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Diary of a Mad Black Woman (2005)

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Top Critics

Average Rating: 3.9/10
Reviews Counted: 110
Fresh: 17 | Rotten: 93

Tyler Perry's successful play can't make the move to the screen; this mix of slapstick, melodrama and spirituality lacks a consistent tone.

Average Rating: 4.4/10
Critic Reviews: 30
Fresh: 8 | Rotten: 22

Tyler Perry's successful play can't make the move to the screen; this mix of slapstick, melodrama and spirituality lacks a consistent tone.

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Average Rating: 4/5
User Ratings: 87,077

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Movie Info

A woman has to learn how to love and trust men all over again in this comedy drama. Helen McCarter (Kimberly Elise) would seem to have it all -- she's been married for 18 years to Charles (Steve Harris), and over the course of their time together, he's become one of Atlanta's most successful attorneys. But despite wealth and prestige, things are not as they should be at the McCarter home, and on their anniversary, Charles drops a bombshell on Helen -- he's divorcing her for another woman.

PG-13, 1 hr. 56 min.

Comedy

Directed By: Darren Grant

Written By: Tyler Perry

In Theaters: Feb 25, 2005 Wide

On DVD: Jun 28, 2005

Box Office:$50.4M

Lions Gate Films

It's never less than watchable, a bizarre hybrid that somehow works as a whole, even though its various components don't mesh.

March 18, 2005 Full Review Source: Toronto Star

| Comment

Peter Howell

Toronto Star

Top Critic

It's a cheap melodrama that presses all the right sentimental buttons.

March 18, 2005 Full Review Source: Globe and Mail

| Comment

Rick Groen

Globe and Mail

Top Critic

Perry doesn't have any delusions of artistry, and potentially, at least, that's refreshing. But any points he earns for lack of pretense are immediately gobbled up by his lack of subtlety.

February 25, 2005 Full Review Source: Salon.com

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Stephanie Zacharek

Salon.com

Top Critic

Raucous and overwrought, the movie is still a hoot to watch and even more fun to talk back to.

February 25, 2005 Full Review Source: San Francisco Chronicle

| Comment

Ruthe Stein

San Francisco Chronicle

Top Critic

Stay clear of this mess.

February 25, 2005 Comments (3)

Lou Lumenick

New York Post

Top Critic

There's nothing real or even funny in Perry's performance; all padding and crude makeup, he shouts every line as if he's still playing to the upper balcony in a rundown Masonic Hall.

February 25, 2005 Full Review Source: Newark Star-Ledger

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Stephen Whitty

Newark Star-Ledger

Top Critic

[Jams] together not two but three separate genres that probably should have remained that way.

January 19, 2012 Full Review Source: Antagony & Ecstasy

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Tim Brayton

Antagony & Ecstasy

Syrupy drama -- not much here for kids.

December 22, 2010 Full Review Source: Common Sense Media

| Comment

Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

In an extremely strange genre combo, inner city gross out comedy meets evangelical passion play in Diary Of A Mad Black Woman.

March 30, 2007 Full Review | Comment (1)

Prairie Miller

Long Island Press

Imagine a cross between Martin Lawrence's Big Momma's House and Eddie Murphy's The Klumps with Christian and Cinderella themes.

February 17, 2007 Full Review Source: Princeton Town Topics

| Comment

Kam Williams

Princeton Town Topics

What ruins this revenge flick is Madea's boorish, bull in the china store act reminiscent of the sassy black woman stereotype popularized by Sanford and Son's Aunt Esther. Loud and ignorant, Medea tends to trivialize every scene.

February 17, 2007 Full Review Source: Princeton Town Topics

| Comment (1)

Kam Williams

Princeton Town Topics

A satisfying end, but it takes a lot of work -- and a lot of suspended disbelief -- to get there.

November 1, 2006 Comment

LaTonya Taylor

Christianity Today Source: Christianity Today

This bizarre movie is many things--a celebration of Christian values, a drag act, a drug plunge, a soap opera, a sitcom revenge fantasy.

November 18, 2005 Full Review Source: Bangor Daily News (Maine)

| Comment

Christopher Smith

Bangor Daily News (Maine)

As a comedy this movie works. As a love story, the movie contains no sparks. The dialogue is stilted and unnatural, which belittles the drama.

September 30, 2005 Full Review Source: Three Movie Buffs

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Scott Nash

Three Movie Buffs

This is a film that's gone way beyond the realm of bad, past disaster. This one's in the area of all-time grand mistakes.

June 28, 2005 Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com

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David Cornelius

eFilmCritic.com

This movie really touched upon an aspect of black life that we can all identify with. More realistic then all of these ghettofied movies that have been presented as representation of black life previously.

April 27, 2005 Full Review Source: 3BlackChicks Review

| Comment (1)

Kamal 'The Diva' Larsuel

3BlackChicks Review

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Audience Reviews for Diary of a Mad Black Woman

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Diary of a Mad Black Woman is hilarious, but why can't he make a whole movie on Madea instead of these dramas. The plot is the same old Tyler Perry dramatic black woman movie, a woman has marital problems and gets herself a new man, and side clips of the always hilarious Madea. The cast was okay, I love Tyler Perry

August 17, 2011

Brad Wright

Super Reviewer

Diary of a Mad Black Woman Is about A couple who been married for 18 years and then Charles drop a some really bad news on Helen. He is divorcing her so he could marry another women. At first the mother in law does everything in her power to get back at Charles. Helen could trust any other man. Will Helen trust men

August 13, 2010

erika bruhns

Super Reviewer

Diary of a Mad Black Woman Quotes

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1. Madea: I keep me a piece of steel, Once you got a piece of steel you will have peace! Load your steel Thank you Jesus!
– Submitted by Jamie M (9 months ago)

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