One thing is for sure - Tyler Perry can be commended for always thinking outside of the box. With his Madea franchise and his multi-ethnic & Social Status movies, I can see he is on his way to becoming an innovative film maker. For Colored Girls is no exception.
I must admit, in film, I never really admired Tyler Perry - his early movies seemed on the verge of slap-stick mixed with a touch of melodrama, sprinkled with a spoonful of morality. They followed the standard Hollywood script - thus many of them were un-reviewable and the only audience that appeared to actually understand his point of view was the African American audience. But with his union with Lionsgate Films he has had the money to not only branch off, but has enough standing to allow for a film as complicated as For Colored Girls must have been to undertake.
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| Color Me Pissed |
What flaws this movie is the juxtaposition of creating a dramatic movie, with a dialogue flow - only to have it interrupted by the prose used in the play. I liked the idea, and could understand these mini-monologues as thoughts or ideas that really should be happening in the actors heads, but are spoken out loud instead. It breaks up the action to such a degree that your mind has to realize..."Oh, this is the part that must have been in the play." But these actresses handle this so professionally, so amazing in their talents, that you are mesmerized by their performance alone - and that helps.
From Kimberly Elise (Crystal/Brown), Janet Jackson (Jo/Red), Loretta Devine (Juanita/Green), Thandie Newton (Tangie/Orange), Anika Noni Rose (Yasmine/Yellow), Kerry Washington (Kelly/Blue), Tessa Thompson (Nyla/Purple) and Whoopi Goldberg (Alice/White). Then there’s Phylicia Rashad as the apartment manager - we are introduced to them coming together as family, friend, boss, employee, associates, and business partners of a New York tenant complex which reminded me a little of Oprah's "Brewster's Place," and Armistead Maupin's "Tales of the City." Also are so many issues covered: religion, abortion, sexual promiscuity, loyalty, safe/not so safe sex, death, rape...just to name a few - that Tyler Perry keeps you rapt in attention.
I also have to compliment him on his handling of this material, and at least having the ability to create a story around what most people think was unfilmable material. I also noticed a great improvement in his direction, his staging of the scenes, his handling of how the characters move and act together - it was very fluid, and refreshing to see; instead of his past efforts at too many close-ups, stiff camera movements, uninspired set designs, and predictable character plots.
If you look past the switches in dialogue from standard to poetic, you will enjoy this film. I for one, was very glad to see these African American actors working their craft and it reminded me of all the talent we have not seen this year. I could deal with us being stuck in comedy side-kick movies numerous times a year if only we had more serious dramas that deserve our dollars.
I hope Tyler Perry does more out-of-the-box thinking - because while his previous movies lacked enough fresh dialogue, this one was created from different source material, so it moved him in a different direction and I am sure it will help his own writing improve - and I really look forward to seeing that growth progress. *And as a side-note, I hope he creates more women characters who aren't so throughly victimized. Even at the end of this movie you feel they have come to terms with their issues, but haven't overcome what brought them there.
However, this was truly one rainbow that produced a pot of gold in the end.
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