With the precision of a heart surgeon, Tyler Perry has skillfully cut and sewn Ntozake Shange’s series of poems into a seamlessly unforgettable film.

“For Colored Girls” is not for the light of heart, but then again neither is being a colored girl. Its poetry is as gritty as it is beautiful; its story is a rugged beat full of pain, rage, sorrow, love, and empowerment.

Perry has managed to turn what started out as a series of 20 poems told by seven woman, into a cohesive, comprehensive movie. He’s done this all while staying true to its original by keeping all of the poetry.

Unlike the play, Perry has given each of the poems its own character.

Despite the numerous story lines, Perry still manages to tie all the woman together in a surprisingly natural way.

This film is Perry’s most mature work, and it shows that  no matter what you may think of the content he chooses,he is a very good director and screen writer.

Signs of Perry’s talent as a director can also be found in the performances he was able to bring out of the cast.

An amazing ensemble of nine black actresses- Janet Jackson, Loretta Devine, Kimberly Elise, Thandie Newton, Anika Noni Rose, Kerry Washington, Phylicia Rashad, Tessa Thompson and Whoopi Goldberg command your attention as they throw themselves into their characters with stories as complex as the winding staircase in the apartment building where most of the women live.

As usual, Elise gives a stellar performance as Crystal, a mother abused by the father of her children who is forced to face the most crushing loss out of the bunch.

Elise has the remarkable gift of oozing such emotion that you can’t help but feel as she portrays the character.

Rose, Jackson, and Newton all recite their poems so hypnotically you can’t help but become enthralled in their words.

Thompson, who is probably the newest face in the film, gives a heartfelt breakthrough performance.

Devine, who recites my favorite poem of the movie “Somebody almost walked off wid alla my stuff,” will have the crowd at its feet with her energetic performance, which provides the movie with much needed pockets of comedic relief.

As standout as some of the actresses independent performances may have been, none compare to the scenes where the women come together, especially in the film’s last scene.

You can’t really depict being a “colored woman” without including “colored men.”

Enter Michael Ealy, Omari Hardwick, Hill Harper, Khalil Kain and Richard Lawson, the men of the movie who represent a spectrum of different kinds of men, most being “no good.”

Some may complain about the portrayal of black men in this movie, but I’ll refer them to all the negative portrayals of black women in rap videos and tell them to take a number.

Besides the unfortunate truth is that when you take out abusers, homosexuals, criminals, and cheaters, the 1:4 ratio the movie shows isn’t that far off.

Either way at the end of the day, the movie is not really about them.

“For Colored Girls” is a sharp edged film that is bound to cut a few people the wrong way.

However, as a black woman, I believe the film succeeds in the almost impossible feat of capturing the complex life of colored girls in 134 minutes.

Its messages of hope, self-love, self-worth, show that the film, like the play, is “for colored girls who have considered suicide but moved to the ends of their own rainbows.”

 

• Syliva Obell