Aahana Swrup
‘Joe’s College Road Trip,’ an addition to Tyler Perry’s Madea Cinematic Universe, follows the Simmons family through a new adventure with the matriarch’s brother at the journey’s helm. The film centers around BJ, Brian’s son, who is looking at university options for his post-high school life. However, when the time comes for him to undertake a road trip to check out potential candidates, the father makes an unexpected decision. He greenlights a trip for his upstanding son with his chaotic and less-than-politically correct father, Joe, as the sole guardian. As a result, what follows is reckless road etiquette, visits to shady and dangerous joints, as well as life lessons delivered in the most unpredictable packages. The film, part of a multi-title franchise, is Joe Simmons’ first foray into a lead role. However, much like other members of his family, the older gentleman’s unique brand of outlandish chaos still manages to retain some grounding in reality.
Joe’s College Road Trip is a Fictional Story About Intergenerational Bonding
Like other installments in the ‘Madea’ franchise, ‘Joe’s College Road Trip’ is also largely a work of fiction. Previously, Tyler Perry has talked about how he pays homage to the women in his family, like his mother and his aunt, through the character of Madea and her misadventures. Therefore, all the stories in this universe inevitably end up drawing some inspiration from reality. Nonetheless, for the most part, the storylines that unravel throughout Joe and BJ’s road trip journey remain works of fiction penned by writer/director Tyler Perry.
Particularly, in this film, the characterizations of the central characters become outlandish exaggerations reflective of their respective generations. Joe Simmons is an anarchic older man, reminiscent of his sister, who gets up to wild misadventures. From casual drunk driving and clearing bar floors with modern-day confederates to frequent patronage of brothels, his offbeat and eccentric attributes inform his age-wisened devil-may-care personality. On the other hand, BJ is a strict vegan who is well-versed in all the politically correct lingo but none of the real-world consequences of his political identity.
As a result, their contrasting personalities pave the way for some familiar inter-generational conflict. However, the nature of the narrative allows for the two generations, but mostly BJ, to learn from the other. The pre-established nature of these characters, who have previously appeared in projects like ‘A Madea Homecoming’ and ‘Madea’s Destination Wedding,’ further ensures that the audiences have a prior familiar connection with the characters. For the same reason, the grandfather-grandson dynamic at the center of the story does much of the heavy-lifting in infusing this fictionalized story with a sense of authenticity and realism.
Joe Simmons Teaches His Grandson About Black History in Joe’s College Road Trip
Even though ‘Joe’s College Road Trip’ charts a fictitious narrative, the beats in the story remain rooted in socio-political realities. One of the most substantial reasons behind Brian’s decision to send his son on a road trip with his father stems from his concerns over BJ’s lack of understanding about his own history and heritage as a Black man in America. The father is worried that he has coddled and smothered his son too much, which has resulted in his being privileged enough to be ignorant about his own community’s roots. Thus, even though his approach of using Joe as a guiding light for his son is a bit too intense, it comes from a desire to want BJ to connect with his history.
As a result, despite the chaotic twists and turns of Joe and BJ’s road trip, the grandfather also uses the journey as a chance to acquaint his grandson with some of the defining parts of Black History. From visiting landmark places to immersing the younger man in the local African-American community and culture, Joe ends up creating quite an educational experience for his grandson. This aspect of the story is further highlighted by the arrival of Destiny, a rogue prostitute who ends up forming a genuine and close connection with BJ. The historical instances that the film mentions and references are all real-life incidents and events. Thus, despite the fictionalization throughout the title’s narrative, the story still finds a realistic and relatable connection through its thematic identity. Ultimately, these foundational aspects of the story contribute largely towards the otherwise fictitious film’s sense of grounded reality.
Read More: Where Was Joe’s College Road Trip Filmed?
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