I just watched the trailer for Tyler Perry’s new movie “The Family That Preys”, and I’m asking myself do I really want to spend the money to go see it?? I have seen every Tyler Perry play and movie. I am a fan of the plays, the movies not so much. I have seen the beauty of his plays stripped down and drawn out into these boring two hour sob stories, and this is not to put his work down. I think he is a tremendous talent. I think he’s found a way to be extremely political, socially conscious and hilarious in a way that most people can’t. He tells black stories, stories that relate to the hearts of our parents and grandparents but also to the ever changing youth. I just don’t think his genius translates into film or television. I think that he fails where most people fail in telling black stories. They ignore the black middle class(the most over looked class of people in the world) . The characters in his movies are either extremely wealthy or crackheads and that’s a not reality for most of the people who go to see his movies. People who support him are working middle class black folks; school teachers, social workers, daycare providers, and construction workers. I understand where the need to portray images of positive successful black people, when popular culture would have us believe that only rappers or Oprah are the only success stories black people have. Not True.
I have until 9/12 to make up my mind. I know that I will end up in line on opening night. Even If I don’t agree with him ignoring the black middle class, at least his making an effort to show black people in a positive light. We gotta get our foot in the door somehow.
Thanking Tyler Perry,
KD
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