Diary of a Mad Black Woman the Movie (2005)

Editor's Note Genres and genders collide in this unusual mix of Christian soap opera and raunchy cross-dressing comedy. Tyler Perry adapts his own play--one of a series wherein he personally portrays Grandma Madea, an overweight, no-nonsense, old, Christian, African-American woman. In DIARY OF A MAD BLACK WOMAN, the main character is Helen (Kimberly Elise), whose wealthy, abusive husband Charles (Steve Harris) kicks her out of their mansion after 18 years of marriage. Luckily Grandma Madea is there to offer some tough love. When a gangster's bullet later makes Charles a cripple, Helen has to decide between love (i.e. wreaking Madea-sanctioned old testament vengeance) and Christian duty. The movie then progresses in two directions: the well-acted dramatic side, with Helen getting her life together thanks to the love of the dreamy Orlando (YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS star Shemar Moore) and her hospitalized momma (Cecily Tyson); and the go-for-broke humor side, with Harris whooping it up in unfettered glee as the chainsaw-wielding, pistol-packing Madea (he also plays several other roles). Whatever one's take on the oddness of the combination, there is no denying the power of Perry's unique mixture of cross-dressing outrageousness and Christian good intent, or the fine acting talent of the entire cast.

	Kimberly Elise
	Shemar Moore
	Steve Harris
	Tyler Perry
	Camara Kambon - Original Music By
	Darren Gant - Director
	David Claessen - Cinematographer
	Ina Mayhew - Production Designer
	John Dellaverson, et. al. - Executive Producer
	Reuben Cannon, et. al. - Producer
	Terilyn A. Shropshire - Editor
	Tyler Perry - Based On Play By
	Tyler Perry - Writer

USA Today
"Distinguishing it from mainstream Hollywood fare is its unusual blend of melodrama, comedy, revenge fantasy and a morality play, with an uplifting spiritual underpinning throughout." 02/25/2005 p.9E

Entertainment Weekly
"[Perry] pumps his cliches so full of hot air that they stay aloft even as you're laughing at their brazenness." 03/04/2005 p.49-50

San Francisco Examiner 3 of 10
In short, it's the diary of a mess. Surely some filmgoers will find affirmation in the film's messag - Christy Lemire