Tyler Perry’s “For Colored Girls” is actually the cinematic adaptation of Ntozake Shange’s 1975 play “For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf.” The original is a series of 20 beautiful poems, and unfortunately I felt like I needed the script there with me to fully grasp the movie. Such beautiful language would be easy to read, not necessarily listen to. This made the movie feel like a series of complicated and descriptive monologues strung together by a plot line delivered in normal spoken English. THe movie had a star studded cast: Janet Jackson, Thandie Newton, Loretta Devine, Anika Noni Rose, Kimberly Elise, Kerry Washington, Phylicia Rashad, Tessa Thompson, and Whoopi Goldberg.

Without giving too much away, there were two events in the movie that made it worth seeing. The acting for those scenes was heart wrenching and horrifying – not a dry eye in the theater. Kimberly Elise’s performance was amazing – her character broke my heart and resonated with many people in the theater because she had a loved one who suffered from war-induced Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Akina Noni Rose, who you may know as the voice of Tiana in Disney’s Princess and the Frog, delivered a beautiful performance. Of all the poems, hers was the easiest for me to understand. It was clear and powerful, and wasn’t bogged down by flowery language. It will hit home for women across the world – its message transcended all races, nationalities, and ages.

As a film, it had too many plot lines, and although Tyler Perry attempted to connect all the leading ladies, it was difficult to for me to follow their stories. I probably would have enjoyed it better as a play, or a piece of literature to read. “For Colored Girls” had a lot of potential to be an amazing film, and I wouldn’t have minded if it was longer.

For those who wanted “For Colored Girls” to be an uplifting sort of movie, this wasn’t quite it. In my opinion, it presented the many different issues and struggles that face African American women and women in general. While it may be comforting to see that yes, other women have faced tribulations, the movie didn’t fully resolve each character’s story. It was much like reality – none of the ladies had a story book ending.

If this is the sort of movie that you need in your life, i highly recommend it. If you’re just looking for something to watch on a Saturday night, I say pass.

What did you think of the movie?