The movie tries to have it both ways, asking us to root for Helen when she is a pious victim and a, well, "mad black woman." It teeters unsteadily between crude humor and soulful faith.Įlise is a lovely actress who looks exquisite as she suffers and she makes the most of the soapy melodrama. Helen has to decide what she wants and who she is. She is at first angry with Orlando, then too proud to accept his help and unable to believe that any man could be good to her, but finally ready to give and accept love. She gets a job as a waitress and visits her mother ( Cecily Tyson) in a nursing home. Helen has to deconstruct her life and rebuild from the inside out. This movie never decides what it wants and what it is. Perry also plays Madea's salty brother-in-law and Helen's saintly cousin Brian. Finally, she goes to her outspoken but generous-hearted grandmother, Madea, played by writer/producer Tyler Perry. The handsome and sympathetic truck driver, Orlando ( Shemar Moore), tries to help, but Helen is so angry and terrified she cannot accept it. Charles hires a truck to load Helen's things and move her out of the house so that his mistress and their children can move in. Charles has cut her off from everyone and kept her inside the ostentatiously luxurious mansion like a princess in a tower. When they are alone, however, he is cruel, rejecting her offer of a romantic evening and reminding her that he owns everything and she has nothing. He wins a prestigious attorney-of-the-year award and thanks her from the podium. In DIARY OF A MAD BLACK WOMAN, Helen ( Kimberly Elise) understands that her wealthy husband Charles ( Steve Harris) is all about surfaces she is less aware of that quality in herself. This movie should be fine for even the younger teens! Expect several romantic kissing scenes, but nothing overtly sexual or distasteful at all. The movie is sometimes cheesy and cringy, particularly the scenes with Helen and Orlando, and I wonder if this was an intentional decision. Some wine drinking, smoking, and marijuana use is present in the film. There are even more shocking moments of violence such as domestic abuse where a husband drags his wife out of the house across the floor while mistress looks on and hard slaps to the face. There are moments of slapstick violence (e.g., Madea pulls out a gun on several occasions) and bawdy, crass jokes (including some inappropriate remarks by a great uncle towards his great niece). Family bonds are represented nicely and sometimes dysfunctionally, but this clearly adds to the comedy aspect of the film. The ultimate message is one of forgiveness and love, but the movie also showcases unsavoury themes such as infidelity and revenge, although these are obviously painted in a negative light through Madea's commentary and the other characters' responses. I went into the film with low expectations but most of the performances were good, including Helen's character who I felt myself sympathizing with. Madea definitely provides the tough lessons and humour you'd expect. This is a great movie, but for a Madea flick I must admit that this is more of a romantic drama than a full-on comedy movie.
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