For Colored Girls (2011)
Tags: For colored girls, Ntozake Shange, Thandie Newton, whoopie goldberg
For Colored Girls in the next movie by Tyler Perry based on the play by Ntozake Shange, which is about 20 nameless African American women and their experiences.
Tyler Perry continues to employ 90% of the African Americans in Hollywood, this time with For Colored Girls. The story of the play shows different women dealing with issues such as rape, abortion, and domestic violence within the African American community. The are currently few details as to whether Perry will change the structure of the play to work together as a film or not.
The Scoop
Tyler Perry continues to be a major player in the film industry while keeping out of the Hollywood scene. No word yet as to which of the scenarios in the play will be changed to accommodate a man dressed as a fat old black lady, but no doubt the trailer will tell us.
Note: Madea is not currently set to appear in For Colored Girls.
Who’s It For?
No word yet, although the serious nature of the project could mean it will be R. On the other hand, Perry may decide it needs to be seen by younger audiences and make it PG-13.
Movie Release Date
January 14, 2011.
Who’s In It?
Thandie Newton
Whoopi Goldberg
Omari Hardwick
Kerry Washington
Loretta Devine
Anika Noni Rose
Janet Jackson
Phylicia Rashad
Interesting Fact
Old Spice dude Isaiah Mustafa was supposed to play a small role in For Colored Girls before switching to the next Tyler Perry Madea film.
Related Movies
Why Did I Get Married, I Can Do Bad All By Myself, Meet the Browns, the Madea films
What’s Good About It?
Perry has a talent for making good movies on a small budget, and this looks to be one of the more serious of his films. I doubt he’ll take the subject matter lightly. The play won a Tony Award in 1977 for best play, so it will bring in a substantial audience outside of Perry’s traditional fanbase and may even win a few awards for the film.
What’s Bad About It?
Perry has some acclaim under his belt, but mostly for blending drama with comedy. For Colored Girls may prove too heavy a subject for him.
Our Clever Prediction
No doubt it will be a success on a very similar level to all of Tyler Perry’s films. I’m curious to see in For Colored Girls will win the critical praise that the play did, and if it does, then the movie may be a lot bigger than Perry’s traditional offerings.
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I am a TP fan because he deals with issues that are real to many of his target audience. He has the ability to make us laugh at things that otherwise would be irksome. I saw For Colored Girls… and it was a very poignant play with awesome performers. I am interested in seeing in what way TP will add his flavor without compromising the gravity of the subject. Regarding the correctness of the title, I don’t think it has anything to do with Sharpton or anything other than who is doing it.
I am excited and yet very afraid. I’ve performed this play in college, very demanding piece. I was yay they’re making a movie then I saw Tyler Perry’s name and cringed. Yes he is a bankable production, all his movies are, but what does that say about society. Yes the only we really Black actress are in HIS films, so maybe that is why we go. I find his movies a little too bland, plot too succinct, and his characters flat. With such a moving piece I can only hope, pray, and cross my fingers that he’s doesn’t screw up (for those who love his work great but he is not my favorite). And to the idea of a movie call “For White Girls”, all they have to do it turn on the tv, or look too Hollywood, you can’t see a moive without one, a solid cast of them. And yet a movie with called “For Colored Girls” gets flak, it’s not a double standard when people still cry over the idea of being nominated much less winning. Personally I would rather have seen this done by a female director but if they had to go big name & well-know then I would rather see Lee Daniel’s version; but that is just me. Again cross your fingers everyone, I know I will. :-S
The fact that there are less and less female black actresses in Hollywood seriously disturbs me. I love, love Tyler Perry. Its one of the few times I actually get to see more than one black female in a movie besides Halle Berry Or alfre Woodard. They are great, but I’m tired of seeing them. There are other black actresses out there who dont get a chance.
I also don’t understand that if a movie has a mostly Black cast then its typecast as a “black” movie and white people feel the need to not watch or feel they wont understand. The same goes for mostly Latino, Asian, Indian casted movies as well. Yet, when a movie comes out and there isnt one person of color in the movie it’s not labelled a “white” movie. Same for TV Shows. The bachelor, Bones, or Sex in the City arent considered “white shows”. Just TV shows. Create a show with a mostly black cast and poof, its a black comedy.
Nothing like good feedback to advertise for the movie. In regard to the film and the book Alice walker said it best, ” Art is the mirror, perhaps the only one in which we see our collective face; we must honor it’s sacred function, we must let art help us.” All races can find themselves in the art reflection process by theirresence or absence if thay allow themselves to see beyod the scene.
Shange wrote “for colored girls who have considered suicide when the rainbow isn’t enough” ages ago. Should she not have called it that because some white people might get in a bother over what Al Sharpton would say if the story were about white women? Here is a story (I’ve read it and seen the play) about serious problems that these colored women face. It is their story. Getting defensive about anyone like Sharpton is a terrific way to avoid discussing the actual story, which is brilliant and saddening. Why on earth do so many white people have to get in a lather over Sharpton. Really? Like is there some kind of threat on movies about white people? If we let this title through, then oh white people will be in a snit because they can’t label things by white people. Of course, we’d love to go see White People Drown When the Titanic Is Not Enough! Legally Blond and White! White People’s Fight Club! White Girls Have and Live in the City!
I know I like to spend my time imagining what people might possibly say that would annoy me about something that hasn’t actually happened.
Or we could take a moment to read Shange’s work and then understand what she was trying to say.
I was watching E network, the 25 most beautiful magazine cover girls…not quite sure of the title…It was interesting to see the “first” asian or Latina to grace a particular cover in this day and age…there were two black girls showned that I remembered…the serial abuser, Naomi Campbell and a model I wasn’t all that familiar with…my point is that in this day and age, we’re still not inclusive whether it’s readily seeing positive images of asian, latin or black women, they aren’t as vocal about race because they can “blend” into mainstream society and more accepted…so it’s beyond double-standards, depending on your view and perception! “White Girls” was made by Keenan Ivory Wayans, who gave us “In Living Color”…Jim Carey, earlier “Scary Movie” films and his humor and satire is in line with “White Girls”…
Tyler Perry makes more than Madea films and is growing as a director and producer. His rise is fabulous regardless of his race, it’s the “American Dream”…writers typically write about what they know…the people who greenlight films in Hollywood aren’t racists, but capitalists and why Lion Gate is partnering with Perry because it’s profitable. Racism is used for small-minded people, as a divisive tool, while the real power brokers are distributing the wealth amongst themselves. Poor working people fill their days hating each other, oppressive systems, the government, social programs and while basking in “white entitlement” as a form of escapism and identity to soften the blow that “no one really cares” and this pre-Obama economy is proof positive! Greed is the color choice and it just happens to be green!
Brian Reply:
October 19th, 2010 at 11:44 pm
@Rita,
You lost me toward the end. Rewrite with coherent thought.
not to mention that the title “For Colored Girls” doesn’t mean that only women of color should see it. the title comes from a play that was groundbreaking and revolutionary in its style (a jazz aesthetic choreo-poem) and meant to give a voice to women of color about many poignant issues which they faced that rarely received attention.
so yes, this is a piece written for women of color by a woman of color meant to give them a voice and deter them from self-harm.
amen to the above comments about hollywood representation as well.
@ admin- there are an abundance of movies out there that already stereotype black women so the need to have one called black chicks is pointless. There is however the need for black actors to work, which doesn’t happen frequently in Hollywood and they certainly don’t make many if any movies about black women. The color purple was phenomenal and was passes up completely by the academy. Most movies made are already ” for white girls”
I dunno, @admin…Sex and the City, any chick flick from the 80′s, 90′s, and beyond – I think you get my drift.
If you get out of your bubble, you may find the book that it is based on is an interesting read about the very unique struggle to deal with everyday issues while also dealing with the racial problems that unfortunately exist.
Most of the stories from Hollywood (about 99% of them) deal with storylines created for your Kate Hudsons, Drew Barrymores, and their ilk already. You have to admit that.
It is not necessary to mention their race because it is already assumed that the lead characters will be white, and therefore it is not necessary to put it in the title. Until there is equitable representation of the current population, Asian, Latina, and Black movies will continue to have blatant and audacious titles and references such as this.
admin Reply:
September 9th, 2010 at 9:55 am
@ Rozboy, ok, lets talk about the movie ‘White Chicks’. Imagine making the same movie called ‘Black Chicks’, but stereotyping every black female routine. How fast would Sharpton be screaming racism? I have no problem with it, but the double standard is a fantastic phenom.
If they made a movie called ‘For White Girls’ , how long would it take Sharpton to freak out?
Brian Reply:
October 19th, 2010 at 11:41 pm
@admin,
I made a movie called “for white girls”
big hit.
you’d be amazed at all the effects zooming and my balls can have on a person. for instance, up close, it looks like a landscape. You can only be my friend if you understand the reference.
admin Reply:
October 22nd, 2010 at 10:02 pm
@Brian,
Thats a lot of information about your balls.
Brian Reply:
October 23rd, 2010 at 1:05 am
@admin,
There’s a lot of balls. The information provided really only scratches the surface.
Speaking of surface, my balls are covered in a material ten times more beautiful than diamonds, yet smell sweeter then a rose.
Someday, when I have my own drink, like Snapple, I’m going to put little ball facts under the lid. As of today, I have over 95 facts.
Every once in a while one of the facts will be, “This drink contains fluid produced by Brian’s balls.”
And that drink will be the most delicious of all.