How simple writing the review versus watching the film is, is usually an inverse relationship. With a movie I love and enjoy, I find my mind cluttered with a myriad of scenes and blurs; it's difficult to focus in and sum it all up concisely and accurately. With a movie I hate? I'm laser-guided, focused, marking particular scenes and aspects of the film that drive me up the wall, starring the rage-inducing moments. My review becomes easier to write at the sacrifice of my theater experience. Lucky me. So, with that in mind, let's talk about "The Single Moms Club".
Tyler Perry directs, writes, and stars in a story about five single mothers: Jan (Wendi McLendon-Covey), a workaholic who places her job above her daughter, May (Nia Long), an aspiring writer with a rebellious son, Hilary (Amy Smart), newly divorced and worried about how to be a good mother, Esperanza (Zulay Henao), struggling with independence under the thumb of her controlling ex-husband, and Lytia (Cocoa Brown), an overprotective mother working to secure a bright future for her youngest son.
When their children are disciplined for vandalism, the school requires the mothers to organize a school fundraiser. Irritated at first, the women end up finding friendship, love, and strength in their creation of a support group for each other, entitled "The Single Moms' Club".
After a couple days of reflection, one problem remains at the forefront: this screenplay is a mess. The choices made as to what drives a scene forward, how characters respond, and where the movie goes confuse at best, disgust at their worst. There's a scene where Hilary babysits all the kids while the rest of the moms go to the movies. May's kid sneaks out in the middle of the night, and after Hilary calls, the moms rush back, frantic and horrified. What do they do now? They each go home. Esparanza has a touching conversation with her boyfriend, Lytia playfully kisses her date, Jan drives home, and Hilary's hot neighbor comforts her with cliché dialogue ("Oh, it's not your fault!).
Excuse me, but there's a missing child! How can you all, as mothers, not even lift a finger to help look? Is the state of your relationships so important we have to spend screen time developing them as opposed to this major dramatic bomb? This movie makes sure to tell us how important it is to have a support group, how hard it is to feel alone raising a child, but when problems arise, the support magically vanishes.
If Perry wants to develop each woman's romantic relationship, fine. If he wants to add a scene where the woman talk about how their children feel neglected and ignored, fine. Here's the problem: the characters don't exist in their little bubbles. Characters have to react appropriately to the action right in front of them, and in no way would a real mother learn a child was missing, and not drop everything in order to help search. Perry planted this situation in the middle of the movie as a simple catalyst, a means to an end. A catalyst is fine, but when it ends up contradicting the personalities and priorities of the characters, it doesn't work. This sloppy writing is lazy and insulting.
Many of the side characters serve as simple catalysts: most of the men either vapidly utter sweet nothings, or they make a point to devalue the women. Give the movie this credit: the casting for these jerks is great. Each person inspires an itching desire to punch them in the teeth. These men express every sexist, abusive stereotype in the book without any semblance of character outside of antagonist. (Except for Tyler Perry. He, of course, has to be the sexiest, sweetest man to ever walk the face of the Earth.)
Surprisingly, the children are worse. Where we're supposed to feel pity for their misfortunes and neglect, I feel disgust. The conversations with the mothers become so mean-spirited, with insults and disrespect. Again, I wouldn't mind this as much if the kids got any screen time oriented to making them sympathetic, but they're so busy beating up on their mothers, they come off as horrible.
Ultimately, this movie leaves a sour taste in my mouth. While the women can be very funny, providing heartwarming performances, the mean-spirited tone and bad writing choices end up ruining the whole experience. The more I think about it, the worse I feel. I enthusiastically recommend tossing this one to the side. I'm the Man Without A Plan, signing off.
"The Single Moms Club" trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQNOvfixtpo
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