Tyler Perry Doesn’t Quite Deliver With ‘Why Did I Get Married Too’

By: Amanda Anderson

We have all been waiting for this sequel. And it’s pretty understandable why we are all so excited. “Why Did I Get Married?” has to be one of Tyler Perry’s strongest films. Part of the reason the first film was such a success was because Perry was able to bring the realities of marriage to the big screen, and show the audience that it takes more than love to make a marriage work. Three black couples showed us all that there will be moments in your marriage where you have to fight, and some moments when you just have to walk away. As much as I loved the first film, I just wanted to walk away from this movie.

Now I know Tyler Perry fans will disagree, but as a journalist, I have to give an honest review. And honestly, the movie was actually quite good, until the last ten minutes of the film.

You may wonder how it is possible that the last ten minutes of a film can ruin it completely, but in “Why Did I Get Married Too?”, that is exactly what happened. I walked out of the theatre wondering if the screen writers had just given up on the film. The ending was rushed, butchered, and downright weird.

Before I get into the negatives, let’s talk about the positives, shall we?

The Cast

I absolutely love the cast. I’m glad they all returned for the sequel because they were stellar in the first film. Stand out performances go to Janet Jackson, Tasha Smith, and Malik Yoba.

There was quite a lot of growth in the characters. Janet Jackson returns as the seeming less perfect Patricia Agnew. As we can recall from the first film, Patricia has a problem with her emotions. She keeps a lot of pain bottled up in the inside, and this time, it’s causing a real strain on her marriage. While she continuously asks her friends to “communicate” with their spouses, she has ceased all communication with her husband Gavin (who is played by Malik Yoba). Gavin has lost all understanding and both characters take a unhealthy turn for the worst. Their unhealthy marriage is the main focus of the film.

Tasha Smith makes the movie, just as she did the first film. She still doesn’t trust her husband Marcus (played by Michael Jai White), and their ridiculous marriage supplies the comic relief that this film so desperately needed. While the other couples will have you in tears from their problems, these two will have you laughing in just about every scene.

The Plot

Just like the previous film, all of the couples (well sort of) go on their annual marriage retreat. Fresh from divorce, Sheila is newly married to Troy Jackman (played by Lamman Rucker). While they are getting adjusted to a new baby boy and new life in Atlanta, the other couples are dealing with their own issues that pose major complications to their marriages. As if Sheila doesn’t have enough problems, her ex-husband Mike (played by Richard T. Jones) makes a surprise and very unwelcome visit. Diane (Sharon Leal) and Terry (Tyler Perry) battle trust issues. As the problems get harder, each couple must fight to pick up the pieces. Unfortunately, one of the marriages just doesn’t make it. And this is when the movie gets intense.

The overall plot was very well thought out and entertaining. I was moved by the acting, and quite happy with the character development. Unlike the first film, I was able to feel each character’s particular situation, and most of the film was very enjoyable. Too bad it didn’t stay like this.

Now let’s get to the ugly.

Death

I won’t lie to you, someone dies in this film. While I won’t tell you who it is, the ending alone will either excite you or make you terribly angry. I experienced the latter. The ending managed to undo all of the wonderful writing that the first half of the movie offered.

I’m not one of those people that despises killing off characters. I get it. I understand it’s needed every now and then for every great story. I’m disappointed in the death scene because the movie just didn’t do the fallen character any justice. They killed the character off like he/she was merely a prop and inessential to the film.

The resulting hospital scene was comedic when it should have been heart breaking. Janet Jackson delivered in this scene, but bad writing just prevailed in this particular moment. This scene was obviously rushed, and it’s clear that the ending is an alternative one to a more fitting one that was scrapped as a result of Michael Jackson’s untimely death.

Cameo Appearance

A couple minutes after the death, there is a surprise cameo from a very handsome ex-pro wrestler turned actor, and I can’t help but ask myself where the hell he came from. His cameo was weird, unnecessary, and inappropriate unless they are planning a sequel. And if they are planning another film, then just maybe I will forgive them for that horrible ending that they made me sit through.

After watching the film and recording my observations, I give it a C-. I know I may seem harsh, but the only way this film can be redeemed is to come out with another film. I feel as if the audience was left with a lot of answered questions, and an ending that just doesn’t do the first half of the film its due justice.

The film is worth watching, as it really does show people that marriage is by no means a fairytale. I just wish I could sprinkle magical fairy dust on such a butchered and seemingly ridiculous ending. Then just maybe Tyler Perry would have another classic on his hands.

Sorry Tyler.