Diary of a Mad Black Woman (2002 Video) User Reviews

Almost good

[nicholls_les · 4/10 · 7 November 2016]

This could have been a very good movie apart from a few annoying things.

First Tyler Perry does not look anything like a woman and every time Mable 'Madea' Simmons was on screen it detracted from the story. I am sure there are many good black actresses who could have played the part.

Then the film doesn't seem to know what it is. Is it comedy or drama? It fails in both areas. As a comedy it has it's moments but not enough to make me laugh out loud. As a drama it started well but the way it progressed just made you think what a stupid woman the lead character Helen was. I just lost all sympathy with her.

So as a movie .... Good idea but carried out very badly I'd say.

Review of a Pleased Viewer

[bblack1-699-968577 · 9/10 · 30 May 2013]

First of all, I know my titles are lame. Leave me alone. Now on to the review: This was Tyler Perry's second stage play with the gun-toting granny, Mable "Madea" Simmons. This play is different from some the other early plays Tyler Perry released at the time as far as the structure of the play. It has one consecutive story line, it focuses on one person, and even the production style of the video of this play is different.

This play is great! The story for this play is great, and you really feel the pain and the drama Helena is going through. I enjoy watching the journey Helena goes on. She goes from a loving housewife to an almost psycho, mad woman who wants revenge for all of the crap she's taken from him in the past 20 years. Not only do you see the journey she traveled to take her through a character change, you also find yourself siding with her. Charles is so despicably cruel to her, you're sort of glad to see him reap the same treatment he gave to Helena. I think it's also fascinating that the story is not solely about her falling in love, but more so her finding her way to forgiveness. She is able to forgive Charles and forgive herself.

The message is great. The story is brilliant. The characters are real and likable. And one thing I didn't mention in my review for "I Can Do Bad All By Myself: The Play" is that Tyler Perry's sense of humor is great. I admire how he is able to find comedy in any situation. This is one of the reasons people love Madea, because they know that they'll get through tearful situations with laughter. Her Bible story and sermon here is hilarious! Daddy Charles, the other character Tyler Perry portrays in this play, is also very funny! Although, I will admit that some of the comedic moments seem like filer. If I had to chose one thing to give some criticism in this play, it would have to be that. Take, for example, the seen where Daddy Charles is playing cards with his friends. It's funny, it's very funny, but why is it here? It really doesn't need to be here; it interrupts the story and doesn't contribute anything to our main characters. Granted we need this type of light-hearted humor for a story this heavy, but I think it could have been structured better than it was. However, this is a nit-pick. "Diary of a Mad Black Woman: The Play" is definitely worth your time and money. Give a watch...before you see the movie. BOOYIKA!

A great and exciting play!

[kabc66637 · 10/10 · 3 August 2006]

This is a good production. Marva King is great in her role as Helen and Tyler Perry does it again as Madea and his new role, Daddy Charles. I like Tamela Mann, she is a inspirational woman who has no negative things in her roles. Warning to readers, this may be a spoiler. In one part of the play, Charles and Helen are in the bedroom arguing about having sex. Helen says at the end, it wouldn't have lasted 5 minutes, and Charles (Daddy Charles' son) says it would have lasted 5 minutes with you. Next Helen gets mad at her mom (Tamela Mann), and Helen complains stating that Mom wanted her to stay with Charles (she suspects Charles is cheating on her)and if it wasn't for him she couldn't buy her expensive gifts and pay her bills. Mom preaches to Helen and throw what appears to be a few dollars back in her face and tells her she doesn't need her money. Helen runs after her mom and tries to apologize to her and Mom tells her if she going to get mad at someone it should be the Devil. Great play! Keep up the good work, Tyler!