Ntozake Shange powerful choreopoem about the struggles of women of color and the loves,joys, betrayals, tragedies and the ultimate rising from the throes of life as told by seven characters is a classic. Mr. Tyler Perry in the modern age has decided to direct, write the screenplay and produce this powerhouse poem for the worldwide movie audience. Mr. Perry has made movies that a certain genre of the population would appreciate, that being said, he continues to tap into these resources as a means to seal in his base and make a pretty dollar doing such. Mr. Perry's work is superficial and debasing, but the box office is no lie, when it comes to support of his work. To take on this challenging work by Ms. Shange, Mr. Perry wants the world to view his as a serious director. Well, it remains to be seen. I will attend the opening night of this movie and give you my feedback, but, I'm a little taken aback by the early reviews and some of the choices of his leading ladies.
Note: I saw the movie without paying any attention to the critics and was blown away by movie, the actresses and the modern day approach to the same old problem most women endure. This timeless poem was treated with respect and the dignity that it deserve. This was truly a teaching point for me and that would be," take some of the blame, for the way your life turned out". It opened the flood gates in my life and I've set to resolve and find an immediate solution. But, I digress: Tyler Perry put this vehicle out there and he can't have it back. I must admit, I've never been a fan of his plays or his movies, but this movie has changed my thinking of him as a promising and maturing director. I want to see more!!! I crave an outlet for our men and women of color to see themselves on the big screen and be proud that our race can reach a wider audience. After seeing this movie, I read two reviews and the NY Times gave a glowing epilogue and the Gay rag here in NYC gave it the thumbs down. I wonder why some white critics didn't seem to grasp the complex poems and how the characters interacted with one another or perhaps some of these critics couldn't fully understand what the poem was conveying in the early 1970's and is still somewhat relevant today. I will shoot off a letter to the reviewer and ask the question," Did you read the choreopoem before you saw the movie?". I reread this classic that is performed in high schools and colleges across the country and what Mr. Perry brought to the screen was purity and wonderment for each character and even through the poem was passed around to the different cast members, nevertheless the dialogue in between was interwoven seamlessly.
I would say RUN, don't Walk to see this movie, it's truly a masterpiece!!!
