Tyler Perry’s Divorce In The Black Review: Understanding the Impact of Emotional Captivity in Marriages Friday 12 July, 2024
Tyler Perry’s ‘Divorce in the Black’ aims to share a familiar tale from a woman’s point of view, along with serving up a generous portion of relationship advice and cautionary tales.
Tyler Perry’s casting choices add depth to the narrative, with Meagan Good, Cory Hardrict, and Richard Lawson bringing authenticity to their roles as they navigate life after divorce, as all three of them are living their own real-life experiences of being newly divorced currently.
Additionally, the reunion of Meagan Good and Debbi Morgan on screen, this time portraying a mother-daughter relationship, adds a heartwarming touch to the film, especially for those who remember their previous collaboration in ‘Eve’s Bayou’ (1997).
Meet Ava (played by Meagan Good), a preacher’s daughter and successful bank employee, who is married to Dallas (Cory Hardrict). They lead a comfortable life in Atlanta, not too far from their rural roots. While Ava’s parents are loving and supportive, Dallas comes from a violent family of criminals who never approved of his wife. Now, Dallas has had enough and demands a divorce.
Viewers of the film might see Ava’s story as a repetitive one of a woman navigating life after being in an abusive and loveless marriage for years. It’s important to note that not all women in domestic relationships come from broken homes or poverty; some lack support from friends and family. Ava, however, had top-notch support from her parents, best friend, and even her best friend’s husband who held Dallas accountable throughout the movie.
Ava’s character is depicted as having loving, married parents and a positive upbringing. This subtly showcases that coming from a stable, two-parent home doesn’t shield you from making your own choices and facing failures.
Ava’s strong attachment to her relationship with Dallas can be attributed to their history as teenage sweethearts who married young. Growing up together might have hindered Ava’s personal growth cues, leading her to stay in the marriage out of love and duty. Perhaps influenced by her Christian upbringing and her father being a pastor, Ava may have believed divorce was not an option due to her commitment to God. She might have perceived staying with Dallas through abuse as her way of being obedient to God.
Another reason Ava stayed with Dallas could be to save face and try to save him. Coming from a troubled background, Dallas lacked love and stability, which Ava tried to provide by maintaining a corporate job while he struggled with employment and alcoholism. Despite her efforts, Dallas initiated the divorce, leaving Ava feeling like a failure and initially blaming herself for not being a better wife.
The film speaks to the complexities of a woman staying in a marriage for the sake of being married, even in the face of abuse. Some women fear divorce equates to failure, while others believe love can fix all problems. For 20 years, Ava tried to love an unhealed man until Dallas initiated the divorce, forcing her to realize their relationship was over.
As Ava starts to rebuild her life post-divorce, Dallas’s reaction reveals his inability to cope with her moving on. The film showcases the importance of family and friend support, as well as the impact of emotional abuse in relationships.
In ‘Divorce in the Black,’ emotional captivity takes center stage, highlighting how it can keep someone bound in a relationship for years. While the film includes elements of domestic violence, the focus remains on emotional abuse, shedding light on this often overlooked form of abuse.
When you sit down to watch ‘Divorce in Black,’ don’t just focus on its attention-grabbing opening scene (although it does pack a punch and might overshadow the film’s actual plot). Instead, view it as an empowering tale for anyone feeling trapped in a marriage characterized by emotional captivity. Abuse isn’t one-size-fits-all; it comes in various forms, not just physical. Financial abuse, emotional abuse, and mental abuse are equally damaging and deserve more representation on both the big and small screens. It’s crucial for us as a society to broaden our understanding of abuse beyond just physical harm; emotional and mental damage can leave lasting scars on the soul and mind.
Directed by | Tyler Perry
Written by | Tyler Perry
Produced by | Tyler Perry, Meagan Good, Angi Bones, Will Areu, Dianne Ashford
Starring | Meagan Good, Cory Hardrict, Joseph Lee Anderson, Shannon Wallace, Taylor Polidore, with Richard Lawson and Debbi Morgan
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