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On one hand, it's important to understand the significance of the film. There is something that black women love about Tyler Perry, and we must acknowledge that fact. His films almost seem to be required viewing for the bulk of black women across America, and I can't tell you how many times I had a friend say to me that she was getting together with her girlfriends to see the new Tyler Perry movie.
The stories that Tyler tells need to be shared. Also, the fact that he is from the south certainly puts him at odds with more progressive filmmakers like Spike Lee in New York City. Tyler must also be given credit for allowing African American actors, producers and directors the opportunity to do work in an industry that has consistently abandoned them. This does not, however, mean that we can allow his films to be released without providing intelligent analysis and scrutiny.
In the video below, I speak with Jozen Cummings, a writer in Harlem with a popular blog on relationships and Rashida Maples, an attorney who also mentors young women in New York City. I wanted to get their take on this film because Jozen interviewed Felicia Rashad, who played a role in the film. Rashida's job of mentoring young girls made me wonder what young women can learn from a film like this when it comes to managing their relationships and personal choices.
The interview is below, enjoy!
Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black World Coalition and a Scholarship in Action Resident of the Institute for Black Public Policy. To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here. 
Comments: (30)
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By: Luther Adrian Tucker Jr. on 12/20/2010 2:06PM
Thank you for speaking out about this Tyler Perry African Am. Male bashing female,audio,visual,cinematic brainbleaching epidemic,I know there is a cultural deterioration sprrading like a plague,but every movie is the same miserable format,he makes you laugh,then more dysfunctional Afro-am.male symdrome is repeuatedly drilled imto the fragile psyche, of the other outnumbering side of OUR people,in front of the global community, even when he shows a successful brother,he has to as a law(as I see it) paint some type of weird dysfunction,I umderstand he was molested,but putting on women clothes and lipstick and surrounding himself with hurt bitter women,bashimg the male counterpart, Will NOT bring him or any other abuse victim closure,thanks for listening bruh!!HoTeP KHNeMu Ra Ma'aT TeaHuTi AMeN
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By: The Truth Hurts on 12/23/2010 3:50PM
No it will not Ever bring him any closure....what was done to him more than likely has scarred him for life...he'll never forget it...and neither will any other victim of this type of abuse!!! But, I must applaud him for bringing these issues to the screen because to many children are getting abused just like Tyler and many others have. Today, everybody wants to act like it's ok to abuse these young boys and girls when it is DEAD WRONG, AND IT IS HAPPENING LIKE THE SH#T IS NORMAL OR SOMETHING IT'S WRONG. MEN AND WOMEN STOP ABUSING KIDS AND IT WOULDN'T BE A NEED FOR THESE TYPES OF MOVIE. These movies are neccessary because for every black women that takes a closer look at what's happening to her child and choosing to protect instead of ignore, that's one child soul saved. And for any man/woman that is guilty of any of these crimes and see themselves on the movie screen and leaves the next child alone...that's one more soul being save!!! Wake up and smell the coffee and start saving these children!!
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By: Alfreda Bryant on 12/23/2010 11:17PM
Your comments, in my opinion, are directed at Tyler Perry and not the content of the movie. Mr. Perry was simply presenting a message in a different format derived from a very powerful play. The movie protrayed situations indicative of any race. It just so happened that the characters in this movie were black. Attacking Tyler Perry doesn't change the facts. His "Madea" character doesn't have anything to do with this movie. I disagree with you when you say that this was a male bashing movie.
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By: Dionne on 12/22/2010 12:17AM
I disagree. Right along with the malevolent male characters like Beau(Michael Ealy), the husband Charles from Diary of a Mad Black Woman (Steve Harris), and Bill (Khalil Kain) are the malevolent women like Dianne (Sharon Leal) who ignored her husband, cheated on him, AND got her tubes tied without his permission. To say that his movies are always misandrous, is to just ignore his various works. For Colored Girls, which is probably the most "anti-male" film he has ever been involved in, was not even his own work, so he cannot be blamed for the content. He did alter the play for screen, but every male character - minus Donald (Hill Harper), who was a benevolent male character that Perry himself wrote into the storyline - were already in Ntozake Shange's original play, For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf. Personally, I respect Tyler for bringing issues affecting people, especially the black community, to the big screen and using actors who look like us to portray such characters.
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By: Paul K on 12/22/2010 11:48PM
Despite the fact that TP wasn't the author, he was the one who chose to direct this movie which he already knew had negative portrayals of black men. Why not direct and/or write a movie that focuses on black love and communication rather than how BW have been hurt by BM which always seems to be where TP eventually goes with his movies. Remember "Love Jones" anyone?
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By: Gail on 12/23/2010 7:01AM
Paul K. - I agree with you. I love TP and all of his movies. But what I always say is, we must have a balance.
Yes, this was the author's story and TP brought it to the screen. Yes, these things do happen. Yes, acknowledge it. But let's balance it off with some BLACK LOVE.
Because quiet as it's kept. There is such a thing as BLACK LOVE, we just don't see a lot of it.
TP - Make a BLACK LOVE movie with a happy ending please. Let's have some balance.
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By: Monique on 12/23/2010 9:45AM
First of all Blacks refuse to see the truth for what it is. For those women who have survived incest, men always gaulking at them like a piece of meat, and wanting to control women is a testament on how to handle these types of behaviors. The movie was not male bashing, but to show what women have and continue to endure. Men need to look at the movie and say to themselves am I that type of person, because I am 100% there are a lot of men who have the behaviors that was displayed in the movie. Stop hating on Tyler Perry, because he comfortable enough to put out there what is truly going on at times in our black community. People need to open their eyes and ask questions of their family members, friends, etc. when signs may be there.
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By: krystal on 12/23/2010 4:37PM
all i can say is i ejoy his movies i believe he not trying to upset n e 1 but he his putting feelin in his movies an shows he just sayin what we all want to say but dont i agree with u
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By: WASHJAMES on 12/23/2010 10:17AM
I have not seen this movie and I don't think I will. this is ashame I thing that another Black male distorts the image of black men we all have problems that is a fact but it not just black men that have this problem it’s male and female of all races but too add to the stereotype of Black men it is not fair.The World will think that we are all inhuman this is what the news media project about us and now we are harming ourselves. The poor black women people are very impressionable when they see something on TV that’s like a fact of life and this is wrong people are stupid but a person is not the difference here is that a person will question with reason but to the most part this is not true .Their are women that are just as evil as some men I have seen them. the problem sometimes is that they were brought up in a single parent household and don’t understand how to function in married environment they become self centered and game playing, because this is what they know and understand from child hood because sometimes this is how their mothers survived in their relationship with different relationships get what you can make him pay for it .Men aren’t no good. I am not trying to say that there are not bad men, but there are also bad women as well. Can we not give movies about black men doing good as roll models instead of this it would give the young black males something positive in their lives and to show to females what to look at when choosing a mate. This needs to stop. Not all blackmen beat their women, rape abuse kids, don’t work, and don’t have dreams. I knew a lot of Black men that were abused by their women as well. And it broke them are should I say destroyed them.thier is enough pain to go around here and it is not one sided at all.
One of the problems is that our idea of a good black man or women is wrong they get caught up into searching for the wrong ones and we are creatures of habit they will let a good one get away because they can’t understand them and are use to the behavior of the bad ones and then say that all are bad are if they get a good one they are so damaged that they become the manifesters of the pain.
I can go on and on here but I will say that it comes a time that we as a people and individuals start taking a good look in the mirror and stop lying to ourselves and face the truth if this is going to change we will have to do it! NOT MR PERRY SO FAR HE IS WITH THOSE THAT ARE DESTROYING US. And there is no excuse because of what he went through he needs to move on.
The World has made him the authority and he is NOT
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By: MzAnd on 12/23/2010 10:20PM
How can you speak on something you have never seen. Everytime someone does a story that shows the bad side of men, it is called male bashing. If you do not want him and others to do the types of things, get all the men together in the world and make them stop it. People are saying that there needs to be more black love films. I find those kinds of films to be fiction. That would be like sweeping every bad thing under the rug and that is wrong. He should a very bad female in the film "The Family that Preys," and Sanaa Latham got what she deserved in the end. As far as someone saying that this film is his fault because he chose to film it, he doesn't do films for hobby. He does them for money. This is very popular play. I had never even wanted to see the play. I don't know if his take on the play is different from the play, but I know it was a good movie. Women, especially black women, are a monority. They always suffer at the hand of men because our not too distant ancestors taught us that we are only to obey a man. I love the empowerment of women. Many of them need it. I do not and this film doesn't make we change how I treat men (good). It teaches me to keep my eyes open for suspicious activity.
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