by Aja Dorsey Jackson
Black men are mad about For Colored Girls and I don’t know why.
I am generally not a fan of Tyler Perry’s movies, not a hater, just not a fan. Honestly my hesitance toward Perry’s films has nothing to do with the standard commentary about his movies. Yes, I think some of his films border on buffoonery (along with many of the other Black movies made over the past..forever) but I’m not one of those people that feels like Madea is as lethal to the Black community as poverty and AIDS. My problem with Perry is that most of his movies play out like a lot of urban fiction reads; same unimaginative “oh-no-he-didn’t” plot lines that at the end of the day for me are just boring. So while I respect him as a business man, I’ve never been one to run out and see the next Tyler Perry flick.
Because of that, when I found out he was adapting Ntozake Shange’s play For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf for the big screen I was disappointed. I had no intention of going to see Perry ruin what I felt was an amazing play by adapting it to fit the standard Tyler Perry format. I went anyway at the encouragement of friends expecting to be disappointed. I left feeling like it was one of the best films I have seen in a long time.
Yes, the movie had problems. The storyline involving Janet Jackson and her closeted gay husband was the only one that was not in the original play and the one that I saw and thought “Ok, vintage Tyler Perry right here”. That whole part of the film was unnecessary and even though I love Janet, she couldn’t hold her own in a movie with far better actresses like Loretta Devine and Thandie Newton.
That aside, I thought that the way that Perry was able to weave the original monologues into the film showed a level of creativity that made me wonder why he hadn’t been doing the same thing all along. All of the actresses were phenomenal including Macy Gray, whose portrayal of the back-alley abortionist literally sent shivers down my spine.
But there was one thing I didn’t understand after actually seeing the film. I didn’t get the accompanying male outrage. I have heard many men (many of whom have not read the play or seen the movie) decry the movie as a male-bashing film. There are five men with roles in the movie, and out of those five, Hill Harper’s character as the supportive husband is the only true “good” man in the film.
Yet, when I got to the end of the movie, I felt that the men’s roles were marginal. The women in the movie and play endured pain, often at the hands of men, but the focus to me is on the women. As ugly as some of the stories themselves are, the themes in the book and film, domestic violence, infertility, abortion, troubled mother/daughter relationships etc., are real. I only had to hear one woman in the theater sobbing hysterically during the rape scene to understand that the story spoke to Black women on some level, something that most of Hollywood isn’t doing.
So why is it so problematic for Black men when these stories are told? The argument that I hear is one of balance, as in the idea that whenever a Black man is seen in a movie he is embodying some type of doggish character.
While I agree that there stands to be a lot more balance in general in depictions of Blacks in film, Hollywood has not been any kinder in my opinion to Black women than it has to Black men. Eventhough we uphold Spike Lee for directing some great Black movie classics, his movies are not chock-full of positive depictions of Black women when they even include Black women at all. Yet I don’t recall the uprising amongst Black women after any of Lee’s movies.
So again I wonder why the public outcry? I am someone who promotes positivity and positive images of African Americans, which is one reason that I write for this site. However as a writer and someone who loves stories, I realize that every story is not positive. The male characters in For Colored Girls; a veteran who resorts to abuse after being let down by society; a rapist who looks like a friend; a married man going back and forth with where he wants to be after being hurt by his own wife; a police officer who supports his wife unconditionally; are depictions of some African American men. They are no more representations of all Black men than Precious is representative of all Black women.
Do I agree that there should be more positive depictions of Blacks? Absolutely. I think that we need to be more represented everywhere doing everything. That way we can be able to watch For Colored Girls in the same way that White people can watch Silence of the Lambs and not worry for one minute that everyone is about to associate all White men with Hannibal Lector. That way I can watch Precious and Love Jones and I can watch The Wire and The Cosby Show and realize that our depictions are as multifaceted as our experiences. And while I enjoy Love and Basketball, I can feel alright in my desire to digest something heavier from time to time.
But if you don’t like it, do something about it. Support the films you want to see. Be like Ronnie and Lamar and put out your own movie. Continue to be a good man so that your kids know that good Black men exist in real life so they don’t have to look for a positive movie to see one. Better yet, understand that there are real women who face these challenges and be angry about the reality of it instead of the depiction. Even dislike For Colored Girls if you want to, but realize this: if you don’t see yourself in it, it’s not about you, but just because you aren’t in the story doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be told.
What did you think about the movie? Why are so many Black men mad about it?
Aja Dorsey Jackson is a freelance writer and public relations consultant in Baltimore, Maryland. Find out more about her at www.ajadorseyjackson.com or follow her on twitter @ajajackson.
I have many thoughts about the movie, thoughts that could not be captured in one word. While I am concerned about the images of the male characters in the movie, I am thankful that this movie will give all of us an opportunity to discuss our feelings about each other (men and women). The movie will also allow us to see how women treat other women, and how women make decisions about relationships (who to stay with, who to date). I am happy that good men (like mine :-)) will begin to shine because of this movie. You can’t help but notice a good man after seeing it! For these reasons I am very thankful that Tyler Perry did this work. Tyler, if you are reading, you did a phonomenal job! This was your best.
hmmm to me the movie was more about the women and less about the mens characters. Far less about the men, more about how the women deal with the issues after the fact. I was talking to my mother about the movie and neither one of us said ‘oh that man is horrid” our response was “wow look at how she is handling that”
men need to get their heads out their butts lol its not always about chu boo!
Wow, I had no idea that men had a problem with the movie. I agree Aja, the movie is about black women, I did a video blog reviewing the movie. That is the first time I had seen myself on the big screen like that. Black men need to know that there are cruel black boys and black men in this world. We need the POSITIVE ones to stand up and stand tall and help another brotha out. Black men need to see this film so they can SEE their wife, daughter, girlfriend, mother, and neighbor. It is so real on so many levels, I understand that it may seem unreal. ~ Social Butterfly. https://on.fb.me/beLqUF to see my review.
I think that black men are simply sensitive and weary of their stereotypical portrayals in movies. However since stereotypes are usually based somewhat in fact, why should we be surprised. Until we change the perception, then the perpetuation will continue. I personally have no desire to see the movie, because I know that it would illicit feelings of persecution. But still and all its a movie, and is meant to provoke emotions, and thus seems to be successful in that regard.
Thank you Aja… this is one of the best explanations about why this film is necessary I have read thus far. Between critics and the male bashing comments, I have spent the better part of my computer time this week, defending the film. No, it’s not perfect, but oh so necessary.
However, I have to disagree about Janet’s role. I think this was her best acting since she was burned with the iron, lol. Someone else may have been better cast for that role, but I give Janet her just due and I think she held her own with the other phenominal actors in this film . And I appreciate TP adding modern day problems which Shange did not include, simply because these problems didn’t exist when she wrote the poem. Hill Harper’s character was injected as well, probably to curb the male-bashing comments.
I think it’s not so much about this film but a pattern. Basically for the most part black men are depicted poorly on the big screen. Is some of it true yes, are there some men like that yes but I think what’s missing is the balance.
In mainstream films you don’t look at Tom Cruise being the bad guy and complain because there are 50 other films with white men being good guys. When you only produce a small amount of content for a certain audience that content gets examined a lot closer. That’s why TP is scrutinized so heavily (fair or not) because he’s the only one doing what he’s doing.
Basically some men are upset for the same reason that some women were upset with the black marriage negotiations video. A lot of black women didn’t like being portrayed that way. Are there some women that act like that yes, was there some truth in it yes. The online outrage was because women were tired of being depicted that way and basically the brothers have the same right.
BTW we’re in the middle of taping our next film right now and it happens to portray real, good, men and fathers. Unlike what you normally see on the screen we’re going to have real brothers defining what manhood really is since no one seems to know.
Will at least one of these real, good black fathers have a black wife as the mother of their children? Just wondering because there is no outcry from these so-called black men when they are depicted in (Jungle Fever, Machine-gun gangster movies) movies witha white woman as their co-stars instead of a black woman. No, I don’t hear any black men complaining about that because in truth those type of movies make black men feel good about being a man when he’s with a white woman.
I agree that there should be far more diverse portrayals of Blacks in general so that all of our images don’t rely on what Tyler Perry is doing. I don’t like the fact that how we see ourselves in the media relies so heavily on one director.
I guess one of my issues with the anger that I see with Black men at the movie is that it is inconsistent. Black men will get really angry at a For Colored Girls, but not whisper a word about a movie like Training Day that was full of negative images of Black men. Black men hated Waiting to Exhale but will talk about a movie like The Mack where the main character was a pimp as though it is a classic. I just feel like the only time there is some type of big uprising is when the main characters in the movie are Black women. In some ways I feel like its okay for Black men to be pimps, players or criminals as long as they’re telling the stories. If the issue is solely one of portrayals, I just wonder why it only becomes an issue with movies like this one.
This was how I felt as well. I expected to see far more true male bashing based on the comments but when I saw it I really just felt like it wasn’t about the men. I guess on the surface it seemed like it could be but in the end it was more about the women taking more control of their own lives and decisions.
Okay… Im sure that Im going to sound like a total nut case but here goes anyway:
I am alive. I mean TRULY alive ALL the way. I am awake. AWAKE enough to see that our people ARE STILL consistently pitted against each other. Doesnt anybody see what is happening here? Does ANYONE have the COURAGE to call this fall out what it truly is? RACSIM is psychological and structural. Our people are dumping, and cracking on each other because of the pressures, and stresses of racism. Why cant people see that we are STILL in war?
I truly wonder if our ethnic group will ever find peace, healing, and reconciliation? How can we change what we dont acknowledge?
Ancestors help us!
Brother Lamar,
May I make a polite suggestion?
We (as in the males and females of our ethnic group) are NOT listening to each other. Everyone is screaming, shaming, blaming, debasing, threatening, and cursing each other.
I want to hear black men explain to black women the pressures of psychological and structural racism how that negatively impacts their ability to form healthy relationships. We are NOT superheroes. If you study other groups of people both here and abroad who are impacted by white supremacy the men in their groups struggle with the same pathologies and dysfunctions as black men.
Why cant we just listen to each other, and strive to get beyond grief, pain, apathy, rage, anger, and resentment?
Why cant we have enough of peace within to look into the eyes of each other and see heaven there?
Good luck to you all…
I think the problem isn’t so much with balance, but with the fact that anytime a movie involves a black women, black men want to be the hero, not the aggressor. They don’t want to be shown as hurting women, even though there are millions of black men who do hurt black women, daily.
It seems that as long as black men are portrayed in macho movies (American Gangster, The Mack, Training day, John Q, The Brothers) it’s all ok. As soon as that narrative turns into one of criticism for how bm interact with bw, it’s a problem. Why can’t we tell our story too? Why does it seem like there is an ever present need to silence the voices of black women as we speak our truth? Where was all the public outcry against the portrayal of black mothers in Precious?
Can I ask you if this film is based in reality, or what we want our reality to be? Because the reality is that only 14% of black men marry black women. The reality is that 72% of black mothers are single/never married. So what does it matter what we see on the screen, when I can walk outside my door and see an entire neighborhood of single black mothers who man share and struggle to go it alone.
I am not trying to bash black men, but I’m also tired of lying for them and I’m tired of the blame always falling at the door of Hollywood or the white man. Sooner or later we are all going to have to wake up, stop the lies and face the facts. I notice that you conveniently failed to respond to the post where sister Aja responds to you. In my opinion, this is a large part of the problem. Too few black men are willing to discuss the fact that the majority of black men are dysfunctional and damaged and not good men, fathers, husbands. What is manhood, when in the black community it has come to be defined by how much destruction you inflict upon the women in your lives? What is manhood, when in our community you have less men who work and support their families and more men in jail or prison? What does manhood mean to black men? Does it mean dressing up men and presenting the VERY FEW surviving real black men to the world as if this is all there is? Why is it ok for black men to portray black women to the world as cum guzzling gold diggers, but not ok for anyone to expose the faults, flaws and foolery of black men?
The misogyny is clear, and the double standard is clear. I don’t hear near enough black men decrying rap culture, but so many have so much to say about this movie and others like it. Interesting…
Not taking it back to Penny on Good Times-lol. I thought she was a weaker actress than the others but you are right that she had a lot more range in that role than the others she’s played over the years. I found out also that Mariah Carey was originally in the movie as Thandie Newton’s character and dropped out. That I cannot imagine.
I honestly didn’t think the move was about the men… I guess because I remember the play from back in the day. I felt/feel this is a “sista” movie. Something to empower the women. I didn’t see it as male bashing or sterotyping the black man. I read somewhere else that some people were mad because there were not white people in the movie.. seriously??? I won’t even go there. Again, I thought it was about what we as black women have been faced with, what we dealt with. I could relate to all of those women in the movie… even though I have never been raped or butchered by a back alley abortionist, I still was able to relate to how they felt, why they reacted and responded the way that they did. As a mother of two children, I related mostly to Crystal and my heart went out to her every time they showed her. In the end, it is just a movie.
Granted, I have not seen the movie. I am not really interested in seeing it either. It has nothing to do with the male/female dynamic or even Tyler Perry. Right now I just am not interested in any depressing, sad films. That is not to take anything away from this film. It’s just not on my radar right now.
With that said, here are my feelings on the male criticism of this film: Brothers need to get over it. Yes, I said it. Like any other black man I don’t like seeing negative images of us in the media. Still I am not interested in silencing voices because it may make us black men look bad. I have read so many pieces on the internet by men complaining about this movie and Tyler Perry in general. Let’s be real. If I am waiting for Tyler Perry to lionize black men on screen before I feel good about myself as a man, then I am doomed. Adults have to be past the point of allowing external images to impact how they view themselves. And truly empowered people will simply offer an alternative view (as Lamar is doing).
We need to worry less about how we look in movies and more about how we act in our families and communities. Thats my $0.02.
Great post, Aja. I have many thoughts about the film in general. Overall, I thought Tyler did a great job in capturing Sister Shange’s work. It’s disturbing that the issues are so prevalent today as they were 30+ years ago. The addition of Janet’s character was certainly appropriate-30 years ago Down Low brothers and the high hiv stat for black women were not an issue. So, Janet’s character rounded out the complexities that Black women face today. Specifically, I am somewhat frustrated with the conversation around the movie portraying black men in a negative light. Honestly, the conversation is creating a wider chasm between the sexes. Black men AND women are both the “victims”. Black women, dealing with these issues, raise black men who are cultured into their own set of issues and the cycle continues. This film should serve as an opportunity- an open dialogue for us-black women and men- to discuss how we can collectively address the issues that are plaguing our community.
I give Perry credit for bringing the dramas of everyday life to light. The fact is nobody enjoys having the worst aspects of themselves, their sex, their religion, their culture, their sexual preference or anything else, highlighted and dramatized in a movie. But that is the very point of most of Perrys movies. He brings characters that although fictionalized are pulled out of everyones collective experiences anecdotally. There are not many of us who have not seen or been a part of domestic abuse, adultery etc, and seen a strong black woman overcome those obstacles to take care of her family. There are not many of us who have not seen a situation like Precious. This is drama, and quite simply drama sells! Nobody wants to see my now boring married life of going to work coming home, taking care of the family, and doing it all again tomorrow. Does it bring to light the ills of society? Of course it does, that is what it is meant to do, and judging by how personally people tend to take subjects like this, I think its doing a pretty fine job. That being said, its not a global conspiracy, its just a Tyler Perry movie!
I haven’t seen this movie and I honestly have no intention on seeing it. I think it’s mainly because I am a little sick of Tyler producing movies like this and constantly presenting the world with his narrow minded view of black women as these broken creatures who are always suffering and in pain at the hand of an evil black man (father, uncle, brother, husband, boyfriend….pick one). In general that’s how I see the bulk of TP’s movies. As subtle engines that further expand the chasm that already exsist between black men and black women. His movies continually drive home the point that black men have hurt black women, but his movies never offer any solutions, they just focus on the pain and paint black men out as monsters. He has successfully explored, and quite frankly worn out the subject of the immense pain that some african american women have experienced , now what is my only question? I just wonder at what point he plans on focusing his directorial attention on making movies that offer solutions to the healing…..
Having not seen/read the original play, I did not know Loretta Divine’s character was the other woman. That said, I don’t feel men were marginalized, they just played the role they played in each of these womens’ tragedies. If it was a play about mens drama, the gold digger, baby mama, bad wives, or dutiful daughters would be key players in their lives.
Phylicia’s character told Kimberly Elise’s, (paraphrasing) you have to take some responsibility, and forgive yourself in order to move forward from here. Acknowledge she had a choice in staying with that nut. But the statement is down played, people might miss it if not paying attention, and it doesn’t suit all the scenarios, especially the rape.
I am curious though, Tyler getting folks naked now, in the name of art, of course…
I am not angry about the movie at all. It was what one would expect these days. Rapist, gay, incestuous, child murderer and conduit for HIV AIDS are not bad images I guess if one were the late D.W. Griffith. Ah, we have such high standards these days don’t we.
Sister this thread is not the place to post my resume about what I do in the African American community and how I positively impact the lives of black men and how I challenge them to morality authentic men. I am faithfullly married, not an abuser and the father of a 23 and 16 daughter.
So are you telling me the 72% out-of-wedlock birthrate can only be laid at the doorstep of men? One other thing sister, if the only men you know are the ones you described in your post then I have to question your character. No disrespect, but I’m just saying.
ok…let me start by saying I ENJOYED THE MOVIE….however, i was relieved when it was over! next i said, DAMNED THERE WAS NOT ONE GOOD BLACK MAN IN THE WHOLE DANG MOVIE!…now ladies, i understand all the arguments u are tryna make about the men’s role in this movie, however i disagree…while everyone returns to the original play/book, the stories did not have ANY MEN….secondly, the book was a story of women, the GOOD (which was glossed over by Perry), the bad, and the ugly…lastly, IMO the cop was not a “GOOD MAN”…i actually did FORGET ABOUT HIM!
2 reasons he was not a “good man” – 1) while questioning the rape victim, he all but accused her of ASKING FOR IT…which prompted her to break into her tear jerking monologue 2) a man that has been duped by his wife about her past history (STD, just as bad as the DL brother, but she was portrayed as a victim) and her inability to have children responding by saying “ITS OK, I LOVE U ANYWAY” is not realistic and is classic pandering to women that tyler perry promotes in all his movies (an average real man, would have been ANGRY/DISAPPOINTED at the least…he would’ve voiced his anger, and they would have worked thru her betrayal…)
harper hill was supposed to be the “good” black man in the movie …however, he was the most under-developed, unessential, and distant male character in the movie…the “villains” were far more prominent and essential to the storyline/plot…also,ppl state he added that character for balance, but he also added the DL brother (as if that was needed with all the other hateful male characters portrayed :(), so to me that is a fallacy…
i felt like his role AND their relationship was under-developed and an after thought, so folks could feel some sense of relief and justification when this issue (villifiying the black man) is raised…and again i did actually enjoy the movie…but i do think it speaks to a certain type of woman’s pain, that many have not dealt with and will take this movie as an affirmation of all the “evils of the black man”…which is what most of the men (and some women) that oppose this movie are speaking to…this is not an indictment of THIS particular movie, but TP’s formula and the last 20 yrs of media portrayal of black males
lastly, we as black women really need to stop downplaying what is being done to the male gender/masculinity in our society in general…and as with most afflictions of society, the black community is effected 10 fold!
just as we have a legitimate gripe about how we are portrayed in rap music, men are just as justified to take issue with being constantly portrayed as USELESS AND HARMFUL to everyone
ALSO, most are not speaking to POSITIVE vs. NEGATIVE we are speaking to BALANCE…most of the “good black men” in TP’s movies are pandering to the emotionally/spiritually bankrupt women, and breaking down their barriers brick by brick…thats not reality….where’s the introspection on the womens parts? the internal work needed to get that triumphant love they are rewarded with at the end of his movies??? this is what MOST women look for from BLACK MEN, that is WRONG….men also have stories to tell, wheres their story?? we cant bilk this as ENTERTAINMENT in one breath and state it is womens REALITIES in the next…and for all the ppl who continue to quote the LIFETIME CHANNEL and other movies of white illness, as an example where the white community is depicted in a neg light, that is not a comparision….the LIFETIME CHANNEL is billed as ENTERTAINMENT, there are no white women sitting around saying these stories are a REALITY FOR THEM!
as much as we try to minimize it, media DOES play a major role in our lives…where’s the THEO’S, DWAYNE WADES’, COCKAROACHES, RON, MICHAEL (from good times), ROG (from whats happening), etc that our boys had to relate to??
Thats the point right there! There are Men who are angry at the portrayal of Black Men and Women being dysfunctional as a whole and would love to see more movies showing “Us” in a positive light. From the late 1700’s when Willie Lynch taught slave masters to pit men against women and women against men and to promote a fear in Black Women for the lives of their sons and husbands by humiliating and killing the strongest of men publicly, there has been an ongoing effort to psychologically weaken Black Men and their image in public and at home.
There are a lot of Black Men who hate the fact that rap, the news, books, movie and every other form of media celebrates the ignorance of our society and the protective side of our nature knows that art imitating life can result in life imitating art which will end in the deterioration of our families and culture. Yeah there are a lot of rightfully angry men….but if the argument is that Tyler Perry shouldn’t be the main focus of that anger your right….But the frustration is there and a voice is needed. For instance, just take a look at a magazine ad. Count the number of times you see a Black Woman with a Black Man. Though its gotten a little better on T.V. the same holds true. A lot of Black Men just want to be seen by the broader world and by their women for the good efforts they make aswell.
I would definitely like for you to comment on my blog aswell. can you please email me your contact info? [email protected]
I saw the movie last night I was so excited about seeing a movie all about black women….. boy was I disappointed, I mean in 2010 why are we the only race being potrayed on tv as, broke down, depressed, struggling, angry, loney women, infected with HIV and hoers and why do our men have to be depicted as, murders, cheaters, rapist, low down dirty dogs oh and not to mention on the down. True there are these types of people but its not just the black race all races have them, but we are put on blast on the big screen for the world to see like this is what we are all about. Even in waiting to Exhale, not one was married, the one that was got dumb for a white women, or husband was gay or was sleeping around or sleeping with a married man or cold and bitter…..wait a minute sound like for colored girls, anyways Im just sick and tired of seeing us like this, Beleive it or not there are some happy, sucessful, married or in committed relationship black women and men out here. My self being one of them and I dont have HIV. Its time to see some Happy images of black people on tv somthing that will truelly uplift us and make us feel good not more depressed then we were when we set down to watch it.
Now you see why my wife and I like watching reruns of The Cosby Show. True, it may be a little unrealistic. However I will take that over some of these dark, depressing depictions any day.
“just because you arent in the story doesnt mean it shouldnt be told”.
Aja you said a lot right there. Please listen to the first hour of this show when you
have a moment. It was aired this past Wednesday.
A Real Live For Colored Girl Moment
https://www.blogtalkradio.com/udjatemple/2010/11/11/the-roof-garden
Diamond
“Even dislike For Colored Girls if you want to, but realize this: if you dont see yourself in it, its not about you, but just because you arent in the story doesnt mean it shouldnt be told.”
Boy has this premise been tossed around alot with respect to this movie.
First and foremost, For Colored Girls the PLAY was a seminal piece of art that was revolutionary in its time. It was a demarcation line for Black female playwrights, Black actresses, and Black women. It was a celebration of the ability of Black women to triumph against all odds because of the love and beauty they had within themselves. The stories in the play involved some issues with men, but there were no men in the play.
I don’t believe the reaction Black men have to this film necessarily has anything to do with whether or not these” stories should not be told”. The stories and the underlying issues that frame them are very real and relevant.
Perhaps the challenge and responsibility doesn’t lie solely with Black men to deal with these images as much as it is for Black women to create NEW images of themselves. The recipe has been the same for most films by and about Black women; FCG, Waiting to Exhale etc., and in most cases if there is a Black female ENSEMBLE, forget it!
It’s 2010 sistas. You all have become CEOs of billion dollar companies, media titans, athletic titans, Secretary of State of the United States, the First Lady of the United States! I am interested in knowing and seeing how those stories unfolded. What odds did you overcome? what personal obstacles did you have to conquer? Not , ” how did some brotha do you wrong?”
Blaming Black men for having a reaction to this film is as disingenuous as when mainstream America says to the Black community, ” just because you aren’t in the story doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be told. ” We, as a community, get tired of seeing mainstream media depicting us as druggies, hoes, pimps, athletes , rappers and coons. The same holds true in this instance.
I don’t know if all of the good black men are aware of this or not, but for the past 5 years there has been a growing segment of black men on Youtube that have been viciously bashing black women before the face of the world by producing and posting some of the most hateful videos about black women. Moreover, I don’t think many of the good black men are aware of the vicious verbal beatings black women have took from some of your favorite rap stars such as Ice Cube and Snoop Dog. These vile men are upheld by black men as heroes. When we hear the silence of our good black men as our character is being destroyed by the bad black men, please forgive us if we should get happy and cry that at least one black man (Tyler Perry) truly has a desire to lift us up out of the mud which has been slung on us for so very long. He is liftiing us, inspiring us, motivating us for a fuller life. Of course you wouldn’t understand that because you are a good black man and not a bad one. You have never mistreated a black woman. Therefore, do not take this movie personal, but instead take it as an open eye into the real pain that so many (not all because many have a good black man) of us have to endure every minute of the day. Please forgive those of us, who love Perry and clearly see that what he is doing is not destructive, but rather constructive. You are not being blamed because you are not in this movie, my brother. Yet, in reality, some men (all colors) live in this movie without wanting to see an end to it.
My son and I were talking about this today. He’s seen the movie, I have not (not sure I will – I loved the play, I know the movie can’t do it justice). He was angry about the depiction on Black men in the movie, but I think the bigger issue is that most of the movies made are still cast with white actors/actresses, so there’s simply not enough movies to look to for those positive role models.
I did find it interesting that, according to the interview I heard on the TJMS, the positive male character in the movie was added by Tyler (he had the same concerns about how the men were being portrayed).
I think the bigger issue is a societal one – that’s part of the reason reality TV is becoming so popular. The true reality, of people going to school or work, playing sports, paying bills, raising families, living, loving, dying – that isn’t interesting enough to capture people’s attention. We need sex, drugs, catfights, table-flipping and other associated drama for people to tune in and get turned on. It makes me sick.
My wife is a fan of anything with Tyler Perry’s name on it. As I worked that day I looked forward to taking my wife to see the movie. I knew that she would be excited, and guess what so was I, I was eager to see what Tyler Perry could do to a very good play. in all honesty, every time I watch a Tyler Perry production it is with my wife, her enjoyment allows me to look deeper at the movie so that I may find some of the enjoyment that she has. when I approach his movies in this manner I always come away with some thing good and usuallysomething positive. I must tip my hat to all of the find actors (yes actors) and actresses, while it may not make movie of the year to some people, it will be one of my best movies of 2010. That’s the one of the beautys of life ” we all can have different taste”. As Sly and The Family Stone sang; Different Stokes for Different Folks”. The movie made me more aware of the fact that women experiance their pain differently than men. I will never discount a woman’s anger, pain and fears again. My mother and father were married for more than fifty years, so I know what a positve man does. I pray that I have just 50% of the qualities that my father had. So, when my wife sees the negative men in the movies or in life , I know that she identifies me with positive men. I challenge all men, be positive,