Whoopi Goldberg and Ving Rhames headline the Lifetime Original Movie A Day Late and a Dollar Short, which the network has set an official premiere date for: this Saturday, April 19, at 8pm ET/PT. 

Based on The New York Times bestseller by Terry McMillan, A Day Late and A Dollar Short tells the uplifting story of a mother who tries to help her dysfunctional family through life’s ups and downs. The film also stars Mekhi Phifer, Kimberly Elise, Anika Noni Rose and Tichina Arnold.

In A Day Late and a Dollar Short, when irascible matriarch Viola Price (Goldberg) learns that her next asthma attack will likely kill her, she is determined to fix her fractured family before she leaves this world, from her relationship with her husband to the lives of her four children and grandchildren. While on this quest, she must contend with sibling rivalry, teen pregnancy and drug addiction – and that is only one child. Additionally, her jailbird son needs to learn how to be a better father, her granddaughter is in bigger trouble than her daughter is willing to admit and Viola’s estranged husband needs saving from his scheming younger girlfriend. It’s the kind of meddling that the Price family hasn’t experienced from Viola in decades, and she won’t have an easy time bending her loved ones to her will.

Produced by Ostar Productions, the film is executive produced by Stephen Tolkin (who also directed), along with Whoopi Goldberg and Tom Leonardis, Jeffrey Hayes and Bill Haber. 

Shernold Edwards wrote the script based on McMillan’s book.

With its Saturday premiere just around the corner, early reviews from the select few media who have screened the film, have started to come in, and, thus far, I’d say the average grade is about a “C+,” with commendations for the film’s acting, given its particularly strong cast, but not-so favorable reactions to the expected soapy Lifetime material. In short, these actors are better than what they are given to work with.

For example, here’s Variety’s summarized take:

Whoopi Goldberg wears so many hats it’s easy to forget that she can be a pretty fine actress when she gets the opportunity. Such is the case with “A Day Late and a Dollar Short,” a crazily soapy Lifetime movie so steeped in melodrama that the two responses are to either roll one’s eyes or to happily succumb — and keep a box of tissues handy.

But you can make up your own mind and watch the film this Saturday night, at 8pm, and then come back here to share your thoughts.

Watch the trailer below: