Netflix’s #1 Trending Comedy Proves Critics Are Wrong About This $523 Million Franchise

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Look, I get it – the Madea films aren’t exactly critic’s darlings. But honestly, it doesn’t seem to matter! This weekend, Joe’s College Road Trip shot straight to the top of the most-watched list on Netflix. It’s wild, because Tyler Perry really is one of the most polarizing figures in modern American movies. He’s a huge star, making tons of money, but people either love or really dislike his work – there’s rarely a middle ground.

For the past twenty years, Tyler Perry has been remarkably successful financially, largely due to hits like his show House of Payne on TBS, his work with the Oprah Winfrey Network, and the numerous Madea films he’s created. But that’s not the whole picture of his accomplishments.

Despite being a highly successful director, Tyler Perry’s films rarely receive positive reviews from critics. Interestingly, his movies seem to be less well-received by critics as they become more financially successful. Reviews of his earlier, lower-budget films were actually better than those of his recent blockbusters.

Joe’s College Road Trip Proves Tyler Perry’s Madea Movies Are Widely Beloved

Perry’s new movie, Joe’s College Road Trip, quickly became the most popular title on Netflix and has remained there ever since. Despite featuring comedian Ms. Pat, actress Bethany Anne Lind from Ozark, and R&B singer Millie Jackson, the funny road trip movie doesn’t rely on big-name celebrities to attract viewers.

Even so, Joe’s College Road Trip surprisingly became the most popular movie on Netflix, beating out KPop Demon Hunters, the live-action How to Train Your Dragon remake, and the popular horror film The Black Phone. This kind of success isn’t unusual for Perry, as his Madea films have often outperformed big-budget blockbusters in theaters.

Joe’s College Road Trip is a funny movie for all ages. It features Jermaine Harris as BJ, a recent high school grad who’s a bit naive and heading to college. But the heart of the film is Joe, BJ’s grandfather, who joins him on the journey.

Similar to the iconic Madea, Joe is another one of Tyler Perry’s hilarious and original characters. He’s a wildly funny older man known for his bold personality and the trouble he always seems to find. Both Madea and Joe have been featured in popular movies like Madea’s Destination Wedding, A Madea Homecoming, Madea’s Tough Love, A Madea Christmas, and numerous other films.

Tyler Perry’s Madea Franchise Has Always Struggled With Critics

As a film buff, I’ve been watching Madea since her first appearance in 2005’s Diary of a Mad Black Woman, and it’s amazing to see she’s been in 14 movies! Those films have collectively earned over half a billion dollars – that’s huge! But honestly, despite all that success with audiences, critics just haven’t warmed up to the Madea movies, and it’s easy to see why they haven’t been critically acclaimed.

The Madea movies have a surprisingly large difference between what critics think and what audiences enjoy. While fans continue to go to see them – box office numbers have stayed steady – critics’ opinions have dropped significantly, with scores on Rotten Tomatoes ranging from a low of 10% to a high of 40%.

Tyler Perry’s 2005 film, Diary of a Mad Black Woman, received very different reactions from critics and audiences. While critics gave it a low score of 15% on Rotten Tomatoes, audiences loved it, giving it an 86% rating. His next film, Madea’s Family Reunion (2006), did slightly better with critics (26% on Rotten Tomatoes), but it was the audience score of 93% that really stood out.

Despite consistently low scores from movie critics – rarely exceeding 30% – Tyler Perry’s Madea films are consistently popular with audiences, with ratings seldom falling below 60%. This strong audience support, demonstrated by the recent success of Joe’s College Road Trip on Netflix, guarantees the franchise’s continued success even without positive critical reviews.

Joe’s College Road Trip Fits The Madea Franchise’s Critical Decline

“Joe’s College Road Trip” feels similar to previous movies featuring Madea, even though she isn’t as central to the story this time. It’s a silly, over-the-top road trip comedy, much like films such as “Road Trip” (2000) or “Are We There Yet?” (2005), and it doesn’t try to be a serious or thought-provoking movie.

Many of Tyler Perry’s older films, especially those adapted from plays like I Can Do Bad All by Myself (2009) and Diary of a Mad Black Woman (2005), tried to balance Madea’s comedy with more serious themes. Even movies such as A Madea Christmas and Madea’s Big Happy Family weren’t as silly or over-the-top as Boo! A Madea Halloween.

Since Tyler Perry’s films moved to Netflix, his Madea movies have become increasingly focused on comedy and less on drama. This shift has led to even worse reviews from critics. Because these films aren’t as closely scrutinized by professional reviewers on the streaming platform, movies like Joe’s College Road Trip can actually become number one, even without any positive reviews on sites like Rotten Tomatoes.

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2026-02-17 23:39