If you haven’t seen Temptation yet, go see it as soon as you can so you can learn first hand how Tyler Perry proved he is capable of making an amazing film for a broad audience without wearing a wig, using corny punch lines, or over exaggerating scenes.
In Temptation, Tyler Perry showed that all the years of hard work and harsh criticism has taught him the importance of delivery. Perry did not shove his moral values down his audience’s throat, nor did he do his typical predictable plot highlighted by over dramatized scenes and gospel music. Don’t get me wrong, the Lord is good but I don’t need a ballot of Yes, Jesus Loves Me to understand that. Tyler Perry admits that not everyone is going to understand his films.
When asked about his film Temptation, Perry said,
“What I find is that as audience see it they will find things that land for them. Some people won’t be able to relate to any if this. They’ll say what is this? Then there are other people who will be so moved that it will change their lives. So those are the people who this is for. So it is how it speaks to you. That’s the intent of this film.”
Regardless of what the intention of this movie was, I deem it a representation of the film makers growth and a go-to film to defend him in an argument against those who are just plain sick of him.
Temptation tells a story of Judith, played by Jurnee Smollett-Bell, a small-town aspiring marriage counselor who married long time friend and loving husband Brice, played by Lance Gross who dreams of owning his own pharmacy. Stuck in the doldrums, Judith is enticed by what seems to be a considerate, passionate, and ridiculously handsome social media mogul named Harley, played by Robbie Jones. Things get real when Harley introduces Judith to his true manipulative ways and Brice begins to fight for his marriage.
Temptation was just that, tempting. It tempted me to write this blog, it tempted me to re-watch the film, and it tempted me to tell the world that Tyler Perry finally got something right. This film may be the film he needed to prove that he is worthy of support and that his days as a film maker aren’t numbered. His choice of cast, the plot, the execution of his message was astonishing.
Hollywood Gossip thinks the exact opposite. In their own movie review, writers at Hollywood Gossip seem to disagree with it all saying,
“If we’re not rooting for any of the three main characters, what are we rooting for? Turns out we’re rooting for a small, harmless grease fire to erupt in the lobby of the theater so they stop the film, escort everyone out, and refund us our money.”
Who said anything about rooting for anyone?! There is no set antagonist and protagonist in this film, although, I’m sure someone can argue otherwise.
This is a movie that shows a relationship that exposes five truths. There were characters who lived lives true to their perspective but not true to those their actions affected. Tyler Perry has challenged viewers so accustom to the typical good guy-buy guy film to realize life isn’t so black and white. Everyone has a responsibility as a character and it isn’t Perry’s fault if you were too fixated on pin pointing faults to realize that.
With Temptation, I did not feel as if I was watching a Tyler Perry film and that’s what was missing from his movies, the separation between the film maker and the movie.
If you are not a Tyler Perry supporter, this film will make you a believer. You won’t walk out of the movie theater and scream “Typical Tyler strikes again.” However, Perry did not abandon all of the things the public criticized him about.
Temptation was still a message, and not just entertainment. It told people that marriage isn’t easy and people change as so their needs. If you don’t care, appreciate, and love your spouse you are giving someone else room to remind them what it feels like. It also teaches the importance of knowing who you are laying next to and who they might be sleeping with.
Say what you want about Tyler Perry, he will continue to be featured in a theater near you. He is proud of his work, not because of its commercial success but because of the lives they have inspired.
Perry says,“I have these great moments, This guy come up to me and he says, ‘Because you have done what you have done. I feel like I can too.’ So when people tell you something like that, my body of work and what I’ve done, however it’s been received, it makes me know that some kind of way that God has blessed me to represent hope for people. So to have that kind of gift, because that’s truly what it is for God to give it you, it’s not something you can earn. It makes me feel great, really wonderful. So that’s what I am focused on more than the totality of the work as much as how it has effected people.”
Tyler Perry, I commend you. I commend you for not giving up and staying true to who you are as a director but noticing your faults and improving them to make a damn good movie. Some filmmakers make mistakes and grow behind the scenes, Perry grew before our very eyes and put all of those who told him to quit, a run for their money. In Temptation we get everyone’s point of view, not just Tyler Perry’s.
-As always, @itSz_asia_baby
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