Oscar time! Tyler Perry has hit the big leagues. For Colored Girls deserves a gold statue for casting, art direction and more than one performance. Go in ready for some serious subject matter and at times awkward stage-to-screen moments, but get ready to be blown away.
Based on the 1975 play "For Colored Girls Who Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf," Ntozake Shange's groundbreaking, award-winning “choreo-poem” in which 7 characters known by colors recite poetic monologues dealing with abuse, abortion, rape, motherhood and identity has been transformed by Perry into a linear screenplay in which all 7, and additional characters are connected by work, home (many live in the same old walk-up apartment building) and family.
Honing a work clearly written for the stage into the more realistic world of film can prove difficult. Poetic realities and suspension of disbelief work magically on stage because the audience is already accepting we're not actually outside (those trees are painted props) whereas in film we ARE outside with real trees and real sunlight. There are times when the poetic verses confuse on the screen (first poem delivered by Nyla / Purple (Tessa Thompson) in dance class) and times they soar (ending poem delivered by Crystal / Brown (Kimberly Elise). Much like getting used to Shakespearean dialogue, I think the poetry in the movie works, once you get accustomed to it.
The play has been called feminist, anti-establishment, anti-men. It’s true with the movie as well that there is only one decent male character (Donald (Hill Harper), cop and supportive husband to social worker Kelly / Blue (Kerry Washington), a character added by Perry. But for all the characters’ unfortunate experiences with men, the issues represented are real, the situations ones you or a woman you know can relate to. And the all-star ensemble cast delivers performances so raw and emotional, you can’t help but feel their heartache.
Anika Noni Rose (Yasmine / Yellow) will make you fall in love with her positive life-loving dance teacher and cry when her life is shattered by naively trusting in the good of people. Having seen her on Broadway and the big screen, this is one actress whose sheer talent is always a joy to watch.
Juanita / Green (Loretta Devine) has the best entrance in the movie (carrying a plant she has watered for her on again, off again boyfriend, Frank (Richard Lawson).
Janet Jackson is perfectly cast as Jo / Red, the only character occupying an upper class role as a control-hungry, magazine editor who eventually has that control taken away from her by her husband Carl (Omari Hardwick). Their relationship comes to an end in climactic fashion with a two-minute monologue shot entirely in tight close-up with no room for hesitation. Ms. Jackson goes balls to the wall with so many real tears, you can only imagine the life experience she has to channel (Michael died during the filming for one).
Crystal’s scenes with her abusive husband Beau Willie (Michael Ealy) and Macy Gray’s appearance as Rose, an alcoholic back-alley abortionist, will make you cringe in your seat and beg for the action to stop. There are comedic moments, thanks to Juanita / Green and Thandi Newton who nailed her character of Tangie / Orange a promiscuous man-eater who gets what she wants. The role was originally leant to Mariah Carrey. Thank god she dropped out (has Perry seen “Glitter”?) because Ms. Newton brings hilarious realness to the role.
Add in Whoopi Goldberg as Alice / White, a religiously-obsessed, entirely unsupportive mother and Phylicia Rashad as Gilda, an apartment manager with tough-love for Crystal and the other women in her building and you have some seriously powerful moments delivered by some seriously powerful actresses.
This is not a feel good movie but I did leave satisfied. For all the fluff out there, it is refreshing to see a movie with so much substance, one that will entertain and leave your thinking. You might need to follow it up with a joyful cocktail and a laugh but go see this movie.
