Diary Of A Mad Black Woman Review
by Robin Clifford (robin AT reelingreviews DOT com)February 26th, 2005
"Diary of a Mad Black Woman"
Charles McCarter (Steve Harris) is a star in Atlanta's legal community and his loyal wife, Helen (Kimberly Elise), has stuck by him through thick and thin for the 18 years of marriage. On the eve of their anniversary, he receives a prestigious award in recognition of his hard work. On what should be a magical night, he drops a bomb on Helen, telling her that their marriage has run its course and she must make way for "the other woman." Suddenly, she finds herself an outcast from her own home and doesn't have a clue as to why in "Diary of a Mad Black Woman."
Writer-director-costar Tyler Perry adapts his own play to the big screen in a hodge-podge of drama and slapstick comedy that, surprisingly, sometimes entertains and amuses. The main premise of “Diary of a Mad Black Woman" hinges on the fact that Helen never saw the fact that she was married to a royal jerk for 18-years. Charles physically hauls his wife out of their mansion to be replaced by trophy bimbo, Brenda (Lisa Marcos), a leggy younger woman who can give Charles the kids he claims Helen denied him. It is a moustache twirling, shallow bad guy performance that is far from believable but Harris makes Charles the kind of guy you love to hate.
Star Elise gives a bewildered, angst ridden performance that turns to anger under the tutelage of her spunky, gun-toting grandma, Medea (Tyler Perry), who helps to instill backbone into her granddaughter to stand up for her rights and get what is rightly hers after a lifetime of sacrifice for Charles's career. Out of context with the darkness of Helen's plight, Tyler Perry provides copious comic relief as the outspoken Madea. Her antics take you away from Helen's madness for revenge against Charles and the budding love story between her and the hunky guy, Orlando (Shemar Moore), who tried to help the shattered Helen the night she was thrown out of her home. Perry runs with the absurdity of his character and makes it an integral, often amusing part of "Diary of a Mad Black Woman.
This kitchen sink film never finds its level but pushes enough of the appropriate buttons to help the screening audience I saw the film with to make it an interactive event – especially when Charles gets his. "Diary of a Mad Black Woman" tries to do too many things and only succeeds in some of them. Some may question the combination of marital drama and madness with earthy slapstick humor but it, surprisingly, works – at times. I give it a C+.
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