IN THE NEWS by Will Santana on Oct 13, 2010

Tyler Perry has built an empire with success from his movies and plays. I’m not a fan of either but noticed how women are his target audience. I personally feel you either love him or hate him as a writer and director. Although I would never knock someone from his success, what is it about his films that his fans love? I’m forced to watch every Tyler Perry production due to my wife’s passion for his movies. So far I’ve only enjoyed two of them. I would easily recommend the two films I like to anyone. Daddy’s Little Girls and Why Did I Get Married Too? Daddy’s Little Girls is a film that's finally from the male perspective, and goes against all stereotypes that black men from the hood are deadbeat fathers. It proves that there are some fathers from lower income communities that will do anything for their children. Why Did I Get Married Too? seemed like a marriage therapy session. Different couples facing different obstacles in order to save their relationships. The twist to each couple’s issues made this film a good watch for me.

Now his plays are slightly different than his films, I believe there is a lot more humor in his plays but I can’t handle all the singing. I’ve managed to watch a few of his plays and didn't like them. They weren’t bad to watch but not something I’m sure I will view again anytime soon. On November 5th I will be forced to watch his upcoming film For Colored Girls. His new movie appears to be another chick flick but I’m hoping it will be one I can enjoy.

I decided to ask a few black women (who I happen to know are huge fans of Mr. Perry) a few questions. I wanted them to voice their opinions and express what is it about his films that I’m not understanding or appreciating. Not only me but the rest of the world could probably use a better understanding. When I read some reviews online about Tyler Perry, it frustrates me to see that some reviewers never give him a chance. They automatically give his movies the worst rating possible. Now if you view one of his films and honestly don’t like it, then I can accept that. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and everyone has different tastes.

For my interview I spoke to four women. I decided to group the women with two separate groups of questions. I now leave the floor to Naseen, Sadie, Wanda and my wife Debra.

Q. Do you prefer Tyler Perry’s motion pictures or his plays?

Sadie:To be honest I love both. I like the fact that the plays are just as good as the movies.

Wanda: I began to notice him in his plays and I feel that you can feel the connection in the plays especially when they are singing a song pertaining to a situations in a scene, and when it’s the right song everyone feels it.

Q. Would any other race or gender be able to relate to his movies? Why?

Sadie: Yes, I believe all races can relate to his movies. Tyler Perry gives real life situations in all his plays and movies. NO matter the race we all have the same issues in life.

Wanda: Tyler Perry movies are based on everyday life situations and all races and genders can relate, if anyone has been in a relationship I think they have had or at least went through an experience that they can relate to in the movie or plays.

Q. What’s the most memorable scene in a Tyler Perry movie that you will never forget?

Sadie: I would say in his first movie the Diary of a Mad Black Woman when Madea went into the house and started tearing up clothes and cutting furniture and when she said "No wire hangers," I will never forget that scene.

Wanda: In Diary of a Mad Black Woman, I have two great scenes I hate and love. When he threw his wife out of the house, I was shocked and awed! This happens everyday, sad to say, but the way he put her out there with the hollering and screaming and begging how can a husband treat a wife like he did?  To be forgiven at the end and leave him at the table with the ring and divorce papers says it all!

Q. How does Tyler Perry stand out differently than any other writer/director in Hollywood?

Sadie: Tyler Perry is one of a kind. Not only does he tell it like it is, he brings comedy to real life situations. I don’t know any other writer or director that can top Tyler Perry. He is one talented man that plays two people. His character Madea is one to remember. Who can forget Madea?

Wanda: I don't think that he is just targeting black women audiences, his story lines are based on women situations, I feel he is just telling his story from his point of view.

Q. Do his films ever relate to you? If yes which film in particular relates to you the most?

Naseen: Madea’s Family Reunion because Vanessa was living with Carlos and was getting physically abused and was covering it up. Pretending everything was okay when it really wasn't. My case was more emotional abuse but I really felt I could relate because her mom was making it hard for her. The man she was dating was a lawyer and felt the guy was her way out of her current living situations. I felt I wore the mask when I was really unhappy on the inside, even though my mom didn’t make it hard for me; I was wearing the mask around other associates.

Debra: I have been able to relate to some situational circumstances and crises that Tyler has explored throughout his movies. Diary of a Mad Black Woman hit home for me particularly. Tyler was playing the husband to his drug addicted wife who kept re-entering his and their kid’s lives, trying to be part of the family. Having a mother of my own who once faced this crossroad brought back a lot of emotional memories for me. Tyler showed three very emotional points of view which I could relate to. A child’s outlook, a caretaker’s perspective and a mother’s way of thinking. The kid’s view was they loved their mother unconditionally and they were willing to accept their mother just how she was.  The caretaker’s view was that their job was to protect their children from being hurt by the behavior and the influences that the drug had on the mother that might have a bearing on the children. The mother’s point of view was that she loved her children no matter what and that she wanted out from her addiction. She missed her family and even though she dropped in and out of their lives, she never forgot where they were.

Q. If you had to recommend a Tyler Perry movie to a male to watch, which one would you choose and why?

Naseen: Madea’s Family Reunion, Vanessa had two kids and a man kept approaching her but was very patient with her. Once he got to know her, he understood her more on how she had been mishandled by men and how she was abused. I like the way he took his time and didn’t pressure her for sex. He took her kids out to the park and for ice cream. He was such a gentleman to her and every woman needs the experience of a man who looks beyond the surface.

Debra: I would recommend Daddy’s Little Girls to all males. Daddy Little Girls gives a voice to males who are playing both father and mother roles in their kid’s lives. In today’s society, we don’t hear much about male single parenting or the court’s ruling in favor of a father’s best interest of his children. Most people who have seen this movie believe this film to primarily be about fathers in the hood taking care of their children. This indeed is a key point of the movie but I found this movie to go beyond fathers or minorities in the hood taking care of the kids. This movie gave me the realization that there are plenty of deadbeat mommies who have been granted the privilege, through some family law court, to raise their kids. Unfortunately, there is not much we can do if we don’t have enough fathers who are willing to have the courage and strength to fight for the rights of their kids.

Q. What’s the one thing you will never forget from a Tyler Perry movie?

Naseen: In A Family That Preys to see how much women take, tolerate and accept from men. It's generational. KaDee Stirckland is married to William Cartwright; she figures out that her husband was cheating on her. She goes to her mother-in-law and she notifies her that her son is cheating. Giving her complete details on what room he’s in and what set dates he goes to cheat on her. William’s mother accepted it and taught her how to play the game of accepting your husband to cheat.

Debra: I will never forget the emotion the mother carried from Diary of a Mad Black Woman when she walked into the church ready to surrender to god. It saddens me to see that we as people use god as a last resort.  We use god as an option but we expect him to make us a priority which in result he always does. The mother then walks in singing with such a beautiful voice to the song titled "Father Can You Hear Me."

From speaking with all four women, I’ve learned they don’t watch Tyler Perry movies as black films. They look at his movies as if they are more for a woman’s point of view. Regardless if you’re white, black, Asian or any other race his films are meant to show a side of relationships that most people tend to deny exist. His movies seem to always have an important life message or moral concept on how to respect yourself and your relationship.

I’m still not a fan of Tyler Perry, but I respect his movies a little more after listening to these women and watching a few of his plays and movies. I hope you can do the same.