For Colored Girls (2010)
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A group of women navigate the complexities of love, betrayal, and survival in a modern urban landscape.
The story
In New York City, nine African-American women, each corresponding to a character from Ntozake Shange's 1975 choreopoem, navigate their individual struggles. The narrative follows their intersecting lives as they confront personal conflicts including abusive relationships, health issues, and the search for self-respect. The story begins as a social worker, an apartment manager, and various friends and family members interact within their community, highlighting the shared experiences of women of color facing systemic and personal hardships.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Set in New York City, the film follows nine women whose lives intersect as they deal with personal turmoil. Kelly, a social worker, encounters Crystal, whose life is complicated by an abusive husband. Nearby, Juanita deals with an unfaithful boyfriend, while Alice seeks support from her daughter. Other women, including Yasmine, a dance instructor, and Nyla, a student, face their own struggles with health and safety. The narrative culminates in a series of dramatic events: Yasmine is raped by a man named Bill, and Crystal's children are tragically killed by her abusive husband. In the aftermath, the women find solace and strength in one another. They gather at a community center to share their experiences of abuse and survival, ultimately finding a sense of sisterhood and collective strength while confronting their individual traumas.
- First release year
- 2010
- Runtime (minutes)
- 133
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Tyler Perry
- Writers
- Tyler Perry · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Janet Jackson · Jo; Thandiwe Newton · Tangie; Anika Noni Rose · Yasmine; Loretta Devine · Juanita; Kerry Washington · Kelly; Tessa Thompson · Nyla; Kimberly Elise · Crystal; Whoopi Goldberg · Alice; Phylicia Rashad · Gilda; Macy Gray · Rose
- Genres
- drama; romance
- Themes
- sisterhood; abuse; survival; women of color experiences
- Tone and mood
- melodramatic; serious
- Setting
- New York City
- Premise and plot tags
- ensemble cast; adaptation; social issues
- Source material / true-story basis
- Ntozake Shange's 1975 original choreopoem "For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When the Rainbow Is Enuf"
- Content notes
- R-rated
- Reception
- The film received mixed reviews, with critics praising the strong performances of the ensemble cast while criticizing the script for being overly melodramatic and a flawed translation of the original poetic source material.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 50 · scale: 100 · review count: 33; Rotten Tomatoes · score: 5.20 · scale: 10 · review count: 106
- Production trivia
- The film was the first produced by 34th Street Films.; The title was shortened from the original choreopoem title in September 2010.; Thandiwe Newton replaced Mariah Carey, who withdrew due to medical reasons.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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