Divorce in the Black Review

Oh Tyler Perry, where do I start? It’s clear that you do not want anyone else’s input or who works for you to outshine you but bro—you need some help. Listen, I enjoy most of your movies. Yes, they have pretty much the same theme. You clearly write what you know which is brilliant. I was with you on the first few Madea movies, I was with you with “Diary of a Mad Black Woman” and I was with you on “Daddy’s Little Girls” and “Why Did I Get Married” both of them.  

Your series are great! However, it’s clear that you do not know how to end storylines. I loved “The Have and the Have Nots”, you killed them all. I loved “The Oval” but you missed some details and it just got gimmicky. The “Too Close to Home” just disappeared. I’ve blocked out that mess “Mea Culpa”. But I know not everything is for everyone. Everyone has an opinion. This is mine, not that Tyler Perry or anyone in his camp with ever discover this or care about this blog. So, I’ll provide my two cents to my 5 or 6 followers. 

I was really excited to watch “Divorce in the Black”.  It had actors I love and it had a storyline we’re familiar with but presented in a different way. The premise is Dallas (Cory Hardrict) from the wrong side of the tracks wants to divorce his wife Ava (Megan Good).  It’s clear from the start that the families were not fans of each other. The tension was so thick, you could cut it with a knife. The preacher, named Clarence (Richard Lawson) and Ava’s dad, is shown presiding over the funeral of for Dallas’s brother. 

When I tell you, the preacher was MESSSY, told all of the son-in-law’s family business and dragged the dearly departed for filth.   I was here for it. I was shooketh the first five minutes of the movie. I was like, “Yes! Mr. Perry is back!” Then the infamous casket scene. My face cracked! Jaw on the ground.  We were barely eleven minutes into the movie. Who thinks of this mess? Oh, yeah, Tyler Perry! I was on the edge of my seat. Ready for the next few segments, but I was disappointed. 

I’ll say this, everyone performed flawlessly.  Stellar performances.  However, the story fell flat. Also, how did Ava and Dallas get together? He was just hostel from the start.  I can’t image Ava, a young lady from a middle-class family slumming it with some alcoholic criminal. There was no progression.  Dallas was just angry about everything.  It would have been great to see a softer side of him, then enraged when he drank. Unfortunately, we did not get that. We got mean ole Ike Turner all the way through. It got repetitive. So much so, that I started playing Angry Birds for most of the movie. 

By this time, I did not care that Ava reconnected with an old flame. I did not care that he was snatched out the bed. It was a funny scene but not even for me to put my phone down. Most of the drama was over the top and just random. Basically, Dallas and his brothers are goons that terrorized their community. All of them have been in and out of jail and appear to live with their ride or die mother. Their mother is a piece of work. 

I perked up on the scene with Angie, I mean, Gene (Debbi Morgan).  If you know you know.  Anyway, Gene, Ava’s mother is out shopping and has an encounter with Dallas.  That was a great scene. To be fair, it’s almost guaranteed that Debbi Morgan will give 110% for any role. Loved her performance in this movie and loved her as Angie in “All My Children”.  

Where was I? Oh yeah, after the store scene, all hell breaks loose. Clarence has to now defend his wife. But come on, everyone and they mama knows Dallas’s family is coo coo for cocoa puffs and stay ready.  They all live in a mobile home or trailer. Everyone in town knows this, so why did homeboy decide to confront Dallas, on their property. Like they were going to fight fair. Overall, I was highly disappointed with this movie. This is only recommended if you want to see a train wreck.

I give this movie the middle finger and 2 out of 5 acorns.