Filmmaker Tyler Perry brings his talents to Prime Video for the first film in a four-picture deal with "Divorce in the Black." As he often does, Perry wears two hats in the film, both writing and directing. Ava (Megan Good), a young professional in the banking industry, experiences profound distress when her husband, Dallas (Cory Hardict), chooses to end their marriage, a situation she is relentless in salvaging.
After realizing Dallas's deceitful actions and the subsequent impact on her marital relationship, Ava seeks a fresh beginning and returns to her parent's residence, Reverend Clarence (Richard Lawson), and her committed mother, Gene (Debbi Morgan). As she rediscovers her identity, Ava also endeavors to reignite her romance with Benji (Joseph Lee Anderson). Meanwhile, Dallas remains nearby, demonstrating a reluctance to release their bond.
It has been only five months since Perry's most recent film, "Mea Culpa," was released. As has become customary, the film was met with unfavorable reviews from mainstream critics and gave rise to public memes. While I previously critiqued Perry, around 2013, I ceased to view his work with seriousness and instead adopted the perspective that he caters to his specific audience. Consequently, rather than disparaging his work, I have opted to refrain from watching it if the trailer doesn't catch my eye.
As a fan of the four main actors, I was eager to see Perry's latest film. However, within the film's first fifteen minutes, Perry heavily relies on his usual cinematic tropes, such as a church scene, a bad wig, yelling, and a surprising funeral scene. These elements, while familiar, felt overdone and cliché, which may have left some viewers feeling less engaged.
Once the film moved past these tropes, it became a mixture of Perry's previous movies. Megan Good, who portrays the lead character, gives off a girl-next-door vibe, but her performance felt constrained by the material. On the other hand, Taylor Polidore Williams, who plays Megan's best friend, had a more engaging role, and I would have preferred to see the actors swap roles. This potential for a more engaging performance may leave the audience feeling hopeful and interested.
The film also felt unnecessarily long. Perry could have shortened it to 105 minutes instead of the nearly two-and-a-half-hour runtime. Additionally, the film borrowed plot points from at least three other movies. While there are only seven basic plots, Perry phoned everything in with this one. Despite these issues, the performances of Cory Hardict, Richard Lawson, and Debbi Morgan stood out as the film's saving grace.
I have been a fan of Hardict for a while, and I appreciated his performance in this film. Richard Lawson also delivered intense moments, particularly a line about "coming home" in tough times. It reminded me of something my grandfather used to say. Morgan is just a joy to watch on screen, no matter what the role is.
While I usually enjoy Perry's work, I found "Divorce in the Black" to be a messy film. Despite the cast's efforts to elevate the material, the film struggled to find its genre and cohesive storyline. This struggle may leave the audience feeling more critical and analytical.
Final Grade: C-
"Divorce in the Black" is streaming today on Prime Video.
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