Diary of a Mad Black Woman
Lions Gate Films | Release Date: February 25, 2005
7.0
USER SCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 48 Ratings
USER RATING DISTRIBUTION
Positive:
34
Mixed:
3
Negative:
11
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User Reviews

User scoreBy dateMost helpful
10
melishamJul 31, 2009
i cried during the sad parts and laughed during the funny parts. things like this do happen to people in reality, and its sad. but this shows ways to deal with it and its also a wonderful family movie, we all loved it and watched it 3 times i cried during the sad parts and laughed during the funny parts. things like this do happen to people in reality, and its sad. but this shows ways to deal with it and its also a wonderful family movie, we all loved it and watched it 3 times in a row and have watched it frequently since then.… Expand
1 of 1 users found this helpful
10
MicheleA.Oct 23, 2005
This was a great movie about life!
1 of 1 users found this helpful
10
LindaRMar 22, 2009
I love this movie it make me realize how you could easy forgive a person no matter how they treat you in the long run especially you trying to save your marriage it take two to make it work. Neither spouse have any reason to cheat on each I love this movie it make me realize how you could easy forgive a person no matter how they treat you in the long run especially you trying to save your marriage it take two to make it work. Neither spouse have any reason to cheat on each other, that they suppose to follow their wedding vow. … Expand
1 of 1 users found this helpful
9
EricaOct 23, 2007
This movie was the best it could have more funny parts though cant wait for the next one.
1 of 1 users found this helpful
10
TheateraNerdJul 9, 2012
The critics have done it AGAIN! They have underated another GREAT Perry film! This movie's too good to get such a low score. People who rated this movie low are just JEALOUS just like spike lee is because Tyler Perry makes GREAT films.The critics have done it AGAIN! They have underated another GREAT Perry film! This movie's too good to get such a low score. People who rated this movie low are just JEALOUS just like spike lee is because Tyler Perry makes GREAT films. REMEMBER.....jealousy is a sin!!!!.....… Expand
1 of 3 users found this helpful12
All this user's reviews
3
MarkR.Apr 7, 2006
A horrific and distasteful film. Yes, distasteful i.e. blatant humiliation and physical cruelty to a paraplegic by the protagonist.
0 of 1 users found this helpful
0
J.B.Feb 14, 2006
This movie was horrible from the beginning. The characters are so cliche. You cant really take any of it seriously. People were inspired by this movie? I though it was supposed to be a comedy going in. Believe me, it tries to be a comedy at This movie was horrible from the beginning. The characters are so cliche. You cant really take any of it seriously. People were inspired by this movie? I though it was supposed to be a comedy going in. Believe me, it tries to be a comedy at times but fails horribly. Kudos to Tyler Perry though if this drivel earned him millions. I dont know how he pulled that off.… Expand
0 of 1 users found this helpful
1
TonyC.Feb 3, 2006
As I sit here guilt-watching this movie as payback to my wife, I'm reminded of the torture scene from a clockwork orange. I'm also reminded, that I'm no writer but am a far more capable of stringing together a chain of events As I sit here guilt-watching this movie as payback to my wife, I'm reminded of the torture scene from a clockwork orange. I'm also reminded, that I'm no writer but am a far more capable of stringing together a chain of events using words. All that time spent living in a car, you'd think tyler perry would have spent more time pondering this script. Actually, my argument carries no wait, as he lives in a mansion and I'm strapped to a chair with toothpicks holding my eye's open.… Expand
0 of 1 users found this helpful
0
MarkAOct 19, 2007
This had to be down right the worst movie i ever seen.
0 of 1 users found this helpful
10
MaryanneAOct 13, 2006
This movie had me laughing and crying. We loved it very much.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
9
NathanK.Mar 20, 2006
Instead of "Waiting to Exhale", Kimberly Elise's character realizes that she has the power to forgive, and move on, instead of staying angry. Medea/Joe provide comic relief, and also provide a "hook" to get audiences interested.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
10
TwanellC.Oct 15, 2005
This movie was da bomb it make us Black women think about reality. I Love this movie and I also love the songs they sing.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
10
NinaP.Dec 5, 2005
This movie is da best..i love it soo much i watch it errday.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
9
LakeshiaB.Sep 26, 2005
I thought this movie was great. Shemar Moore did a wonderful job along with his costars. It had the sad moments, laughter, and was inspirational.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
9
NinaJan 17, 2007
Diary Of a Mad Black woman was a movie that I enjoyed it has a powerful message behind it it isn't just a comedy movie to make you laugh it can touch you in many more ways.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
7
lukechristianscJan 8, 2015
play writer Tyler Perry makes his writing and acting debut in his first film! When critics hate your movie for the first time, bad news they hate you and you should leave show business. In my opinion: Tyler Perry is not a bad writer/directorplay writer Tyler Perry makes his writing and acting debut in his first film! When critics hate your movie for the first time, bad news they hate you and you should leave show business. In my opinion: Tyler Perry is not a bad writer/director i have like some of his movies (Madea,Good deeds), when perry wrote his first movie script for 'Diary of a mad black woman' then he started to lose his talent. He just makes his own style black humor that gets me annoyed he does the same things in his series of comedies. This movie is powerful and hilarious at times. But not a good start for Tyler Perry. Grade 76.9… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
All this user's reviews
9
thefishslapJan 5, 2015
althouhg I really thought that is movie had potentiel, really funny, tougher, i lked it but it just sounds amazing! I could not believe my hays when i was slappin down for this movmie! good. I. Was HAPPY!oh wow i could really reltate to this,althouhg I really thought that is movie had potentiel, really funny, tougher, i lked it but it just sounds amazing! I could not believe my hays when i was slappin down for this movmie! good. I. Was HAPPY!oh wow i could really reltate to this, but not anytime hen wonfourchunaitley!… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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2
FairbottomMay 24, 2018
I am afraid this film does not promote the safe and lawful use of firearms.
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
All this user's reviews
8
greedybadideaJun 13, 2020
Helen (Kimberly Elise) and Charles McCarter (Steve Harris) have money, success, and a fine home. Their lives are perfect – on the surface. Charles, an attorney, is distant, verbally abusive, and has been having multiple affairs, while HelenHelen (Kimberly Elise) and Charles McCarter (Steve Harris) have money, success, and a fine home. Their lives are perfect – on the surface. Charles, an attorney, is distant, verbally abusive, and has been having multiple affairs, while Helen is unemployed, bored at home, and desperately trying to make her marriage work. On the evening of their 18th wedding anniversary, Helen arrives home to find all her belongings in a U-Haul, and that Charles is kicking her out for Brenda (Lisa Marcos), his young mistress and the mother of his two sons.

Helen kicks the driver, Orlando (Shemar Moore), out of the truck and visits her intimidating grandmother, Madea (Tyler Perry). Madea takes Helen in and helps her get back on her feet, to the dismay of Madea's brother, Joe (also Tyler Perry). Joe's son, Brian (also Tyler Perry), acts as Madea and Helen's attorney after Charles and Brenda catch the pair breaking into and vandalizing Charles's mansion. Because Madea is a repeat offender, Judge Mablean Ephriam places her under house arrest and sets a $5,000 property or cash bond for Helen.

Brian kicks his addict wife, Debrah (Tamara Taylor), out of their home. This causes him to have a strained relationship with his daughter, Tiffany (Tiffany Evans), who wants to join the church choir. Fearing that Tiffany will turn to drugs like her mother, Brian does not allow her until Madea convinces him otherwise, encouraging him to also fix his relationship with Debrah. Helen cultivates a relationship with Orlando. Meanwhile, career criminal Jamison Milton Jackson (Gary Anthony Sturgis) asks Charles to be his defense attorney in his trial for shooting an undercover cop during a drug deal and to possibly bribe the judge $300,000 to rule in his favor. This forces the revelation that Charles received most of his money through drug deals and buying off judges.

In court for divorce, Helen lets Charles keep all the money and property, provided he pay Brian's attorney fees and continue paying for her mother, Myrtle Jean's (Cicely Tyson) stay in a nursing home since he made her place her there; Charles agrees to both terms. In the shooting case, despite Charles' efforts, the jury finds Jamison guilty. As Jamison is being led out of the courtroom, he snatches the bailiff's gun and shoots Charles in the back for failing to get him acquitted.

Orlando proposes to Helen, but before she can respond, she sees the shooting on the news and goes to the hospital with Brian. They run into Brenda upon arriving. The doctor says Charles might be paralyzed for life and asks if they should resuscitate him if things deteriorate. Brenda chooses to let Charles perish, but Helen, still Charles's legal wife, tells the doctor to do everything they can for him.

Charles recovers, returns home with Helen, and resumes his verbal abuse of her. But Helen takes the opportunity to retaliate for years of neglect and verbal and emotional abuse. Brenda is revealed to have emptied Charles's bank account during his hospitalization and left with their boys. Their maid, Christina, has left as well because Charles has no money to pay her. In addition, all of Charles's friends and associates have turned their backs on him now that he has been left penniless.

Helen and Orlando argue when he learns she has moved back in with Charles to look after him. He leaves in anger. Charles realizes his mistakes and apologizes to Helen, realizing that she was the only one who showed any true care for him. He becomes a kinder man, while she helps him recover. He regains his ability to walk one day in church, where Debrah, now clean and sober, reconciles with Brian. Charles hopes to start over with Helen, but during a family dinner, she gives him her wedding ring and signed divorce papers and tells him she will always be his friend. She finds Orlando, asks him to propose again, and accepts when he does.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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8
Sosmooth1982Dec 17, 2022
This was the first Tyler Perry movie I ever seen. Madea cracked me up so much that I had to watch all of his movies. This a pretty messed up movie. I guess don't piss off a black woman or she will make you pay.
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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