

I found that the film provided the balance between all the typical Madea film tropes and dealing with heavy topics like race and family discourse. I highly recommend this film to anyone who is interested in the Madea franchise.