For Colored Girls – a Review

Tyler Perry’s movie rendition of “For Colored Girls” is a star-packed drama that is far from his usual string of comedies. The story is based on twenty people, each of whom represents a character in every one of the twenty poems throughout the movie. The poems represent struggles colored woman in particular have to face on a day-to-day basis.

Photo credited to cdn.sparkart.net

Kimberly Elise, Janet Jackson, Loretta Devine, Thandie Newton, Anika Nonie Rose, Kerry Washington, Tessa Thompson, Phylicia Rashad, Whoopie Goldberg, Macy Gray, Michael Ealy, Omari Hardwick, Richard Lawson, Hill Harper, Khalil Khan, Rayna Tharani, Jaycee Williams, and Thomas Jessup are just some of the characters who portray stories of rape, murder, promiscuity, and physical/verbal abuse.

The 2 hr and 14 min. movie has its sure of heart stopping moments and doesn’t let up on the dramatic experiences that happen throughout. “For Colored Girls” was originally a screenplay by Ntozake Shange turned Broadway play in the 70’s. The full name of the play was “For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf” is directed towards young woman of color who face the same problems in real life.

The movie sheds a light on many different problems and constantly sends the same message Shange made in her play.

By Robert Henry

7 thoughts on “For Colored Girls – a Review”

  1. I think that was a great movie. But if you are not good at picking up on poetry it may be a little hard… It was a really deep movie… but i will have to say i would watch it over and over and never get tired of it.

  2. I enjoyed the movie, it brought back memories of my childhood. I too grew up in a large apartment building. The reason I can relate is because there were different types of Colored Women who lived there. My building had
    prostitutes, after hour joints, gambling games, dope dealers, pimps, molesters, and gays, on occasions I saw a preacher. The mothers banned together to raise the children (1960s). Some women got beat during the week, Friday nights, and especially on Saturday nights.
    On the corner of my street sat the Cadilacs with the diamond in the back, and sunroof tops. When they pulled off there wastwo in the front, and three prostitutes in the back, and two punks in the trunk. The ladies were all lined up small ones, tall ones, short ones, skinny ones, Colored ones and a few white ones. As a young lady I did not need to see this, we had to live here because my mother could not afford any other place. Well needless to say I grew up seeking a better outcome than the women of 77th and Lexington. Let me know if you want to hear more.

  3. I don’t think that the movie is necessarily bad, I think that as an interpretation of the original work, this definitely didn’t do it. Tyler Perry is good at making movies that get people in the seats, but the writing, and character development is not refined. As he makes more movies and writes more hopefully that will change. All this talk of Oscar buzz seems to be the typical Hollywood pr machine.

  4. The movie was great, one of the best movies Tyler has ever done. There were some original scenes; however, I think some of the scenes and or plot was a mirror from other great films. (i.e. Women of Brewster’s place, Waiting to Exhale) I do not understand why Felecia Rashad did not get the keys to the apartment the first time to save the kids? I understand she was histerical, but she heard the fighting and screems before. Why didn’t the cops put two and two together when Janet Jackson’s husband was questioned in the alley messing around with the gay guy? thanks

  5. I thought the movie was great! It is a really deep movie & if you are not mentally ready you will miss everything! I love poetry & to have that in there the words that were spoken were… WOW! just moving! Tyler Perry you stepped out of your box & I LOVE IT! You hit on all expects of what women of color has endured & still is for some! I love your work it has a meaning and a purpose!

    Thanks

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