Why Did I Get Married?

Infobox Film
name = Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married?


caption = Theatrical release poster
director = Tyler Perry
producer = Tyler Perry

writer = Tyler Perry
starring = Tyler Perry
Janet Jackson
Jill Scott
music = Aaron Zigman
cinematography = Toyomichi Kurita
editing = Maysie Hoy
distributor = Lionsgate
released = October 12, 2007
runtime = 113 min.
country = flagicon|USA
language = English
budget = $15,000,000
gross = $55,204,525
website = http://www.whydidigetmarriedthemovie.com/
amg_id = 1:390270
imdb_id = 0906108

"Why Did I Get Married?" is a 2007 comedy-drama film adaptation written, produced, directed, and starring Tyler Perry, which was inspired by the play of the same name. The film stars Janet Jackson, Jill Scott, Malik Yoba, Sharon Leal, Tasha Smith, Michael Jai White, Richard T. Jones, Keesha Sharp, and Perry himself. The film was released in the United States by Lionsgate on October 12, 2007.

The film is the fourth film that Perry has written and directed. "Why Did I Get Married?" was rated PG-13 by the MPAA for "mature thematic material, sexual references and language." [cite web|url=http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1809847807/info |title=Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married? (2007) - Movie Info - Yahoo! Movies |accessdate=2007-10-24 |publisher=Yahoo! Movies]

Plot

The film is about the difficulty of maintaining a solid relationship in modern times. Eight married college friends plus one other non-friend (all of whom have achieved middle to upper class economic status) go to Colorado for their annual week-long reunion, but the mood shifts when one couple's infidelity comes to light. Secrets are revealed and each couple begins to question their own marriage. Over the course of the week, the couples battle with issues of commitment, betrayal and forgiveness and examine their lives as individuals and as committed couples. Tyler Perry's film explores the resultant emotional impact that fidelity and love have upon the constitution of marriage.

Cast

*Tyler Perry as Terry
*Janet Jackson as Patricia
*Jill Scott as Sheila
*Malik Yoba as Gavin
*Sharon Leal as Diane
*Tasha Smith as Angela
*Michael Jai White as Marcus
*Richard T. Jones as Mike
*Lamman Rucker as Troy
*Denise Boutte as Trina
*Keesha Sharp as Pam

Trivia

*Jill Scott, Richard T. Jones, Keesha Sharp and Malik Yoba were all recurring cast members of the UPN/CW sitcom "Girlfriends" (Sharp was a regular cast member during the final two seasons). Tasha Smith also made a guest appearance on the series.
*Tasha Smith appeared in Tyler Perry's previous movie, "Daddy's Little Girls".
*Unlike the first three films which included actors and actresses from Perry's plays, this film features many cameo appearances by actors who have guest starred on "Tyler Perry's House of Payne", including Kaira Whitehead (Keisha), Jamie Moore (Walter), and Bart Hansard (Bartender). Although a lot of the smaller roles in "Daddy's Little Girls" featured both from the plays and the show.
*Janet Jackson is the third person from Poetic Justice to appear in a Tyler Perry film. The first two were Maya Angelou and Jenifer Lewis who both starred in "Madea's Family Reunion".
*Jill Scott makes a reference to her song "Gettin' in the Way" when she is talking to Trina she said "at points I wanted to go take you out in the middle of the street and whoop that ass".
*A short reference is made to "Diary of a Mad Black Woman", Perry's first big-screen movie, when Jill Scott says "I thought if I prayed, God would save my marriage." which is almost word for word when Kimberly Elise says "I thought if I did all I could, God would bless my marriage." in "Diary".
*This movie contains a factual error: In the scene where Patricia (played by Janet Jackson) wakes up Diane (played by Sharon Leal), Diane explains she is tired because she is "defending a 16 year old on trial for capital murder." This statement, made in this 2007 movie by a character described as a "top litigator," is factually inaccurate, since in 2005 the U.S. Supreme Court ruled sentencing a juvenile to the death penalty is unconstitutional. (The case is "Roper v. Simmons", 543 U.S. 551.) Thus, as of 2005, no one under the age of 18 can be tried for capital murder in the United States.

Critical reception

As of November 1, 2007 on the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, 48% of critics gave the film positive reviews, based on 33 reviews. [cite web|url=http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/10008604-why_did_i_get_married/ |title=Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married? - Rotten Tomatoes |accessdate=2007-11-01 |publisher=Rotten Tomatoes] On Metacritic, the film had an average score of 54 out of 100 based on 12 reviews. [cite web|url=http://www.metacritic.com/film/titles/tylerperryswhydidigetmarried |title=Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married? (2007): Reviews |accessdate=2007-11-01 |publisher=Metacritic]

Box office performance

In its opening weekend, the film grossed $21.4 million in 2,011 theaters in the United States and Canada, ranking #1 at the box office. In its second weekend, the film slipped to #2 in the box office charts, with a gross of $12.1 million, bringing the 10-day total to over $38 million. [cite web|url=http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=weekend&id=whydidigetmarried.htm |title=Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married (2007) - Weekend Box Office |accessdate=2007-10-24 |publisher=Box Office Mojo] . In total, the film domestically grossed $55,204,525.

oundtrack

The soundtrack was released by Atlantic Records on October 2nd. Ironically, R&B crooners Anita Baker and Babyface are on the soundtrack. Babyface sued Baker prior to the soundtrack being released. Also featured in the soundtrack is R&B singer Kelly Price, who was featured in the stage play for "Why Did I Get Married?" as the role of Sheila. The soundtrack to the film features Beyoncé, who starred with Sharon Leal in the 2006 adaptation of "Dreamgirls". Another interesting note is Jennifer Holliday being on the soundtrack, who played the original Effie White on the stage play. Neither Janet Jackson nor Jill Scott are featured on the soundtrack.

Track listing

* Keith Sweat feat. Keyshia Cole - "Love U Better"
* Babyface - "Sorry for the Stupid Things"
* Anita Baker - "You Belong To Me"
* Kelly Price - "Why"
* Gerald Levert feat. Jaheim - "DJ Don't Remix"
* Musiq Soulchild - "Betterman"
* Tyrese - "One"
* Hope - "Who Am I To Say"
* Beyoncé - "Flaws And All"
* Laura Izibor - "Mmm..."
* Amel Larrieux - "No One Else"
* Tamika Scott - "Why Did I Get Married"
* Michael Bublé - "L-O-V-E"
* Jennifer Holliday - "Givin' Up"

DVD

Why Did I Get Married? The DVD was released on February 12,2008. The DVD includes subtitles in English and Spanish and also bloopers.

Awards/Nominations

*Image Awards
**Outstanding Motion Picture (Nominated)
**Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture: Jill Scott (Nominated)
**Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture: Tyler Perry (Nominated)
**Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture: Janet Jackson (Winner)

References

External links

* [http://www.whydidigetmarriedthemovie.com/ Official site]
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* http://www.comingsoon.net/films.php?id=17644

Box Office Leaders USA
before = The Game Plan
date= October 14
year = 2007
after = 30 Days of Night