Tyler Perry‘s Divorce in the Black is an emotional roller coaster, taking the audience through a whirlwind of feelings in its two-hour runtime.
Perry’s overall production and cinematography is much improved from the past. The actors with darker skin tones, for example, are shot well with better angles and lighting.
Now, back to the movie.
Divorce in the Black stars Megan Good and Cory Hardict, former high school sweethearts in their late 30s approaching a crossroads in their relationship. The casting decisions grab the public’s attention as Good, Hardict and Richard Lawson have all gone through public celebrity divorces in the past three years.
People around Good’s character, Ava, constantly tell her she deserves to be in a better situation romantically than her husband Dallas, played by Hardict, but she continues to try to make things work because she doesn’t want to disappoint her family by getting a divorce. Ava goes back home to rediscover herself and comes back to her residence with newfound confidence.
The confidence Ava shows bothers Dallas, which turns the postdivorce period into a toxic and dramatic battle with an unrealistic ending. The ending wasn’t realistic because of what happened at the end. The drama’s pace mirrored a Lifetime movie; so, if you love Lifetime movies, there’s a chance you’ll enjoy this film.
Perry’s comedic timing is still as sharp as it has ever been. This film was a good step in the right direction for him, especially after his work has been parodied on TV shows like Donald Glover’s “Atlanta” for being rushed and predictable. Perry’s projects are getting better, but there’s still work to be done regarding the writing to make the viewing experience — which is very entertaining — more realistic.
You will laugh watching Divorce in the Black. You might cry watching the film — and like plenty of other thrillers — you might grow frustrated by the constant cliffhangers in service of lengthening of the movie. All in all, it is enjoyable and gets people talking.
Rating: 7.1/10
