Martin Lawrence isn’t exactly a man known for his layered performances – unless you count the layers of latex fat he piled on for the Big Momma films.
But Universal seems convinced that he can dig deeper, and has hired him to star in Malcolm Lee’s comedy The Better Man. It’s the tale of a talk show host and single father who has just become nationally famous. But on a trip home to celebrate his parents’ 50th anniversary, he begins to wonder if it’s all worth it.
"There's emotion and pathos here that give Martin a chance to display more layers than usual," Lee told Variety. He plans to crank his cameras in March.