DIARY OF A MAD BLACK WOMAN

by Joe Barber on Feb.26, 2005, under Joe Barber's Movie Reviews

MOVIE REVIEW:”DIARY OF A MAD BLACK WOMAN”

In recent years, a new style of theatre has become quite popular, primarily
in major urban markets, such as Washington, New York and Chicago. These
theatrical productions mix a number of elements and themes with broad-some
would say outrageous-humor and a heavy dose of spirotuality. These show are

always aimed at African American audiences and, almost like old fashioned
tent revivals, only play in a town for a limited number of days before
mobing on to another town. The first-and the most sucessful-of these
productions was Tyler Perry’s “Diary of A Mad Black Woman”. A film version
of the play has finally been made and, while it provides an opportunity for
some talented black actors to ply their craft, there’s little entertainment
or cultural reward provided to those who will attend this movie.

Kimberly Elise, who has turned in fine performancers in such films as
“Beloved” and last year’s remake of “The Manchurian Candidate”, stars as
Helen, the devoted wife of a powerful lawyer in Atlanta. Though she loves
and supports her husband, he is cold to her, openly having affairs and
ignoring her needs. On their eighteenth anniversary, he announces he’s
divorcing her and kicking her out of their sumtous home. Cut off from all
community property and funds by the pre-nuptual agreement she signed many
years earlier, Helen is forced to go to the modest but loving home of her
aunt Madea, who reluctantly takes her in.

Helen tries to restablish her ties with her family, bonds her hgusband
insisted she break when they were first married. Helen’s initial rage at
being dumped, the discovering her husband had a secret wife and children on
the other side of town he now plans to legitimize, leads her to hate and
mistrust all men, including Orlando, a decent young man who tries to help
her. As Helen spends more time with her family, her attitudes soften and
she begins to pull her life together. When the tables of fate are turned on

her husband, Helen faces a difficult choice between true love and a chance
to gain a measure of revenge.

Tyler Perry has adapted his play into a screenplay for the movie, while also

taking on the roles of the outspoken Madea (a role he also p;ayed on stage),

Madea’s son and Helen’s attorney and Joe, Mafdea’s brother and Helen’s mean
spirited and lecherous uncle. Perry has opened up the story a bit for the
screen, while retaining the basic elements of the stage version. It is
those basic elements in this story, and most of the other shows of this
type, that damage the film’s believablity.

The movie comes off as one-third overwrought, unrealistic melodrama,
one-third way over the top comed and one-third gospel music
extravaganza/revival meeting. Steve Harris, the fine actor from “The
Practice” television series, might as well be twirling a big black moustache

as he portrays Helen’s dog of a husband, Charles. Perry’s scriipt totally
wastes the skills of the talented Elise, primarily casting her as the
wimpering woman long suffering. It is a real shame when the only work a
great talent like Cicely Tyson can get is as Elise’s equally ill-treated
mother. Most of the time, director Darren Grant seems perfectly happy to
train the camera on Perry so he can act the fool in either gender as the
sterotypically tough talking MNadea or the sex hungry Joe.

There’s nothing wrong with a film or play that endorces religon and pure,
unchasened love as a cure for the pain of a bad marraige and a difficult
life. But when the route to that final affermation is littered with bad
writing, terrible stereotypes, outright stupidity and wasted potential,
there’s little good that can be said. Avoid becoming an angry moviegoer of
any race and skip “Diary of A Mad Black Woman” at all costs.

MPAA RATING: PG-13 for mild profanity and violence, drug content and crude
sexual humor
JOE’S RATING: ONE STAR.