I Can Do Bad All By Myself

I had never seen any of the actors/actresses in this film before AND I have never actually seen a Tyler Perry movie before - only pieces and parts of a few. I find that I like the ideas of his movies.

This movie was surprisingly very good. Despite being the only white person in the theatre I still found that I could laugh at the jokes without everyone looking at me and thinking, "White girl, please!" There were some definite FUNNY parts.

Mary J. Blige, WOW! How can you not want to see a movie where she sings in it? Her voice is amazing especially in her version of the song "I Can Do Bad All By Myself."

I think people in all different situations and environments can appreciate the morals of this story and relate to a character at some point.

Through the religious and church bull crap that was mixed in the movie I wanted to roll my eyes. Is there a fast forward button??? So, the movie looses some points because of its religious aspect.

One specific part where the married boyfriend, Randy (played by Brian J. White) came onto the 16 year-old girl, Jennifer (played by Hope Wilson). Really? Like I get how we had to get the creeper/ass jockey out of the house and out of April's life. BUT, they totally could have written that differently!

For example: Randy could have just been abusive to Byron. Byron was the one who didn't talk and was put in an oven when he was a baby by his crack head momma (who is dead in the movie). He is an easy target! So, Randy threatens to beat him around a little. Then, flash forward a few days where he actually tries in the kitchen - Sandino comes to the rescue and all of a sudden April was only beaten as a kid and not sexually abused.

So, because illusion of there being child molesting and rape in the movie didn't HAVE to be there but was placed anyway, the movie also loses a star for this.

Expert Says: 3.5 Stars; funny at times; sad at times; happy ending