I Give Up on Tyler Perry
His formula may work, but his films spark too much debate about his inability to evolve
Editor’s Note: This article contains movie spoilers.
This past Monday, I attended the New York premiere of Tyler Perry’s latest film, A Fall From Grace. This was a meaningful occasion based on optics alone: Perry gave extreme honors to Phylicia Rashad and Cicely Tyson, who were both in attendance, as well as to Netflix for its diverse representation in the boardroom, which convinced the director that this partnership was the right fit.
But there was one part that stood out to me before any of these praises began. When Perry took to the stage, he admitted in jest that he has a hesitation toward showing his movies in New York and Los Angeles because we have a tendency to be “bougie,” and he urged us to disavow ourselves of this attitude for the rest of the night. As I sat in the balcony with my pen and notebook in hand, getting ready to pick apart the film scene by scene, I felt both recognized and indicted. In that moment, Perry touched upon a rupture between himself and the bourgeoisie that has cast a shadow over his work since the beginning of his career. I, as a critic and journalist, find myself unable to reconcile this divide.
He depicts an underrepresented part of…
