Sextuplets is a 2019 American comedy film directed by Michael Tiddes from a screenplay by Mike Glock, Rick Alvarez, and Marlon Wayans, who also produced the film and starred in the lead role. The film co-stars Bresha Webb, Michael Ian Black, Molly Shannon, and Glynn Turman. It follows a man who sets out to find his long-lost siblings after discovering he is one of sextuplets his mother had.
Production and Release
In August 2018, it was announced that Marlon Wayans would star in the film. In October 2018, Molly Shannon, Glynn Turman, Michael Ian Black, and Debbi Morgan joined the cast. The film was produced by Ugly Baby Productions and Wayans Alvarez Productions, and was distributed by Netflix. It was digitally released on Netflix on August 16, 2019, with a running time of 99 minutes. The cinematography was handled by Don Burgess, editing by Lawrence Jordan, and the musical score was composed by John Debney.
Plot
Expectant father Alan Daniels' nesting instincts begin to interfere with his work, frustrating his boss Linda, who had hoped he would soon become a partner. At his wife Marie's sonogram, the obstetrician asks for Alan's family medical history, but he cannot provide it because he was given up at birth. He decides to seek out his birth mother and enlists his disapproving judge father-in-law's help in accessing sealed adoption records.
With his birth mother's name and address, Alan seeks her out. Russell answers the door, and it turns out he shares Alan's birthday and is unaware of his twin brother. Alan discovers a newspaper article revealing that they were sextuplets. Russell accompanies Alan on a road trip to find the other siblings before Alan's baby is born. Along the way, they encounter Dawn, an exotic dancer serving time in an Alabama women's prison; Ethan, a hustler who attempts to steal Alan's identity; and Baby Pete, who is severely stunted and has had health problems his entire life. The brothers also meet Jaspar, who grew up in a state facility. The film culminates with Alan racing to the hospital in time for the birth of his daughter.
Cast
Marlon Wayans portrayed all six siblings: Alan Spellman Daniels, Russell Spellman, Dawn Spellman, Jasper Spellman, Ethan Spellman, Baby Pete Spellman, and Lynette Spellman. Spiral Jackson served as a body double for Russell. Additional cast members included Bresha Webb, Michael Ian Black, Molly Shannon, and Glynn Turman.
Reception
The film received negative reviews from critics. On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 20% based on 15 reviews, with an average rating of 2.8/10. The website's critical consensus reads: "Lazy, messy, and deeply unfunny, Sextuplets is the latest misfire from the collaborative duo of Marlon Wayans and Michael Tiddes." On Metacritic, it has a weighted average score of 21 out of 100, based on 5 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews."
