'Peeples' review: Nice family, but you've already met them

In the comedy "Peeples," Wade Walker (Craig Robinson) is a children's musician hoping to propose to high-powered lawyer Grace Peeples (Kerry Washington) while vacationing with her family in Sag Harbor. From the start, however, Grace's father, federal judge Virgil Peeples (David Alan Grier), decides he has to undermine this unworthy slacker. The more Wade tries to prove himself, the worse things go, until even Grace begins wondering whether she's made the right choice.

Sound familiar? "Peeples" is a just-this-side-of-legal knockoff of "Meet the Parents," altered only by minor script details and an African-American cast.

"Peeples" is the first leading role for Robinson, a breakout star of NBC's "The Office" who still tends toward smaller roles in comedies like "Hot Tub Time Machine." As Wade, a freewheeling dude living an extended casual Friday, he's endearing but never exactly riotous.

Most of the laughs come from Grier, whose displeased smirks would wither a British lord, and from Malcolm Barrett as Wade's brash brother, Chris. The wonderful S. Epatha Merkerson, best known as the no-nonsense Lt. Van Buren on NBC's "Law & Order," cuts loose as Virgil's wife, a former disco singer; Melvin Van Peebles and Diahann Carroll appear briefly as Grandpa and Nana Peeples.

"Peeples" introduces a gay subplot early on, but handles the issue respectfully (if not exactly deftly), using it to put forth an overall message of acceptance. That's refreshing, as is the movie's mostly good-natured sense of humor. It's almost enough to make you forget that you've seen the entire thing before.

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