I’m a huge Perry fan, and this was one of the few movies he’s done in recent years that I didn’t see in the theater opening weekend. Turns out my instinct was right, the acting was kinda bad. Although there were some standouts – Vanessa Williams was charming in her small part and Kim Kardashian was solid in hers.
But it was the message in the movie that completely blew me away. After I saw this film, I was overcome by the urge to get my life together. I’m talking dishes washed, clothes picked up, mail shredded, all the while shaking my head occassionally crying out, Lawd have mercy! Without giving too much away, I have to say, ladies, comfortable and a little boring in a mate isn’t nearly as bad as pretty, shiny and quietly a hot mess. In fact, it’s downright beautiful compared to this movie’s alternative.
I appreciate that Perry makes such a strong effort to portray Black people in more complex characterizations than we typically see on the big or small screen, and he didn’t shy away from the truth in this tale – that a half cocked search for a nebulous something more may lead you to a place you wish didn’t go.
A Life Not Grey 