Diary of a Mad Black Woman (2005)

Such a frustrating disappointment

Intense, gripping, stylish and poignant

if their story seems completely bonkers, almost like a feverish work of fiction, you ain't heard nothing yet.

This is ultimately a movie about the very bad things that can happen when we don't address our unease, when we just try to brush it off, whether that's to fit in or to preserve our self-image.

Well, it's Black History Month, so why not start this off with a bang?Thought I would diversify my reviews with my first ever Madea film, though, unfortunately, not my first Tyler Perry melodrama. See, I've seen a couple of other Lifetime Tyler Perry films and they were so heavy handed, I was hoping for a comedy I thought this was. I was wrong.This was billed as a comedy. Everything I heard about it stated it was funny. I smirked once. Something about imaginary rabbits. That was cute. But the rest of it, not funny. Dramatic, sure. Somewhat Christian message, okay. But hilarious, it was not.Just like the other two Perry films I've sat through, it's a heavy drama with some roundabout religious themes. I mean, I kept thinking aside from Passion of the Christ, this has to be the only other Rated-R Christian film I'm seen. Wow, was I surprised when I did research following that this was NOT Rated-R for all the adult themes and scenes.I digress. It's rated PG-13. Fine. Maybe to sell the movie further to the church-going crowds, I guess. But, this boob-sagging, man-in-drag Madea is anything but a role model for Christians, or even non-religious folk. She/He was a good Gallagher, I suppose, with her/his prop gun that was overused for no real reason.So we have a lawyer's prize wife that needs to get over her cheating, soon-to-always-be ex-husband and fall for an incredibly decent man. That's really the entire gist of the way-too-long two hour drama. Oh, and she's such a bad person/character. She starts off as stupid and blind, then turns clingy, then into a thief and vandal, then into selfish ex-rich girl, then a runaway bride…really she's so reliant on men, even men in drag, she really fits the Perry role model. Tyler's movies really emphasize on how MEN are KINGS and WOMEN are ALWAYS SECOND.Surprisingly, I didn't hate on the movie. I loved that new suitor enough to be interested (Shemar Moore's "Orlando.") He was the only good character that I could cling to and root for. Everyone else either tried too hard to be a caricature of a stereotype or idea of a broken person. Luckily, I can see where they where going with the "funny" scenes to know this movie was meant for a singular audience, but probably not for me.Unfortunately, after they had me in the romance of the title character's Mad Black Woman (even though I always thought that referred to Madea's gun-toting "heroine") the last third got so heavy handed and shifted gears into a Sunday School play of impossible odds, they lost me.It's harmless, really. Not fully recommended, but I guess if you like a more Christian Nutty Professor Reboot, you could do worse. ***Final thoughts: I gave Madea a shot. I was open-minded to finally, after 11 years and 68 Madea sequels I avoided, see one of her/his films. Sadly, she/he was so fake and not really funny, I don't think I need to see the follow-ups.

Diary of A Mad Black Woman is the story of Helen, married to an attorney Charles, her high school sweetheart. They both came from nothing and have built a great life for themselves. There is one dark secret: Their marriage is in trouble.After finding out Charles has been unfaithful on their anniversary and dragged out of the house, she has to come home again. Enter Madea, the two go on a journey with Madea in a way guiding Helen. She builds her life on her own terms and meets Orlando (played by the beautiful and hunkalicious Shemar Moore) and begins a relationship with him.But tragedy ins't far off when Charles is shot by a vengeful client and she decides to care for him.Torn between two men, two choices, one path for Helen.Written with a delicate yet powerful touch, this movie definitely shows Tyler Perry as a great storyteller and while Madea can be a bit much, those who have seen the play have a sense of deja vu.

its funny how the ratings for all the madeas movies are sooo low but the movies are sooo funny.. i will tell you. madea is not for everyone.. its either u love madea or u hate madea.. if you enjoy his movies, you will enjoy all of them. honestly, i am Asian and i believe a lot of the people who gave all the madea movies one star are probably all or majority of them are white. excuse me not just white but racist white folks that probably got offended. if you look at the reviews, a lot of them have 8, 9 or 10 stars but its the 1'z that bring the rating below what it should be. i think the majority of the madeas movies would range from at least 6 to 8 stars if it weren't for those that rated it a 1 because they were offended.

My wife had this on, while I was surfing the web, so I wasn't really watching it. However, I couldn't help but listen. It was so bad, it was enthralling. The dialogue is terrible, particularly during the overblown romantic scenes, which simply define the word 'trite', and the direction appears to have been done by a lobotomised ferret. One moment it's big romantic themes, complete with dreary, emotive music, and the next it's ineptly executed slapstick comedy, with some bloke doing a bad Eddie Murphy and dressing up as an old lady, and her brother. Hilarious. Frankly, it wasn't funny when Murphy did it either. Whoever this guy is, he's extremely lacking in the talent department, and would be better off quitting while he's not ahead.In a nutshell, this movie is unfunny, badly written and deeply, deeply confused. It does comedy, it does romance, it does melodrama, but it does them all badly. All those associated with this film should be banned from their respective industries for at least a decade, so they can learn the error of their ways.