The Tyler Perry Effect

“Two thumbs up!”, … the 3 Golden words movie critics use to indicate that they are pleased with your film. Siskel and Ebert sat in their plush theater seats, carefully dissecting every part of a movie that they finished watching like two surgeons. They sliced opened the director’s intention, the cast, the screen writing and the overall delivery of what was manifested from the writer’s/ director’s mind to the big screen. I was once one who took those 3 golden words to be law, whether or not I was going to go see a film that they gave a good or bad consensus on. I studied them carefully, looking at the dialogue, character development and how they projected everything. It was easy for me to look at certain films and dismiss them as waste matter. “The writer did not take much time to write this”, I would say. The more I watched movies, the more critical I became of them. Siskel and Ebert’s judgements followed a line of scrutiny for any newcomer who had the audacity to say, “I am an ACTOR” or “I am a DIRECTOR”. And here are the rules: If you can direct like Steven Spielberg or act like Brad Pitt, we will give you two thumbs up and since you have been sanctioned by us, people will flock to come see your movie. Because of our consensus, you just might get a golden globe and the academy may consider you. So when screen play, film writer and director Tyler Perry came along, I looked at his films and it was easy for me to dismiss him. “The nerve of him to say he is a writer, director and creator of films, with this elementary filming!”, I would quickly turn my head at the sight of any Tyler Perry film. It didn’t follow the same pattern of Hollywood’s blueprint to film making, he didn’t follow the rules and some characters just seemed so unbelievable! Even though with all the flaws, he continued to make movies. And what’s worst? People still came to see him! He shunned the status quo and had the gall to cater to the black audiences. Because his writing is not the status quo… why would people continue to pay see his films? For anyone who is paying attention black life is not the status quo of Hollywood. His films are more relatable to any African American with an Uncle or Auntie or black relationship. Even though the acting could be and over exaggeration, it still had us in the picture, not as extras’ but as the main character. The point… is we are in the picture. I had to rethink my thoughts after my wife forced me to watch one of Tyler Perry’s film. He wrote about something I’d experienced as a black man. And I couldn’t believe it… the film was actually good! I had to look at him again and reassess my view about his work. I thought to myself, “Maybe there is more to this”.

How is it that someone who appears on the surface to not have the best writing skill or directing ability build their own media empire? According to Newsweek Magazine, Tyler Perry owns 22 Films, 1200 television episodes and two- dozen plays. Newsweek’s Magazine continued on to state that Tyler Perry has a 330-acre studio, surpassing the volume of those who have perfected their craft and have the ability to stand with the likes of the Steven Spielberg’s and George Lucas’ in such a short period of time as a billionaire. The answer hit me like a brick, it had nothing to do with his acting skills or any skills for that matter. The answer lies in what Tyler Perry thought about himself. It had nothing to do with what critics have said or say about him. Although it is sometimes good to listen to critics, but what matters most is what you believe about yourself. That is to say, whatever ‘You’ think about yourself is what you are. History has proven over and over again it is not the smartest and most skilled person who ultimately succeeds but it is the person who believes in himself and in their purpose. We all can learn a lot from Tyler Perry. Through careful study and analysis, you can see that he is a brilliant man who chose to do things his own way instead of going with the flow. Ultimately, his decision paid off tremendously. All critics should take another look at this man, who literally owns his own path. For that alone, I give him Two thumbs up!

By Jali