Tape & Cut Movie Review: Kingdom Come (2001)
I'm an old soul kinda girl.
Because one thing about black cult films. We gotta laugh through the pain.
Today on Tape & Cut, we got one of my mama’s favorite movies—Kingdom Come (2001)!
It’s a Black family dramedy that kicks off when the not-so-loved Woodrow “Bud” Slocumb dies, and his whole wild family has to come together for the funeral. Baby, it’s giving grief, gospel, and generational drama—with just the right sprinkle of comedy.
Now let’s talk about Jada Pinkett (back when she was still going by Pinkett, before the Smith era). She plays Charisse, the spicy, no-nonsense wife of Junior Slocumb (played by Anthony Anderson). And babyyy, she had attitude for days! It use to crack me up!!!
And we gotta give props to the cast overall—Loretta Devine, LL Cool J, Whoopi Goldberg, Cedric the Entertainer… they really made it feel like a real Black family reunion.
From there, it’s a full-on family circus. You got LL Cool J playing Ray Bud, the older son who’s trying to stay sober and do right but keeps getting pulled into mess. His wife, played by Vivica A. Fox, is trying to hold him down but is clearly tired too. Then Anthony Anderson as Junior? Lawd. He’s the classic mess-up—jobless, cheating, and getting on everybody’s nerves.
What makes Kingdom Come so good is that it mixes comedy and real-life pain so effortlessly. You got grief, addiction, broken marriages, childhood trauma—all the real stuff Black families face—but wrapped in humor and gospel music that hits your soul. The soundtrack alone? Whew. Kirk Franklin came through, okay?
That is probably why my mom enjoys it so much! (Yes, we got a CD of Kirk Franklin’s album. Don’t play) 😂If you grew up in a Black church or been to any family funeral, If you grew up in a Black church or been to any family funeral,
If you grew up in a Black church or been to any family funeral, Kingdom Come gon’ feel too familiar—and that’s what makes it such a gem.
Soooo comment below! Have y’all seen Kingdom Come? Tell me your thoughts!