Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married, Too?

  • Review Date: April 1, 2010
  • PG-13
  • Genre: Drama
  • 2010
Review

Common Sense Media says

Love heals in mature, melodramatic marriage dramedy.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Parents say

Not yet rated

Kids say

AGE
13
QUALITY
 

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this well-intentioned dramedy -- though big on universal and age-blind subjects of forgiveness, friendship and love -- addresses plenty of mature themes, including infidelity, divorce, domestic abuse, unemployment, and death. There’s some social drinking, though little swearing and nudity. Some jokes are based on male and female stereotypes, and one character’s raging jealousy is played for laughs when it’s actually quite dysfunctional.

  • Positive messages0
    Tyler Perry’s characters are all too human, but for each of them, redemption is possible. His movies remind viewers of that we’re all fallible, but it’s in our power to change. Perry shares his usual spiritual message -- that love matters more than physical and material temptation -- but tones down the preachiness here. Still, there are many jokes told at the expense of spouses and partners, and some gender stereotyping, too. (Men should provide for their women, for instance, as if women can't fend for themselves. And this despite some of the characters being successful in their own right.)
  • Positive role models0
    Women of all shapes and sizes are portrayed as beautiful, and they’re almost all committed to the idea of marriage as a demanding, but worthwhile pursuit. Still, one woman seems to relish emasculating her husband, and her rage-filled, jealousy-fueled (though offbase) rants are depicted as hilarious, when they’re actually emotionally exhausting and demeaning. She drinks too much, too, though this isn’t explored. Two characters forget how much they care about each other and move their relationship into physically abusive territory while going through a divorce. Another woman betrays her husband by flirting inappropriately and becoming emotionally involved with another man.
  • Violence2
    Two men trade barbs over a woman. A woman recalls how her ex-husband used to hit her and demean her. A man throws a plant through a door, torches a photo album, manhandles his soon-to-be-ex-wife and argues with her loudly; she, in kind, attempts to bite him and uses a golf club to obliterate every glassy object in their home. Another couple bickers constantly.
  • Sex2
    Some kissing and caressing. Many references to men cheating. A woman conducts an emotional affair. A couple's amorous doings can be heard by a neighbor. Some cleavage shots.
  • Language2
    Words like "ass" and "damn" and "bitch." The N-word is used once (not heatedly).
  • Consumerism1
    Some brands visible (Range Rover, for example, and Heineken).
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking2
    One character is often drinking (out of a flask, ordering shots), but aside from a few jokes, it's not addressed. Others indulge in social drinking. A character mentions smoking pot in the past. Jokes about crack.
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What's the story?

This sequel to 2007’s Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married? finds a group of friends -- regimented psychiatrist Patricia (Janet Jackson) and her husband Gavin (Malik Yoba); feisty salon owner Angela (Tasha Smith) and Marcus (Michael Jai White); soulful Sheila (Jill Scott) and Troy (Lamman Rucker); and even-keeled attorney Dianne (Sharon Leal) and Terry (Tyler Perry) -- reuniting in the Bahamas for their yearly group vacation. The idyll is quickly shattered by the arrival of Mike (Richard T. Jones), Sheila’s ex-husband, who seems determined to join the fun. The holiday goes as smoothly as it can until one couple’s big declaration the night before their departure, which sets off an avalanche of discoveries back home that threaten each coupling.

Is it any good?

 

A good cast is a terrible thing to waste. So it goes with TYLER PERRY’S WHY DID I GET MARRIED, TOO?, whose ensemble is under-served by an over-busy arc. The plot goes into overdrive with emotional affairs; domestic abuse; a near-nervous breakdown; cancer; and death. And that’s doesn’t include the usual Perry themes of jealousy, gender roles, and communication. There’s simply no time to let the stories marinate (and let such icons as Louis Gossett Jr. and Cicely Tyson do more than just drop in). Appealing moments of friendship are punctuated with corny, melodramatic twists that are oversimplified and rushed to a conclusion.

Jackson gets to act, though: She shows off a range never before revealed. As director, Perry succeeded in eliciting her best performance yet. As an actor, he himself exhibits an understatement that’s lacking in his films as a whole. His movies clearly have a message -- in this, it’s that no relationship, no matter how perfect seeming, is immune to challenges, and that love, if allowed to supersede anger, can heal -- and that’s all fine. If only they were better served by tighter pacing and more disciplined storytelling.

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What families can talk about

  • Families can talk about stereotypes. What kinds of stereotypes does this movie set out to overcome, and which does it reinforce?

  • Talk about the challenges that each couple faces: Do they seem real or
    exaggerated for effect? Can one learn from them? If so, what are the lessons?

  • What is the message of the movie? What binds these couples together and what sets them apart?

This review was written by S. Jhoanna Robledo
Teen, 17 years old
July 11, 2011
AGE
14
 
good
pretty funny but the first one is way better.
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Adult
April 13, 2010
AGE
12
 
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Helped me decide (4) | Had useful details (5) | Read my mind (4)
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Kid, 12 years old
April 11, 2010
AGE
12
 
Lets go to the Bahamas!
funny but sexual
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Helped me decide (3) | Had useful details (3) | Read my mind (6)
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Teen, 16 years old
April 10, 2010
AGE
13
 
movie is deep with plenty of messages. a little more graphic though.
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Helped me decide (3) | Had useful details (5) | Read my mind (4)
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Kid, 13 years old
July 26, 2010
AGE
12
 
Why did i watch this boring sequel?
I'm very dissapointed. This movie wasn't as good as the first one. There was too much fighting between all the couples. Most of the fights are for no reason and there was no reason for the husband to be violent on Janet Jackson. Overall It's really boring but i guess some people will enjoy it. 12+
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Helped me decide (4) | Had useful details (3) | Read my mind (4)
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Teen, 16 years old
September 6, 2010
AGE
15
 
Mixed and okay film
Me and my family saw the first one and it was good. The sequel is mixed with funny and violent stuff to a whole new level. Overall it is a okay film not as great as i use to in the first one.
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Helped me decide (2) | Had useful details (4) | Read my mind (3)
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This review was written by S. Jhoanna Robledo
Studio:Lionsgate
Director:Tyler Perry
Cast:Cicely Tyson, Janet Jackson, Jill Scott, Louis Gossett Jr., Malik Yoba, Tyler Perry
Genre:Drama
Run time:121 minutes
Theatrical release date:April 2, 2010
DVD release date:August 31, 2010
MPAA rating:PG-13
MPAA explanation:thematic material including sexuality, language, drug references and some domestic violence
This review was written by S. Jhoanna Robledo
 

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