Yes, those plays/movies DO contain many stereotypes but I don't think that it is any more or less realistic than how things really are. I mean, there ARE a lot of stupid and ignorant people in this world. TP is only showing it from the black perspective. What's more is that IN THE END, the woman always ends up with a GOOD black man who isn't always a doctor/lawyer, what have you and it's not always like every woman his movies are angels. His last film showed how shallow a black woman was, dumping on and cheating on her husband with a white guy who was a complete dick and dumped her ass when the s*** hit the fan. What he NEVER seems to do, however - at least yet, is to show a BM/WW relationship. I can agree with everyone on that.
His movies aren't that bad...it's no worse than white dudes and all of the "Superbad" and "40-Year Old Virgin" type movies...films where goofy ass dudes try with varing levels of success to get some booty....haven't seen any films like that for young black men...apparently...no one wants to see us get some booty..LOL....or Asian dudes being confined to martial-arts action flicks that only differentiate based on the time period and location of the movie. The issue with his movies is that it always places the BW as bystander to the unpredictable whims of the BM. That the BW is essentially flawless except that she must learn to speak up and become more forceful (I don't think anyone else except BW think they need to be more assertive...I love my sistas though) while the BM must reform his ways and become 'better'...and that a BM that is anything but blue collar is somehow a bad man. Sistas should give blue collar...good men a shot but that doesn't mean that every educated brotha with gainful employment is a cad and a playboy..although I do think some of brothas take advantage of their "status."
I've never seen a Tyler Perry movie but speaking as an educated, proudly bourgie black man I'm not too into what I have seen (previews, plot synopses, etc). I'm more the early Spike Lee (his 1st 5 movies in particular)-slash-Cosby Show type. When I get some time I'm gonna rent a few of them just to see what the hype is all about though. I will credit him for employing many great black actors but the material doesn't do too much for me from what few bits I've seen.
I don't watch Tyler Perry's work. His programming usually sets off false stereotypes about how black people live and act, just like hip-hop music does with the massive uses of the n-word. Of course, I don't think the n-word is that prevalent in his work, but in his Madea series, black people really don't act like that in this series: Madea being all aggressive and too authoritiative, and the black men being too indecisive and narrow-minded.
I wish there were black movies that deal with life on both sides of the issues rather than always slanted to one side. I guess I will never see that in my lifetime.
As long as the brotha does not score the winning touchdown (or play the role of hero) and then score with his white girlfriend on national television (i.e., AS LONG AS THE MOVIE DOES NOT REFLECT THE REAL LIVES OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN MEN)............... .....then it will be shown in EVERY movie theater in America, especially during the holidays.....LOL. If you made a good movie about these two, it probably would sell out in Germany. Instead, if I want to see myself, I have to watch Madea? WE ARE SO DAMN PHUCKED UP AMERICAN.
I personally thought that was very selfish on the player's part; personal lives of players should be kept off the field. I'm the old school type in watching sports, I don't want to see stupid TD dances and unnecessary demonstrations. I would say something like Soul Food would make for the ideal black movie.
Exactly. A lot of guys are being pretty harsh on Mr. Perry Even in the first movie he made from the play - "Diary of a Mad Black Woman". Yes there was the element of bastard husband pisses wife off until she takes retribution through a bit of chastisement (which was clearly wrong and addressed by the end of the film) but even in that film there was another couple in which Perry being the husband, dealt with a crackhead wife. He basically had nothing to do with her until she sobered up. The over the top things in the film are done strictly for entertainment. I think most of his films are pretty even-handed, especially now. Most of his films lately seem to have went away from the light/silly moments to more serious themes. So it isn't just one-sided as many would like to believe. I would STILL like to see him have the courage to make a film around a BM/WW relationship though. I see most of his films because my mother gets damned near everything the guys makes and we usually watch a couple of movies when I go over on the holidays.
This is true. I understand what some folks are saying about Tyler Perry movies . But I cant knock the man for making his money legally. I will also say that if you dont like it, dont watch them . We all know a lot of those "black' movies do cater to a certain audience. So if you ahv eto see one go in to it know that that is the situtation. turst me being forced to go see Waiting to Exhale back in the 90's with Ma was no picnic for me either but I knew whao that movie catered to. Just didnt understand the other messages in the movie at the time :smt119
**** Spoiler **** Isn't that the one where all of the man's problems started when he took interest in a white girl?
I just watched This Christmas... and.. as you can guess.. there was a requisite scene involving black men, beating the shit out of each other.. I like the addition of a white girl to the movie, to stir things up a bit