WHAT’S IT ABOUT
Ava’s husband, Dallas, leaves her heartbroken as he deserts their marriage. Dallas’ malicious actions unravel as Ava gets a chance to find true love with her destined soulmate.
MOVIESinMO REVIEW
One of the most confusing impossibilities in the entertainment world is Tyler Perry. His tendency to affix his name to mediocre projects like Divorce in the Black is mystifying. This absurdly ludicrous film available on Prime Video makes his recent Netflix endeavor, Mea Culpa, appear like a masterpiece. Meagan Good’s committed performance is noteworthy. Divorce in the Black begins with one of Perry’s most outrageous scenes, which is remarkable considering he once had Madea assault a fast-food employee in Madea’s Big Happy Family. In this scene, a preacher gives a sermon at the funeral of one of the Bertran boys, a family of notorious troublemakers. His daughter, Ava, is married to one of them, Dallas. The situation intensifies when the Bertrans decide to leave the funeral with the body, removing their brother’s corpse from the casket and taking him home in the back of their truck. It’s poorly written, over-the-top nonsense, but wildly entertaining. Unfortunately, Divorce in the Black never again reaches this level of delirious camp. The movie centers around Ava, who is inexplicably married to Dallas, the comically awful son of a cartoonishly villainous family accused of numerous crimes. The funeral in the opening scene is for one of Dallas’s brothers, and Ava’s father, Clarence, explains this at length during the eulogy. Despite this setup, the film focuses on Ava and Dallas’s troubled marriage. Ava is successful, loving, and supportive, while Dallas is a miserable burden on her life. During a dinner with friends, he loudly announces his desire for a divorce, sending Ava into a tailspin. However, Perry never portrays Dallas as anything but contemptible, making it hard to empathize with Ava’s suffering since it’s clear that divorcing Dallas would be beneficial for her. Ava works at a bank. Hence, the “in the black” connection, owns a big house, adheres to local fashion codes, and drives a nice car. All she wants is a loving and safe marriage. Still, her religious principles won’t allow her to give up on her loser husband. When the subject of divorce arises, Dallas, drunk on brown liquor, declares in a crowded restaurant, “Black women ain’t shit.” This sets Ava free to reconnect with Benji (Joseph Lee Anderson), the man she should have married. A story about a woman leaving an abusive relationship and coming into her own requires much more than Perry is willing to give. While he’s best known for his Madea comedies, his sincere dramas like Good Deeds, For Colored Girls, and I Can Do Bad All By Myself show his capability for emotional depth and balance. However, Divorce in the Black vacillates between earnestness and ridiculousness, creating uncomfortable mismatches in tone. Perry can’t decide between sincerity and schlock, resulting in a queasy mix. Despite the film’s flaws, Meagan Good gives Ava impressive depth, exuding charisma and charm while striving to forge a new life. Good has long been a great actress, and her performance here reminds us she deserves leading roles. For reasons beyond explanation, people watch and enjoy these movies in great numbers, and thanks to its ridiculous opening, Divorce in the Black is already gaining semi-virality on social media. Tyler Perry remains an untouchable and inexplicable force in the industry, continually producing terrible movies at an alarming rate. His output might never cease, and many years from now, we might still be asking these same questions.
OUR RATING – A LITIGATED 2