“YOU GO GIRLS”
Starring: Anika Noni Rose, Kerry Washington, Janet Jackson, Kimberly Elise, Phylicia Rashad, Loretta Devine, Tessa Thompson, Whoopi Goldberg and Thandie Newton
Directed by: Tyler Perry
MPAA Rating: R for some disturbing violence including a rape, sexual content and language
Genre: Drama and Adaptation
Running Time: 2hs 14min
Release Date: November 5th, 2010
Distributed by: Lionsgate Films
By John Delia
The disturbing and provocative film For Colored Girls hits the screen from its long run in legitimate theatres. With a cast of African American super stars, superb writing/direction the movie provides a canvas of characters that are touching, gut-wrenching, crass, emotional, protective, desperate, weak and abused due to the situations in which they find themselves. I liked this film very much and recommend it highly for mature adults.
The film weaves together the stories of nine different women – Jo, Tangie, Crystal, Gilda, Kelly, Juanita, Yasmine, Nyla and Alice – as they move into and out of one another’s existences; some are well known to one another, others are as yet strangers. Crises, heartbreaks and crimes will ultimately bring these nine women fully into the same orbit where they will find commonality and understanding. Each will speak her truth as never before. And each will know that she is complete as a human being, glorious and divine in all her colors.
The original title for the film was taken from the play “For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf,” but has been shortened so the marketers and theatres can promote the film properly. Tyler Perry adapts the film from the play by Ntozake Shange who wrote the piece as a chorepoem in 1974. In it she exposes the black female experience through poetry, dance and music. Perry brings the story to the screen in vivid passages showing the heartbreak, emotions, distraught feelings and outcome of the nine women extracted from Shange’s poetry.
Strong direction by Perry puts the moviegoer into all the dramatic action challenging them to witness each woman’s ordeal and make their own judgments. His ability to work with the high-powered cast making each character realistic shows how brilliant he has become.  I love the way Perry slowly deals out his characters, each coming into contact with each other, on their way to the emotional ending.
It is hard to choose which actor gives the best performance as I found it a team effort. The only negative I found is lodged in the script that is a bit longwinded for the screen. The characters were a bit over emotional at times much like in the film Precious where it becomes so bleak it’s depressing. But, you’ll easily get over it.
The film is rated R for some disturbing violence including a rape, sexual content and language.
FINAL ANALYSIS: A gut-wrenching film that has ‘must see’ written all over it. (5 of 5)