"Why Did I Get Married Too?" Movie Review (2010)

Movie Review

"Why Did I Get Married Too?"

Directed by Tyler Perry, Written by Perry, 120 Minutes, Rated PG-13

By our guest blogger, Rob Stammitti

Something tells me that Tyler Perry may never get the respect he really deserves. He's gotten quite a bad rap from a lot of people since he hit Hollywood with "Diary of a Mad Black Woman," the first of his many films featuring his wild, amoral and violent character Madea, and based on responses to his films since then, critics seem to really have it out for him.

I, as someone willing to give pretty much everyone a chance, think the man is severely underappreciated. "Why Did I Get Married Too" is not a great film--it seems to me as if Perry's work perhaps belongs on the stage where it originated, as the writing and performances are more suited for such a venue--but for every aggravating and obnoxious "Barber Shop" and "Soul Plane" that comes out, Perry counters it with his rather witty and pleasant comedies and makes filmmakers like the Wayans brothers look evn more like fools.

"Why Did I Get Married Too" is a sequel to Perry's 2007 film of the same name (minus the "Too"). Every performer from that film returns here. I haven't actually seen that first movie--even I was on the Perry-hating bandwagon back then--so I don't know how true to those characters or stories he is here, but regardless, "Why Did I Get Married Too" is a pretty enjoyable comedy-drama whether you've seen the original or not.

The film follows four married couples who go to the Bahamas for vacation. There's Terry and Diane (Tyler Perry and Sharon Leal), Sheila and Troy (Jill Scott and Lamman Rucker), Angela and Marcus (Tasha Smith and Michael Jai White), and Patrica and Gavin (Janet Jackson and Malik Yoba). Throughout the film these four seemingly perfect marriages are revealed to be much less so, disintegrating into selfishness, violence, anger and infidelity, all beginning with Sheila's ex-husband, Mike (Richard T. Jones), arriving at their vacation house uninvited.

Perry's films all tend to balance drama and comedy, and it's in that balance that most of the really big flaws come out. As a playwright his ideas surely come out a lot better on the stage, as the performances can become extremely overdramatic and occasionally silly, whereas on the stage the raw emotion and histrionics probably suit the material better. This film is a lot less tonally wild as some of his others, but it's still a very noticeable problem, especially in the final act where things really start hitting the fan.

But the film succeeds a lot more as a comedy, where the characters rapport is comparable in pace and content to a Woody Allen film. In fact, "Why Did I Get Married Too" is almost like Perry's own "Husbands & Wives," balancing wit and drama to explore the possibilities of relationships triumphing or failing under pressure. Of course, Perry doesn't come close to matching the overall quality of something written by Allen--his ideas on relationships and love are pretty simplistic when really scrutinized--but the general tete-a-tete of the film is pretty similar. The film is definitely at its best in these moments.

The performances aren't really anything to brag about for the most part, but Michael Jai White is pretty hysterical as Marcus and Tasha Smith pulls off a pretty funny performance as Angela, who in many ways is the doppelganger for the absent Madea in this film, ranting, screaming and gun-toting her way through some of the films funniest moments. She really chews up the scenery, but she gets a lot of laughs out of it.

Perry's work leaves a lot to be desired, for sure, but his films tend to be relatively entertaining and clever and he does tend to strike some good dramatic notes. Overall, "Why Did I Get Married Too" is another Perry film that is certainly flawed but well-worth the watch.

Grade: B-

View the trailer for "Why Did I Get Married Too" below. What did you think of the movie?