I Can Do Bad All By Myself (film)
Encyclopedia
Tyler Perry's I Can Do Bad All by Myself is a 2009 romantic
musical
comedy-drama
film which was released on September 11, 2009. The film was directed, produced, and written by Tyler Perry
, who also makes an appearance in the film as his signature character Madea. The film is an adaptation
of Perry's play of the same name, however, the film doesn't use the same storyline as the play, only the title.
The film is also notable for being Taraji P. Henson
's first starring role.
), a selfish alcoholic singer, is performing at a nightclub where she works. On the other side of town, Madea (Tyler Perry
) and Joe (Perry) catch Jennifer (Hope Olaidè Wilson), Manny (Kwesi Boakye
), and Bryan (Freddy Siglar) breaking into their house. After hearing the children’s troubles, Madea welcomes them and feeds them. Jennifer tells Madea that they’re living with their grandmother, who they have not seen in four days. They tell Madea that their only other relative is their aunt April. April shares her home with her shady boyfriend, Randy (Brian White
), who’s married with children. The next morning, Madea brings the kids to April's house, but April doesn’t want to be bothered. Meanwhile, Pastor Brian (Marvin Winans
) sends a Colombian immigrant named Sandino (Adam Rodríguez
) to her house for work and a place to stay. April puts Sandino in her basement and wants to lock him down there because she doesn't know him that well. While working around the house, Sandino surprises April by cleaning himself up and becoming very handsome. When Randy arrives, he sees April with the kids and Sandino and heckles him while making subtle advances at Jennifer.
Shortly after, Pastor Brian and Wilma (Gladys Knight
), a church member, comes to inform April that her mother died from a fatal brain aneurysm
while riding on a bus. April is devastated by the news and seeks comfort from Randy, however he is sleeping and shrugs off April's attempt to seek comfort. Later, Sandino comforts April as she tells him about her mother's death and the last time she spoke with her. Depressed, Jennifer goes to Madea wanting to know how to pray. However, Madea, inexperienced with prayer, attempts to instruct in a scene that plays out comically. The same night, Wilma sings "The Need to Be", an uplifting song for women and Tanya (Mary J. Blige
), the nightclub bartender, sings "I Can Do Bad". Before singing the song, Tanya is fed up with April's attitude and tries to help her friend despite that she can't help April if she can’t help herself. Over time, Sandino and April become friends and Sandino fixes a ruined bedroom in her house making Manny and Bryon happy except Jennifer who feels April doesn't want them there. While on a date, Sandino tells April he doesn't understand why she is with Randy and asks if she loves Randy. He tells her what true love is to him. One Sunday morning, Sandino eagerly knocks on April's bedroom door to get April ready for church, but Randy threatens to kill Sandino if he continues to spend time with April.
Late one night, Manny needs his insulin shot and Jennifer gets it for him in the kitchen. As Jennifer gets her brother's insulin, Randy comes up to Jennifer but she warns him if he does not stop she will tell April but Randy attempts to rape
Jennifer, but is fought off by Sandino. April walks in on the fight and Randy claims that Jennifer offered sex with him for money. April sends Randy to take a bath and while bathing, she threatens to electrocute him with a plugged-in radio. Sandino tries to stop her, but April is enraged and drops the radio into the water causing Randy to receive a severe electric shock
. Randy jumps out and barely survives, but is ordered to leave the apartment by Sandino. April goes to the bar for a drink and blames the incident on herself for not seeing the signs. Sandino tries to stop her from drinking, but she pushes him away. She then asks Sandino if he is a child molester because of all the attention he gives the children(Which indicates that April has been molested as a child as well because of the signs that are shown). Sandino tells April of his childhood as a child laborer and that he loves the children so much that he sees himself in them. Feeling hurt, Sandino says farewell to Jennifer, Manny, and Byron and leaves. Jennifer and April begin to get along and connect after April tells Jennifer about her bad experience as a child. Jennifer tells April that she should recognize Sandino as a good man. Also, that April needs a good man and maybe Sandino is the one for April. Sandino returns and April apologizes to him and admits that she "loves" him like a friend. Sandino tells her that she can't love anyone until she learns to love herself. He tells April that he is in love with her but he wants April to love him back the same way he loves her. He shows her by kissing her.
As time passes, April and Sandino get married. April and Sandino then hold a block party for their reception with Tanya singing "Good Woman Down", dedicated to April, then you see the new couple embracing and kissing each other.
reported that 62% of critics gave positive reviews based on 19 reviews with an average score of 5.9/10, giving it a "Fresh" rating, with the general consensus being though somewhat formulaic and predictable, Perry succeeds in mixing broad humor with sincere sentimentality to palatable effect. It ranked even higher when narrowed to the top critics, as 73% of those critics gave positive reviews, with an average score of 6.1/10. By comparison, Metacritic
gave the film a 55% approval rating of critics based on 13 reviews.
Romance film
Romance films are love stories that focus on passion, emotion, and the affectionate involvement of the main characters and the journey that their love takes through courtship or marriage. Romance films make the love story or the search for love the main plot focus...
musical
Musical film
The musical film is a film genre in which songs sung by the characters are interwoven into the narrative, sometimes accompanied by dancing. The songs usually advance the plot or develop the film's characters, though in some cases they serve merely as breaks in the storyline, often as elaborate...
comedy-drama
Comedy-drama
Comedy-drama is a genre of theatre, film and television programs which combines humorous and serious content.-Theatre:Traditional western theatre, beginning with the ancient Greeks, was divided into comedy and tragedy...
film which was released on September 11, 2009. The film was directed, produced, and written by Tyler Perry
Tyler Perry
Tyler Perry is an American actor, director, playwright, entrepreneur, screenwriter, producer, author, and songwriter. Perry wrote and produced many stage plays during the 1990s and early 2000s. In 2005, he released his first film, Diary of a Mad Black Woman...
, who also makes an appearance in the film as his signature character Madea. The film is an adaptation
Film adaptation
Film adaptation is the transfer of a written work to a feature film. It is a type of derivative work.A common form of film adaptation is the use of a novel as the basis of a feature film, but film adaptation includes the use of non-fiction , autobiography, comic book, scripture, plays, and even...
of Perry's play of the same name, however, the film doesn't use the same storyline as the play, only the title.
The film is also notable for being Taraji P. Henson
Taraji P. Henson
Taraji Penda Henson is an American actress and singer. She is best known for her roles as Yvette in Baby Boy , Shug in Hustle and Flow and Queenie in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button , for which she was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 2009...
's first starring role.
Plot
April (Taraji P. HensonTaraji P. Henson
Taraji Penda Henson is an American actress and singer. She is best known for her roles as Yvette in Baby Boy , Shug in Hustle and Flow and Queenie in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button , for which she was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 2009...
), a selfish alcoholic singer, is performing at a nightclub where she works. On the other side of town, Madea (Tyler Perry
Tyler Perry
Tyler Perry is an American actor, director, playwright, entrepreneur, screenwriter, producer, author, and songwriter. Perry wrote and produced many stage plays during the 1990s and early 2000s. In 2005, he released his first film, Diary of a Mad Black Woman...
) and Joe (Perry) catch Jennifer (Hope Olaidè Wilson), Manny (Kwesi Boakye
Kwesi Boakye
Kwesi Boakye is an American actor who is most notable for his role as Manny in the Tyler Perry film I Can Do Bad All By Myself. He is the youngest of three brothers who are also actors; Kwame Boateng, 18, and Kofi Siriboe, 17. His family is originally from Ghana...
), and Bryan (Freddy Siglar) breaking into their house. After hearing the children’s troubles, Madea welcomes them and feeds them. Jennifer tells Madea that they’re living with their grandmother, who they have not seen in four days. They tell Madea that their only other relative is their aunt April. April shares her home with her shady boyfriend, Randy (Brian White
Brian J. White
Brian Joseph White is an American actor, dancer, football player, lacrosse player, stock broker and youth activist.-Personal life:...
), who’s married with children. The next morning, Madea brings the kids to April's house, but April doesn’t want to be bothered. Meanwhile, Pastor Brian (Marvin Winans
Marvin Winans
Marvin Lawrence Winans is an American gospel singer and member of the musical Winans family. He is also known for his recurring role in the hit show Tyler Perry's House of Payne.-Personal life:...
) sends a Colombian immigrant named Sandino (Adam Rodríguez
Adam Rodriguez
Adam Michael Rodríguez is an American actor and director. He is best known for his long running role as Eric Delko on CSI: Miami.-Life and career:...
) to her house for work and a place to stay. April puts Sandino in her basement and wants to lock him down there because she doesn't know him that well. While working around the house, Sandino surprises April by cleaning himself up and becoming very handsome. When Randy arrives, he sees April with the kids and Sandino and heckles him while making subtle advances at Jennifer.
Shortly after, Pastor Brian and Wilma (Gladys Knight
Gladys Knight
Gladys Maria Knight , known as the "Empress of Soul", is an American singer-songwriter, actress, businesswoman, humanitarian, and author...
), a church member, comes to inform April that her mother died from a fatal brain aneurysm
Cerebral aneurysm
A cerebral or brain aneurysm is a cerebrovascular disorder in which weakness in the wall of a cerebral artery or vein causes a localized dilation or ballooning of the blood vessel.- Signs and symptoms :...
while riding on a bus. April is devastated by the news and seeks comfort from Randy, however he is sleeping and shrugs off April's attempt to seek comfort. Later, Sandino comforts April as she tells him about her mother's death and the last time she spoke with her. Depressed, Jennifer goes to Madea wanting to know how to pray. However, Madea, inexperienced with prayer, attempts to instruct in a scene that plays out comically. The same night, Wilma sings "The Need to Be", an uplifting song for women and Tanya (Mary J. Blige
Mary J. Blige
Mary Jane Blige is an American singer-songwriter, record producer and occasional actress. She is a recipient of nine Grammy Awards and four American Music Awards, and has recorded eight multi-platinum albums. She is the only artist with Grammy Award wins in Pop, Rap, Gospel, and R&B. Blige has...
), the nightclub bartender, sings "I Can Do Bad". Before singing the song, Tanya is fed up with April's attitude and tries to help her friend despite that she can't help April if she can’t help herself. Over time, Sandino and April become friends and Sandino fixes a ruined bedroom in her house making Manny and Bryon happy except Jennifer who feels April doesn't want them there. While on a date, Sandino tells April he doesn't understand why she is with Randy and asks if she loves Randy. He tells her what true love is to him. One Sunday morning, Sandino eagerly knocks on April's bedroom door to get April ready for church, but Randy threatens to kill Sandino if he continues to spend time with April.
Late one night, Manny needs his insulin shot and Jennifer gets it for him in the kitchen. As Jennifer gets her brother's insulin, Randy comes up to Jennifer but she warns him if he does not stop she will tell April but Randy attempts to rape
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
Jennifer, but is fought off by Sandino. April walks in on the fight and Randy claims that Jennifer offered sex with him for money. April sends Randy to take a bath and while bathing, she threatens to electrocute him with a plugged-in radio. Sandino tries to stop her, but April is enraged and drops the radio into the water causing Randy to receive a severe electric shock
Electric shock
Electric Shock of a body with any source of electricity that causes a sufficient current through the skin, muscles or hair. Typically, the expression is used to denote an unwanted exposure to electricity, hence the effects are considered undesirable....
. Randy jumps out and barely survives, but is ordered to leave the apartment by Sandino. April goes to the bar for a drink and blames the incident on herself for not seeing the signs. Sandino tries to stop her from drinking, but she pushes him away. She then asks Sandino if he is a child molester because of all the attention he gives the children(Which indicates that April has been molested as a child as well because of the signs that are shown). Sandino tells April of his childhood as a child laborer and that he loves the children so much that he sees himself in them. Feeling hurt, Sandino says farewell to Jennifer, Manny, and Byron and leaves. Jennifer and April begin to get along and connect after April tells Jennifer about her bad experience as a child. Jennifer tells April that she should recognize Sandino as a good man. Also, that April needs a good man and maybe Sandino is the one for April. Sandino returns and April apologizes to him and admits that she "loves" him like a friend. Sandino tells her that she can't love anyone until she learns to love herself. He tells April that he is in love with her but he wants April to love him back the same way he loves her. He shows her by kissing her.
As time passes, April and Sandino get married. April and Sandino then hold a block party for their reception with Tanya singing "Good Woman Down", dedicated to April, then you see the new couple embracing and kissing each other.
Cast
- Taraji P. HensonTaraji P. HensonTaraji Penda Henson is an American actress and singer. She is best known for her roles as Yvette in Baby Boy , Shug in Hustle and Flow and Queenie in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button , for which she was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 2009...
as April - Adam RodriguezAdam RodriguezAdam Michael Rodríguez is an American actor and director. He is best known for his long running role as Eric Delko on CSI: Miami.-Life and career:...
as Sandino - Brian WhiteBrian J. WhiteBrian Joseph White is an American actor, dancer, football player, lacrosse player, stock broker and youth activist.-Personal life:...
as Randy - Mary J. BligeMary J. BligeMary Jane Blige is an American singer-songwriter, record producer and occasional actress. She is a recipient of nine Grammy Awards and four American Music Awards, and has recorded eight multi-platinum albums. She is the only artist with Grammy Award wins in Pop, Rap, Gospel, and R&B. Blige has...
as Tanya - Gladys KnightGladys KnightGladys Maria Knight , known as the "Empress of Soul", is an American singer-songwriter, actress, businesswoman, humanitarian, and author...
as Wilma - Marvin WinansMarvin WinansMarvin Lawrence Winans is an American gospel singer and member of the musical Winans family. He is also known for his recurring role in the hit show Tyler Perry's House of Payne.-Personal life:...
as Pastor Brian - Hope Olaidé Wilson as Jennifer
- Kwesi BoakyeKwesi BoakyeKwesi Boakye is an American actor who is most notable for his role as Manny in the Tyler Perry film I Can Do Bad All By Myself. He is the youngest of three brothers who are also actors; Kwame Boateng, 18, and Kofi Siriboe, 17. His family is originally from Ghana...
as Manny - Freddy Siglar as Bryan
- Tyler PerryTyler PerryTyler Perry is an American actor, director, playwright, entrepreneur, screenwriter, producer, author, and songwriter. Perry wrote and produced many stage plays during the 1990s and early 2000s. In 2005, he released his first film, Diary of a Mad Black Woman...
as Mabel "Madea" Simmons / Joe Simmons
Differences from the stage play
- Tyler Perry's famous characters, Mr. Brown and Cora, had main roles in the stage play; they are absent in the film. Cora is mentioned briefly by Madea, but Mr. Brown is neither seen or mentioned.
- The original plot focused on two sisters feuding because one sister is engaged to the other's ex-husband. But the ex-husband is holding her back from her parental responsibilities.
- The play characters: Vianne, Keisha, Bobby, Maylee, and the evil villain in the play-Anthony, don't exist in this version.
Music
The film features 13 songs, including two new songs by Blige. Perry was not able to produce a soundtrack album for the film due to the various record companies involved.- "Good Woman Down" (Robert F. Aries, Blige, Sean Garrett, Freddie JacksonFreddie JacksonFrederick Anthony "Freddie" Jackson is an American soul singer. He was an important figure in R&B during the 1980s and early 1990s...
, Meli'sa MorganMeli'sa MorganMeli'sa Morgan is an African American R&B singer born in Queens, New York who had a string of urban contemporary and house music hits in the 1980s and 1990s. She got her start in the music industry whilst singing with a church gospel choir called the Starlets of Corona...
) – Mary J. BligeMary J. BligeMary Jane Blige is an American singer-songwriter, record producer and occasional actress. She is a recipient of nine Grammy Awards and four American Music Awards, and has recorded eight multi-platinum albums. She is the only artist with Grammy Award wins in Pop, Rap, Gospel, and R&B. Blige has... - "I Can Do Bad" (Blige, Chuck Harmon, Shaffer SmithNe-YoShaffer Chimere Smith, Jr. , better known by his stage name Ne-Yo, is an American pop and R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, dancer and actor. Beginning his career as a songwriter, Ne-Yo penned the hit "Let Me Love You" for singer Mario...
) – Mary J. Blige - "Playboy" (Michael Akinlabi, Tasha Schumann) – Candy Coated KillahzCandy Coated KillahzCCK are an urban trio from Toronto, Canada, known for their blend of hip-hop, r&b, and electronic styles, a sound the group has termed "Ghettotronic" Hailed by The Globe and Mail as one of the bands responsible for Toronto’s emergence as a “music capital”, original group members Tasha Schumann...
- "Contagious" (Xavier Dphrepaulezz) – Chocolate Butterfly
- "H.D.Y." (Ronnie Garrett, Herman (Pnut) Johnson) – Club Indigo Band
- "Indigo Blues" (Garrett, Johnson) – Club Indigo Band
- "Lovers Heat" (Garrett, Johnson) – Club Indigo Band
- "Tears of Pain" (Foster) – Ruthie FosterRuthie FosterRuthie Foster is an American singer-songwriter of blues and folk music.Foster is from Gause, Texas and comes from a family of gospel singers. She studied music at McLennan Community College and then worked in the US Navy, where she started performing. Her debut was released in 1997 and she has...
- "Rock SteadyRock Steady (Aretha Franklin song)"Rock Steady" is a song written and performed by Aretha Franklin and released in 1971, from the album Young, Gifted and Black. The single reached the #9 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 charts that same year. It also peaked at #2 on the Best Selling Soul Singles chart...
" (Aretha FranklinAretha FranklinAretha Louise Franklin is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Although known for her soul recordings and referred to as The Queen of Soul, Franklin is also adept at jazz, blues, R&B, gospel music, and rock. Rolling Stone magazine ranked her atop its list of The Greatest Singers of All...
) – Taraji P. HensonTaraji P. HensonTaraji Penda Henson is an American actress and singer. She is best known for her roles as Yvette in Baby Boy , Shug in Hustle and Flow and Queenie in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button , for which she was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 2009... - "The Need to Be" (Jim WeatherlyJim WeatherlyJames Dexter Weatherly is an American singer-songwriter. Weatherly played quarterback at the University of Mississippi and was an All-American before choosing songwriting over a football career...
) – Gladys KnightGladys KnightGladys Maria Knight , known as the "Empress of Soul", is an American singer-songwriter, actress, businesswoman, humanitarian, and author... - "Just Don't Wanna Know/Over It Now" (Winans) – Gladys KnightGladys KnightGladys Maria Knight , known as the "Empress of Soul", is an American singer-songwriter, actress, businesswoman, humanitarian, and author...
and Marvin L. WinansMarvin WinansMarvin Lawrence Winans is an American gospel singer and member of the musical Winans family. He is also known for his recurring role in the hit show Tyler Perry's House of Payne.-Personal life:... - "Oh Lord I Want You to Help Me" (Traditional, arranged by Jerome Chambers & Edward O'Neal) – Cheryl Pepsii Riley & Marvin L. Winans
Critical reaction
The film has received mixed to generally positive reviews from critics. Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
reported that 62% of critics gave positive reviews based on 19 reviews with an average score of 5.9/10, giving it a "Fresh" rating, with the general consensus being though somewhat formulaic and predictable, Perry succeeds in mixing broad humor with sincere sentimentality to palatable effect. It ranked even higher when narrowed to the top critics, as 73% of those critics gave positive reviews, with an average score of 6.1/10. By comparison, Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
gave the film a 55% approval rating of critics based on 13 reviews.
Box office
On its opening weekend, the film opened at #1 with $23,446,785. "Tyler Perry has a special way of speaking to his audience, and it's unbelievable," David Spitz, Lionsgate's executive vice president and general sales manager, said. On its second weekend, the film dropped an estimated 57% to gross another $10 million for a third place finish. As of October 25, the film has grossed $51,733,921.External links
- Tyler Perry's I Can Do Bad All by Myself at MovieSet