CORPORATE LINE: Filled with a mix of comedy and drama, the film Diary of a Mad Black Woman is based on the immensely popular play of the same name written by Tyler Perry. The story focuses on Helen McCarter (Kimberly Elise), who has seemingly had the perfect life with husband Charles McCarter (Steve Harris). Over the years, Helen has been a faithful and loving wife, while Charles built a successful and lucrative career as a prominent Atlanta attorney. They wear the latest fashions, drive the nicest cars, have all the possessions they need, and they live on an expansive estate complete with an extravagant mansion, swimming pool, tennis court and all the trappings of wealth – a little piece of paradise away from the city. However, on the eve of their 18th wedding anniversary, Helen’s paradise begins to crumble as Charles announces that he wants a divorce. He abruptly and literally tosses Helen out of the mansion to make room for the other woman.
With all of her possessions packed in a moving van, Helen starts on her journey to put the pieces of her life back together. Through the assistance of her friends, family, faith, and a twist of fate, Helen finds the strength and empowerment she needs to get control of her circumstances. She also finds that the tragic events of her life soon become comic, especially with the guidance and help– mostly unsolicited, by the way–of her pot-smoking, gun-toting, and much beloved, grandmother figure Madea (Tyler Perry).
Director Darren Grant brings Tyler Perry’s vision to the screen by intricately weaving together a mix of drama and comedy to tell the universal experience of broken hearts, redemption, forgiveness, recovery, new found love, inner strength and the importance of family and faith as revealed through a cast of colorful and sometimes familiar characters.
THE GOOD: Tyler Perry playing grandma Madea is hilarious—funnier than Martin Lawrence in Big Momma’s House. Madea is mad as hell and will let either her mouth or gun speak for her should anyone decide to cross her. Madea would have been best as the focus and the fact that she isn’t leaves us wanting more Madea and less everything else.
THE BAD: The love interest of Helen (Kimberly Elise) and Orlando (Shemar Moore) is without chemistry and too contrived. Orlando is a romeo directly out of afternoon soap operas. He is too perfect, knows all the right things to say, and is romantic. Either I’m jealous because he knows how to be romantic or he is ruining it for all of us guys of average romantics.
It’s impossible for director Darren Grant to tie everything together. Sure there is a narrative but it’s so disjointed that nothing seems to work cohesively. The problem is that when Medea is on screen it’s a comedy and when Elise and her husband (played by Steve Harris of the Practice) are onscreen it’s a drama. When Elise and Orlando are on screen it becomes a chick flick. There is so much tinkering with the different genres that it feels like some slow moving rollercoaster ride. You can jerk us around a few times, but when it happens with every scene it becomes overwhelming.
FRANKLY: Diary of a Mad Black Woman is equal parts Big Momma’s House, Misery, and Soul Food. Tyler Perry plays three parts, wrote the movie based on his stage play, and wrote the music—that’s impressive. The problem is that Diary of a Mad Black Woman tries to be three things at once. The Misery part of it would have been very ironic and troubling while the Big Momma’s House aspect would have been fun and worthy of a film itself. The Soul Food aspect could have been left out because its both boring and it doesn’t work in context with the rest of the movie.
Perry should give us a movie of Madea and her block parties, crazy relatives and neighbors, and her frequent trips to court. Now that would truly be a fun Diary of a mad (crazy) black woman.
+ Charlie Craine
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