Why Did I Get Married Too (2010)
Directed by Tyler Perry
Written by Tyler Perry
Starring Janet Jackson, Malik Yoba, Sharon Leal, Tyler Perry, Jill Scott
Release Date April 2nd, 2010
I was very surprised when I saw Tyler Perry's “Why Did I Get Married?” It was nothing like Perry's overwrought Madea comedies with their wild shifts of plot and Perry's disturbing drag character. Married was warm and erudite with a simple set up, characters that connected in real ways and a real honesty to the way each marriage and friendship was portrayed. Returning to these terrific characters Perry finds new truths and insights but unfortunately succumbs to some of his worst crowd pleasing instincts.
“Why Did I Get Married Too?” reintroduces us to 4 couples who get together every year to renew their friendships, get away from their kids and remind themselves why they got married. There is Patricia (Janet Jackson) and Gavin (Malik Yoba), the unofficial ringleaders because, it's assumed, they have the best marriage.
There is Terry (Tyler Perry, minus the dress and wig) and Diane (Sharon Leal) seemingly passed their issues with raising kids. Angela (Tasha Smith) and Marcus (Michael Jai White) still dealing with their infidelity and trust issues and even Marcus getting a job hasn't eased their tensions.
Finally there is the continuing drama of Sheila and her new husband Troy (Lamman Tucker). They met when the couples were in Colorado last get together and have married and moved to Atlanta. Unfortunately, Troy is having a hard time finding a job, adding a bit of stress to paying for the yearly jaunt with friends, this time in the Bahamas.
Making matters worse for Sheila and Troy is the unexpected arrival of her ex Mike (Richard T. Jones) who finds out about Troy's troubles and makes things worse by needling him about it. Mike also claims to still be harboring feelings for Sheila and longs to get her alone for a moment. When he does get Sheila alone? Wow, a big scene for Jill Scott that may leave some dabbing away tears.
The trip to the Bahamas encompasses about the first hour or so of “Why Did I Get Married Too?” and does well to remind us of these characters we care about while setting the stakes for new discoveries about each of them and the new conflicts that will drive the plot.
Sadly, once the story returns to the mainland in Atlanta things go from warm yet tense to overwrought and soapy. Tyler Perry's Madea movies have always been about delivering obvious social commentary wrapped in wild, over the top comedy. He eluded those instincts in the first film allowing the film to flow naturally even through scenes that audiences were not going to be comfortable with, including scenes of extended dialogue uninterrupted by forced humor or Madea schtick. Given Perry's history these scenes were downright daring.
The second half of “Why Did I Get Married Too?” doesn't make us suffer Madea eruptions but it does indulge Perry's taste for forced dramatics, forced humor and generally overdone theatrics that take the place of the drama the screenplay fails to create. Credit this exemplary cast for managing to keep us involved even as they are forced to overplay scene after scene.
“Why Did I Get Married Too?” fails to capture the heart, humor and smarts of “Why Did I Get Married?” Writer and director Tyler Perry cannot resist the pull of simple minded over-dramatics that easily manipulate an audience toward the wanted to response. It's the same forced crowd pleasing style that has wounded each of his Madea movies. With each forced moment the promise Perry showed with the original Married slips away.
What a shame, “Why Did Get Married?” seemed like a revelation and a promise. “Why Did I Get Married Too?” squanders that promise and reveals Perry as an artist driven by the fear of not pleasing his audience rather than serving what is best for his story and trusting that the audience will follow along.
