Tyler Perry's I Can Do Bad All By Myself Directed by: Tyler Perry Cast: Taraji P. Henson, Adam Rodriguez, Tyler Perry Running Time: 1 hr 55 mins Rating: PG-13 Release Date: September 11, 2009
Plot: A selfish lounge singer (Henson) must learn the responsibility of family when she is left in care of her misguided niece and two nephews.
Who’s It For? Perry’s faithful audience – both to a higher being and to everything the entrepreneur has ever released (plays, TV shows, feature films). They’ll have no problem accepting the same preaching echoed from his previous works. But those who haven’t already gotten into the world of Perry will probably be bored.
Expectations: Having seen a fair amount of Tyler Perry's plays (and a few of his films), I didn't expect much from I Can Do Bad All By Myself to be different. I assumed that a character going down the wrong path would be directed towards a more pure happiness through Jesus, and I was right. But I didn't know Madea would be so damn funny this time around.
SCORECARD (0-10)
Actors: Taraji P. Henson as April: Another lead female from Perry that is destined to ride on some type of road to “recovery,” April is given the bare complexities of a soap opera character. Henson’s solid performance is certainly above that label, but she too easily becomes an instrument to the over-drama that Perry drenches his work with. Considering her nomination for last year's The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Henson should know now that she's better than this. Score: 6
Adam Rodriguez as Sandino: Someone has to anchor the moral change that affects April, but this character is far too perfect. It's a wonder that his teeth don't glisten every time he smiles or says something that makes himself out to be The Most Courteous Human Being In The History Of The Universe. Score: 3
Tyler Perry as Madea/Joe: Even in Madea Goes To Jail, the hilarious title character that continues a legacy of comedians dressing up as old women only had about 30 percent of screen time, as she was utilized for improvised, hit or miss comic relief. This round, Madea begins the film, but has little influence on the rest of the events, and is used by Perry whenever he feels the film needs a recess from drama. But frankly, we never see her, (or her weed smoking brother Joe), enough. (Quick note: what's with the Straw Dogs rip-off poster featuring Madea? Very odd.) Score: 6
Talking: Nearly every scene seems to be some sort of dramatic confrontation, which is handled by a shouting match. But you should know, Mr. Perry, an effective argument is not about two people yelling up the volume (or how many tears they can produce) – it’s about how effective the words are that they speak. Score: 3
Sights: Some brief and unnecessary flashbacks are thrown in randomly, which are more cheesy than emotional. They’re oftentimes too obvious, as if Perry doesn’t think his audience has the ability to imagine for themselves the events that are being referred to. The film does a poor job in trying to hide the fact that it is blatantly shot on a set. With the processing method of Tyler Perry even more visible, there’s definitely no movie magic here. Score: 3
Sounds: Just like in Perry's plays, there are spontaneous musical numbers written for the production that cover some moral theme expressed in the story. The most powerful is the title track song, which is performed by Mary J. Blige. Gladys Knight and Pastor Marvin Winans sing a couple of songs on the religious pulpit, and as wonderful as they are, they are accomplices in dragging out the film longer than it needs to be. Score: 6
OVERALL
Here's more overdrawn melodrama manufactured by a man who has a beloved formula that can turn any moral dilemma into a dark tunnel on its way towards the Christian light. For good Perry measure, there are elements of new faith, broken homes, moral turnarounds, and a few sprinkles of child abuse to make sure that the only original material can be found in Madea's ramblings - which are at least successfully rambled by Perry and are funnier than usual.
It's not a problem if a filmmaker wants to preach, but it is a issue when a film's soul is too forced to feel genuine, like a singer guilty of hamming it up too much when trying to convey their spirits. It is possible, I believe, for Perry to make a film that sometimes feels entirely like going to church. He just needs to trim to the dramatic fat.
The construction of Tyler Perry movies are too similar, and in turn so are their flaws. With a strict recipe list in hand, this is the same storytelling we've seen from nearly every other Tyler Perry production - but we didn't need a movie with this title to know that he really could do bad all by himself.
Final Score: 4/10