Tyler Perry’s latest film, Divorce in the Black is currently streaming on Prime Video. Divorce in the Black follows Ana (Meagan Good) a young banker professional, who is married to abusive alcoholic Dallas (Cori Hardrict) who decides to dissolve the marriage. The movie explores some excellent points on the divorce front, but left some cliffhangers of why a lot of things occurred the way they did.
Megan Good in Tyler Perry’s Divorce In The Black (PC: YouTube/Prime Video)
Tyler Perry is known for rushing the script and catering to a Christian audience. However, I’m still left figuring this one out. Meagan and Cori did a great job of bringing their characters to life. Megan showed me a different light as she played the role of Ana, a preacher’s daughter, a submissive southern bell who has only been with her husband, Cori.
Dallas (Cory Hardrict) in DIVORCE IN THE BLACK Photo Credit: Quantrell Colbert/Prime Video © AMAZON CONTENT SERVICES LLC
Cori, I also was able to see in a different light as he played the role of Dallas, an abusive husband who was raised by a dysfunctional family in a small southern town. I’m sure you will see both of them again in leading roles. Throughout the movie you see small glimpses of why Dallas became the man you see today with Meagan, but you never fully understand the full scope of what Dallas has done to Megan over the course of their 20+ year relationship.
Spoiler alert:
Ava is determined from the start of the movie to fight for her marriage. Despite having a dysfunctional mother and brother-in-laws and overbearing Christian parents, and an unfiltered opinionated best friend from up north. Ava’s marriage to Dallas is her top priority. A submissive woman by nature, her heart breaks anytime Dallas has an “episode break”. She reveals to her close friend Rona (Taylor Polidore), that he lets her get closer into what his childhood was like growing up and this gives her a better understanding of why he is the way he is. Again, Divorce in the Black doesn’t give us the glimpse as to what life was like for Dallas as a child. Only the small indirect comments the cast drops.
Dallas and Ava have plans to meet Jim (Shannon Wallace) and Rona over dinner one evening after work. Ava comes home to Dallas drinking in the kitchen frustrated that they have to go out tonight. Ava is looking forward to a couples night out and tells Dallas that she will only be a few minutes to shower and change. Annoyingly, Dallas tells her to hurry up. Less than the time she had given Dallas when she steps back into the kitchen looking incredible by the way, she finds an empty seat. Dallas has left her.
Cory Hardrict and Meagan Good in Divorce in the Black. Photograph: Publicity image
Despite being left, Ava shows up to the restaurant with a smile on her face ready to have a great evening with their closest friends. Dallas is a drunken mess rambling about inappropriate things only to end the rant with wanting a divorce from Ava. In shock and unable to process what Dallas is saying, Ava’s fast talking friend Rona stands up for her requesting backup help from her husband Jim.
Here we are at an important part of the movie. The title already sets the audience to know what will happen, what the main storyline is, but why??? Why is Dallas wanting to divorce sweet and beautiful Ava? Tyler Perry leaves you to fill in the blanks of why you think is the reason for the divorce.
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A confused and heartbroken Ava heads to her parents house to heal. With the help of her family and a childhood crush/friend Benji (Joseph Lee Anderson) Ava begins to rediscover her old self. The person she was before Dallas and being his wife.
Prior to leaving to her parents house, Rona leaves Ava a three-page letter of all the bad things Dallas ever did to her. Her mother unfortunately finds this letter and pours her heart out to Ava feeling as though she did something wrong for her child to endure all of this pain and tragedy. Clearly, Dallas has mental issues and a drinking problem, however, they never disclose on camera what life was like for Ava with Dallas other than the couple of scenes where you see them together and him having an “episode break”. There are many holes that could have been filled in to have a better understanding of his character. To better sympathize with Ava. Now, you feel for Ava because Meagan does an incredible job of making you feel her pain, but you don’t fully understand why beyond just the scene of her crying and acting her ass off.
Cori delivers a disturbed man in Dallas with some serious mental issues who needs immediate help, but come on give us the deets. Make us feel Ava’s pain of the years she was tormented. Maybe Tyler wanted to protect the Christian audience from the volatile description of an abusive relationship, but in doing so he also missed delivering why we should dislike Cori as much as the rest of the cast.
Despite the confusing and under delivered script, I am happy that I watched Divorce in the Black and supported the cast. Meagan and Cori both delivered and understood the assignment. Both coming off of divorce within the past five years Cori with Tia Mowry and Meagan with Devon Franklin, they were able to use their past experiences of divorce in this role.
If you do decide to Stream It on Amazon Prime, here are a few good pointers that I did enjoy from Divorce in the Black:
- Black Men with mental health issues are a real thing that has to be talked about alot more
- It’s okay to walk away in the black for a healthy peace of mind
- Friends and family support are needed to survive a divorce
- Sometimes friends and family can be too involved in the relationship
- How dangerous a man can be when his ego is at play
- How quickly you can lose yourself in a marriage
- Meagan Goode 42, playing a 37 year old looks absolutely amazing!
In closing, one of the added benefits of Divorce in the Black is that Tyler Perry stood up for black actors and paid Meagan and Cori the most they have made for any role. Love or hate the movie, kudos to TP for looking out for his people.
Trailer Here:
So, will you be watching? If you have seen it leave your comments below 👇
