For Colored Girls
Tags: romantic

Plot synopsis:
Each woman is represented by a color: Jo Bradmore represents red, Tangie Adrose represents orange, Yasmine represents yellow, Juanita Sims represents green, Kelly Watkins represents blue, Nyla Adrose represents purple, and Crystal Wallace represents brown. Additionally, the characters of Alice Adrose, who represents white, and Gilda, who does not represent a color, were made specifically for the film.
The film opens with the nine main characters reciting a poem of their inner thoughts ("Dark Phrases"). Kelly arrives at Tangie's brownstone to see Crystal about the safety of her children. At that time, Juanita arrives to leave her lover, Frank, a potted plant and telling him that she is breaking off their affair ("No Assistance"). Kelly attempts to speak with Crystal's children on how they ended up in the hospital, but is unsuccessful when Crystal's alcoholic boyfriend, Beau Willie, kicks her out. Crystal's nosy neighbor and apartment manager, Gilda, informs Kelly of Crystal's situation ("A Night with Beau Willie Brown") and reveals she was the one who called her. Meanwhile, Alice, Tangie's mother, shows up to beseech Tangie for money, but gets rebuffed instead.
Alice goes out to raise money, and encounters Yasmine, who gives her a little money. Yasmine is boasting to the girls in her dance class about Bill, a man she met on the subway, and agrees to a date, despite her initial hesitance. One of Yasmine's dance students, Nyla, is talking with the girls about her graduation night and losing her virginity ("Graduation Nite"), and later begins to vomit.
Juanita is waiting in Jo's office at Robe Rouge, a fictional magazine company. Crystal shows up for work, having been running late and informs Jo that her 9 o'clock appointment has arrived, despite it already being 10 o'clock. Juanita is then allowed in to interest Jo in giving some money to a non-profit organization that specializes in women's health care, but is rudely rebuffed.
Kelly is with Donald, her partner, at the gynecologist, who informs Kelly that she cannot have children due to scarring in her fallopian tubes caused by an untreated STD. So, Kelly runs off without an explanation. Juanita is at the hospital giving advice on safe sex to women when Frank comes along to ask for forgiveness, but Juanita refuses to give in to his advances. Tangie, who works as a bartender, finds a married man on business and offers to show him a "good time." That same night, Crystal implores Beau Willie to stop drinking, while he only cares about marrying her to increase his welfare benefits. At a restaurant, Jo leaves a voice message on her husband's, Carl, phone, imploring him to call her.
At that same restaurant, Yasmine and Bill have a date night together, recalling a story about her love for Latin dances ("Now I Love Somebody More Than"). Alice comes home to her apartment and it's revealed that Nyla is Alice's daughter and Tangie's sister. Alice gives Nyla the feeble amount of money she made, under the belief that it's for Nyla's college application fees. Meanwhile, Yasmine is walking home from her date with Bill, explaining that she loved dance more than anything until she met Bill ("Now I Love Somebody More Than" cont.).
Tangie takes the married man home with her to sleep with him, but angrily kicks him out after she learns that he thought she was a prostitute. Nyla shows up to ask Tangie for money, explaining that she needs it for college, but Tangie is not fooled. She then deduces that Nyla is pregnant, but Nyla denies this. Tangie relishes in the fact that Nyla isn't so perfect after all and that Alice will hate her the way she hates Tangie. She then tells her about the time she got pregnant and reveals where to find a back-alley abortionist.
Jo waits impatiently for Carl to return home and it's then revealed that Carl was the man Donald had arrested earlier. The couple then get into an argument about Carl investing into a failed company with Jo's money, which Carl did because he felt emasculated as a man, who is not providing and forfeiting his right to do anything in favor of submitting to Jo's will. Donald returns to his and Kelly's apartment where Kelly then reveals how she got her STD. She explains that long before she was married, she and two of her friends had been seeing the same man and all contracted a disease from him ("Pyramid"). Despite this, Donald reveals that he still loves Kelly regardless of her condition. Juanita drives home to see Frank waiting for her on the stoop. He seduces her into letting him stay at her apartment.
The next day, Jo receives flowers from Carl and calls him to thank him. He reveals that he got tickets to the opera, which he hates, as an apology for last night's argument. During this conversation, he is clearly looking at other men desiringly. Yasmine also receives flowers, from Bill, and is visited by Tangie, who came by to pay the three hundred dollars for Nyla's college fees. She rudely informs Yasmine that Bill only wants to "fuck her," then offers to pay for Nyla's fees, but Yasmine reveals that the dance class is free.
Tangie realizes that Nyla went to see the abortionist, Rose (Macy Gray), who is terrifying, and probably drunk. Nyla's mind completely goes blank during the abortion as Rose tells her of a story about her life in Harlem ("I Used to Live in the World"). Yasmine excitedly invites Bill into her home for dinner. After some light flirting and some drinking, Bill removes his clothing and savagely rapes her. Jo and her husband are at the opera, watching a performance of La Donna in Viola (an Italian, operatic version of "Pyramid"). During the performance, Jo watches as her husband cruises another man.
The next day, Jo informs Crystal that she does not have her list of advertisers in her folder and has a very important meeting soon. Crystal offers to take the train to her building, but Jo tells her that'll waste time and offers to drive her there in her limo. Seeing the male driver in the car, Beau Willie believes Crystal is having an affair and the abuse begins, which can be heard in Gilda's house as she watches the kids. She tries to calm their fears by telling them a story about how she met her first husband ("Toussaint").
Beau Willie takes the children from Gilda's to show that he can be a good father and asks Crystal to marry him once again. After she refuses, Beau Willie becomes violent and dangles the children over the fifth-story window, giving Crystal an ultimatum. Gilda frantically runs out into the street and screams for help as Jo, Juanita and several on-lookers witness Beau Willie drop the children to their death ("A Night with Beau Willie Brown" cont.).
Donald interrogates Yasmine at the hospital on her rape, where he informs her that it'll be difficult to press charges as she tells him that women can be raped anywhere by anyone ("Latent Rapists"). At the same hospital, Alice frantically comes in search of Nyla, who passed out in the streets after her abortion. Nyla is being interrogated by Renee and Kelly, and gives them and Alice a vivid detail of her abortion ("Abortion Cycle #1"). Kelly leaves the room to find Crystal screaming in horror at the realization of her children's brutal murder as she is being comforted by Gilda, Jo and Juanita. After being informed of the situation and recognizing Crystal, Kelly becomes visibly upset.
Alice confronts Tangie in her apartment and after a physical altercation, they reveal to each other that Tangie was raped by her grandfather, Alice's father, causing Alice to take her to the abortionist where Alice supervised her, whereas Nyla was unsupervised. Alice reveals that her father took her virginity and was given to a white man at fifteen to have children. All these events explained why Tangie is the way she is ("One" cont.). After kicking Alice out of her apartment, Gilda comes into her house to put ice on the bruise on Tangie's face. She explains that Tangie and mother make a lot of sense before telling her a detailed account of Tangie's exploits ("One" cont.). Tangie believes that Gilda has been snooping again through the wall, but Gilda reveals that she was once like Tangie.
Juanita comes home to find Frank gone and assumes he has left again, but he soon comes home with Chinese food and sees that Juanita is upset, despite trying to appear to be happy and is asked to hold her. Carl comes home to find Jo distraught and reveals what happened with Crystal, stating that she never once knew she was abused and wondering what kind of person she was. Jo and Carl embrace as she sobs into his shoulder. Alice and Nyla return to their apartment where Alice tells her to pray for forgiveness. As Nyla prays, Alice attempts to exorcise her with ashes and hot oil, hurting Nyla. Nyla freaks out, fights off Alice and then runs away to Yasmine's apartment, hoping to find some comfort. However, Yasmine is too traumatized from her rape to answer the door, so Nyla leaves.
Kelly is waiting outside the brownstone as Crystal comes out with a pail and a brush to wash away the blood of her children. Kelly walks up to her and Crystal asks if she's awake, to which Kelly, who is speechless, nods her head. Crystal comments that she does not feel awake and thinks that this is what death must feel like. Nyla passes by and Kelly takes her into Crystal's apartment to wash her up. Hearing Tangie bring in yet another suitor to her apartment, Nyla confronts her. Tangie kicks her suitor out after he asks her to invite Nyla for a threesome. Tangie and Nyla hash out their problems, before Tangie reveals that her life is complicated and she's still learning from her mistakes ("No More Love Poems #4"). Afterwards, Tangie and Nyla reconcile.
Yasmine is practicing an interpretive dance ("Sechita") as Kelly discovers that Crystal has swallowed an entire bottle of pills. Crystal is taken to the hospital as Yasmine is visited by Donald, who has informed her that Bill has been murdered after attempting to rape another woman. She goes into the morgue to look at his body one last time, before slapping him and then leaving. Juanita informs Kelly, Nyla, Tangie and Gilda that the doctors pumped Crystal's stomach and can see visitors as soon as she stabilizes.
That night, Kelly is unable to sleep, feeling guilty for not taking Crystal's children away sooner because she had to see the doctor about her infertility. Donald reassures her that one thing has nothing to do with the other. Juanita comes home with a birthday cake for Frank, only to find that he is not home and his clothes are gone. Juanita vents her frustration to her women's health class ("Somebody Almost Walked Off Wid Alla My Stuff") as Crystal is released from the hospital and goes into therapy. Jo gives Juanita a check for her non-profit organization, Beau Willie is sent to jail, and Nyla returns to dance class with Yasmine.
Tangie knocks on Crystal's door to invite her to Nyla's going away party. Crystal initially declines, but says she'll go if she feels up to it. Tangie begrudgingly invites Gilda, both finally having an unspoken, mutual respect for each other. Juanita finally breaks things off with Frank for good ("No More Love Poems #1"). Gilda comes by Crystal's apartment to see if she's eaten, which she hasn't. Crystal is still wondering how Beau Willie could do such a thing, but Gilda tells her that she also needs to take responsibility for not leaving Beau Willie sooner, and tells her that she needs to get out of the apartment.
Jo confronts Carl on his homosexuality, which he angrily denies at first but Jo tells him that she was not oblivious to the way Carl looks at other men. After venting his frustrations over Jo's controlling nature, he then admits that he has been sleeping with other men and tells her that he's sorry. Jo, however, tells him that she is not accepting his apology, having heard him apologize many times before ("Sorry"). Jo then reveals that she is HIV-positive from Carl's exploits and tells Carl to leave when she gets back home.
At Nyla's going away party, all the women gather to celebrate. Alice arrives under Tangie's invitation to give Nyla a few presents and tells Nyla she's proud of her. She then leaves to let Nyla and Tangie enjoy their night together. Jo and Juanita have a conversation on the rooftop about HIV, where Juanita assures Jo that HIV is not a death sentence. The other women come out to join them, including Crystal, as the women talk about the value of their love ("My Love Is Too") and share their experiences with men's apologies ("Sorry" cont.).
Crystal tells everyone that she was missing something in her life and the women reveal the hurt and pain they've gone through in their lives, before coming together to embrace Crystal and each other ("A Laying on of Hands") and move forward with their lives.

Review: Tyler Perry has performed a little miracle in transferring Ntozake Shange's exquisite play "For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf" into an opened up and expanded film.
The dialogue still is deeply embedded in Shange's poetry but the narrative Perry added makes the stage experience a flowing cinematic story: the result is a powerful film that happens to be populated by some of the finest actresses of today.
Whoopie Goldberg is the religiously inclined mother of Thandie Newton (a woman of physical needs that cannot be satisfied despite nightly change of partners) and Tessa Thompson (a high school girl with aspirations crushed by an unwanted pregnancy); Janet Jackson is a bitter, wealthy magazine editor married to the Down Low Omari Hardwick; Loretta Devine is a community service giver in a relationship with the undependable Richard Lawson; Kimberly Elise (breathtakingly magnificent!) is paired with the war-torn PTSD alcoholic and abusive Michael Ealy; Kerry Washington works for child services despite her infertility in her marriage to Hill Harper; Anika Noni Rose is a lovely innocent dance teacher brutally treated by Khalil Kain; Phylicia Rashad is the tenement house manager who is the central mother confessor to her tenants.
Sad because I can just think of all the people I know and women who are just like those in the movie living on no hope or false hope.
That being said, I am very disappointed that one poster decided to comment not about the movie but about their own personal prejudices about black women, and probably black people in general.
Let me start off by saying that I am NOT a fan of Tyler Perry's past movies, television shows, or plays.
I look forward to seeing this movie again.As for the acting...Rashad, Devine, Elise, Newton, and Rose were the standouts.
I have to say that i mostly disagree with the bad reviews, but I understand the issues with the movie.Lets start with the good: The acting was great.
I love Thandie Newton to death and she did a good job acting in this movie, but in some scenes, she overdid it.
(I am NOT a Tyler Perry Fan, although I have seen most of his melodramas)This film is clearly a departure from his usual style, and for the most part he gets it really right!!
All of the Women give Incredible Performances, save for Whoopi Goldberg, who is wonderful in the film BUT, I feel needed more takes than she was given to really dig deeper.
I feel like she thought, I'm in a Tyler Perry movie, this ain't Steven Spielberg directing me.
So they turn increasingly inward, and to each other, to survive.Director Tyler Perry has great material here--the Ntozake Shange play that wowed Broadway in 1975.
And so through all the tears comes a realization that this very artificially outrageous drama has deeply deeply serious intentions.If you like movies for how they are made--the editing, the filming, the set design--you'll be impressed.
Pieces that I understood in one way when I read them took on a different and more potent meaning when I saw them being performed in the context of the film.
The delivery of most (not all) of the poems and the character portrayals generally was excellent.There is some overacting (Kerry Washington in particular stood out as overdone to me), and some of Tyler Perry's typical caricatures (if you are a light-skinned man with a high paying job....you are a bastard!), but if I evaluated this movie based on whether my understanding and experience of the text was expanded by this film, I would say it was.
I loved the motif of the characters passing each other by in the beginning half which all culminated at the pivotal point in the movie with them beginning to band together to the aid of each other.I think it was a strong ensemble cast(including Janet) and should be nominated as such, much like they did with the movie "Crash".
I think even for Michael although I would guess the black community does not want to see another of our males nominated for something negative but he played that part really honestly and showed great turmoil.I feel that people are unjustly criticizing Janet.
They simply were able to transfer Michael Ealy's character having been in the Vietnam War to being in the present day Iraq War. Nobody used cell phones because nobody in the movie talked on telephones.I don't understand why critics praised "Precious" yet would bash this.
I mean there were scenes I was too afraid to watch, scenes I couldn't take my eyes off and scenes that were hilarious and serious all at the same time.I think this is a great piece of cinema by Tyler Perry, with great dialog, great actors and a great look and while it may not be perfect, no film is..
You should have let someone like Baz Luhrmann direct "For Colored Girls..." I've seen and read this play and I've always loved it!
people that don't know anything about movies whatsoever.don't write a review after reading the "expert critics" those journal critics are so lame they are full of sorrow, dreams that they didn't accomplish, its sad to see the beautiful work from Tyler Perry, getting so much hate.GREAT MOVIE!!!
So he must be doing something right.And another thing, if you just don't understand black films or the idea that they are successful black people in society with high paying jobs, then you need to watch more than the Andy Griffin Show and All In The Family.Basically, go see the movie and then review it.
There is nothing cliché about this film, the setting was perfectly altered to fit the current times, although I would have equally enjoyed it if the movie was set during the time the play was written.For a few of the actresses, this is the best performance I've ever seen of them.
But again, perhaps that is where the author meant to go with the piece.In sum, while there were major areas that could have been improved, I have to call foul on some of the critics' assault of this film, and their proclivity to compare it to other--admittedly weak--Tyler Perry works.
Just because someone is taking the initiative to point out such things and frown upon them, does not mean they are discrediting the entire black male race--because as I remember Kelly's (Kerry Washington) husband was quite supportive of her.Any woman of color who hasn't been "whitewashed" (not meant to be offensive; for lack of a better term) or thoroughly unexposed to adversity because of their color most likely will not get this film.
But whether you interpret the meaning behind the words of the women in this film, or whether you just brush it off as "pretentious" because Tyler Perry is coming into Hollywood as a force to be reckoned with (which is a fact, not an opinion), is entirely up to you..
Overall this was one of Tyler Perry's best films, that guy did an amazing job!.
You would already expect to see a wide range of acting but you will not be prepared for the great range he introduces in this film.Being a person that doesn't really read poetry this movie does great job in introducing all the poetry it does into acting parts.
The movie gives an insight into many different relationships that woman have, without giving the plot away just know it has everything from rape to promiscuity.It's definitely a must see for "colored girls everywhere" as well as "colored man" because it shows just how strong the black woman has to be not only as a woman but as a black woman, she is one of the strongest homosepians out there, lol.Men need to see just how strong woman are and how they hold the family structure together no matter, from generational curses that still haunt the black family today.You will have a great new respect for Mrs. Kimberly Elise, she should be nominated for an academy award after this, if not an Oscar!.
It took me a minute to get use to it, but I eventually appreciated the "differentness".While most involved did a wonderful job, the standout performances came from Kimberly Elise, Phylicia Rashad, Loretta Devine, Michael Ealy and Anika Noni Rose.
The movie made me thankful for my hard-working father who was always there, my brother-in-laws who treat my sisters well and for the many men I have been blessed to know who would not, could not rape, brutalize nor disrespect a woman.
I imagine that Janet Jackson's agent said that Ms. Jackson will be in this film if she gets a good crying scene, because the Motion Picture Academy looks favorably on actors and actresses who cry.
I've found that most people misinterpret the title "For Colored Girls." The movie is not necessarily about women of color...if you read the book you'd realize that the woman were nameless and only identified by a color, ie.
I appreciated the subtle, musical ques when the actor's were citing poetry lines; and, I appreciated the hysterical scenes, the look-away scenes, the intense scenes, and the sad scenes.I loved the way I was angry and felt sympathy for each character and that Tyler COMPLETELY left his normal deliver.
This is and will be a signature piece to Tyler Perry, however it's so boring i don't know if it's worth the full 15.75 to watch it..This movie is watchable and tolerable unlike his other rehashed, VERY cliché' flicks but it just falls down the tubes with the entertainment portion, i was bored to death, The movie is basically Waiting to Exhale, Whats love got to do with it and Precious all thrown together in a big Gumbo pot however i did enjoy Kimberly Elise acting which probably saved this entire movie from being thrown out a week into it's release.
put this women in more movies and give her bigger scripts!Obviously Tyler Perry doesn't need anyone to tell him he does or does not know how to direct but he does have a lot of work to do..
When I talk about fluidity, I mean the cohesion of scenes, but I definitely liked the way that Shange's actual poems were incorporated into the film.
(But that is expected, as she has a natural foreign accent.) I've noticed a lot of people criticize Kerry Washington's character as "overdone," but I really liked Kerry in this film and believed her completely.
I'm not going to lie---it certainly does label black men as "douches." All black men, with the exception of Kerry Washington's husband in the film, are portrayed as either emotionally, verbally, sexually, or physically abusive, selfish, and heartless---which as we all know is NOT true in real-life.
There are plenty of great black men in this world that are educated, good providers, loving, respectful, honest, and that know how to treat women like princesses.
I don't think was a man-bashing movie, but more-so a film that highlights many issues women experience that come hand-in-hand with broken families, absent fathers, violent men, rape/sexual abuse.
It's too "OK" for us to make "colored film" but you know every liberal would have a heart attack if we made a movie and labeled it "For White ____" or any title like that.
Tyler Perry (director) brought these stories together in a film that acknowledges life's difficulties while affirming our ability as people to rise above and find strength in each other..
Later she said Perry had done a fine job, but that the film wasn't quite "finished"."For Colored Girls (Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf)" is just that.
The artistic palate full with some outstanding dramatic performances, dancing, opera, poetry, and heart.This movie is for the colored girls who have felt joy and despair, who have seen both sides of the moon.
Tyler Perry's filming of For Colored Girls was a pretty good adaptation of Ntozake Shange's play.
So I just watched Tyler Perry's adaptation of Ntozake Shange's play whose title is shortened here to For Colored Girls.
Each actress-Loretta Devine, Phylicia Rashad, Whoopi Goldberg, Kerry Washington, Anika Noni Rose, Kimberly Elise, Thandie Newton, Janet Jackson among them-brought their own dramatic talents to the fore which helped when it came time for the poetic monologues to be recited.
And as one reviewer already said, I'm certainly not a fan of Tyler Perry's "low art" films, and his depiction of the African American female in particular.
In For Colored Girls, I'd like to say Bravo to Perry, poetic dialog is so beautifully scripted and weaved into the progression of the story.
I think this movie is better than all of his other films.
I loved the show when I saw it on Broadway decades ago.I wondered why I hadn't seen the movie around much, and rented it on TV.I found a riveting series of great interlocking stories, moving and powerful performances, and updated perspectives on race and gender (we get behind some of the men's problems too, without excuses for the inexcusable).The job most commonly presented for women in movies these days is "princess." No kidding.
As some have said it started off slow and as it progressed you really got into all of the characters and aspects of the play I had seen more than 25 years ago stated to come back to me.All of the performances were great especially that of Kimberly Elise who as some have indicated probably deserves an Oscar nomination.
What this story does an excellent job of doing is illustrating how we make decisions about our lives based on situations- including considering suicide.I agree with other reviewers that there was some overacting, but overall this was a great movie.
I saw the movie last night and frankly is not that bad some people most of the time criticize without going to the movies and watch it Tyler Perry might have in the past made some corny movies but Four Colored girls is his BEST so far i'm not saying it's a perfect 8 or 10 but give the man some credits and stop being so racist some people even compare Perry with Miley Cyrus acting that is so Lame before commenting take on a movie take some time to go see it you will be amaze how people can be good at what they do there's plenty of "Non-Hollywood" actors out there who are better than a lot so Called Good Actors they might never have a chance to be and Big Budget movies but they definitely BETTER than some Movies Icons that you guys are crazy about, I really think Tyler Perry Deserve some credits for his work Stop Blaming the guy unless you can do better.
Colored Girls runs close to that but get a half a step up because its not a pure Perry Production.A few years ago I said that it was very likely that Perry would win an Oscar if he got a handle on his the fast and loose way he makes films.
One cannot help but wonder....what message is Tyler Perry is sending to our black women by throwing black men under the bus in every movie he makes.
I really wanted to find something in these characters to like, but other than a few of them, I really didn't find them likable enough to sympathize with their plights.The film has an amazing cast of black actresses, many of whom I have had the delight of seeing live on Broadway.
I think it was well intended to make a film version of this, but unfortunately, the movie doesn't come off as pro-women as much as man-hating and angry.
If I got date raped, beaten, aborted, a std, infected with HIV, cussed out, freaked myself to men or women , stalked, had my kids dropped from a 5 story window, pimped out because I was to black & ugly to have my own race want me, had babies blood and dirt put over my head (breathe), went psychotic scrapping the blood off the street, then held each other like waiting to exhale not encouraging counseling & a better life, then i'm not inspired.
So all I have to say is this is not a movie for anyone showing our race just loves to see themselves in a negative light because when positive films are done we skip them.
The musical score and cinematography were great and should've been nominated as well for the Oscar.This is a good and emotional movie if like Tyler Perry's movies than you'll like For Colored Girls.
I have only recently watched Tyler Perry films with the Why Did I Get Married?
And this line isn't alone as many of the speeches are poetesized (yes I made that word up.) I'm sure as poetry or even a play that its lovely but the translation to screen was poor at best.At first glance the performances from the cast in this film are powerful.
Kimberly Elise, Janet Jackson, Loretta Devine, Anika Noni Rose, Kerry Washington, Tessa Thompson, Phylicia Rashad, and Whoopi Goldberg all do well and they certainly have a strong clout for actors but they are all the same with different problems.
I LOVE Tyler Perry movies....I Hated this one!.
I have seen and own all of Tyler Perry movies.
It was Polar Opposite of the Movies I Love to see from Tyler Perry!
I would not say that this is a chick flick either, I think men could watch this movie and actually enjoy it as well as women.
They have their own prejudices against Black women, and they don't like Tyler Perry.
This immediately became his best film!What about the performers in this movie!
I was surprised when I saw the trailer for this movie and saw her in it: Phylicia Rashad working with Tyler Perry?!
These issues are universal, and I'm not sure I really see the need to label the whole movie "For Colored Girls" And as a black women, I would like to see black women portrayed in a more positive/influential light.