“For Colored Girls” is filmmaker Tyler Perry’s adaptation of Ntozake Shange’s play titled, “For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf.” Perry aligned some of Hollywood’s best African-American actresses for the film such as Whoopi Golberg, Loretta Devine, Janet Jackson and Thandie Newton. The film gives viewers a raw and emotional glimpse into the lives of nine women who each deal with heavy personal issues such as rape, incest, abortion, infidelity, domestic abuse and infertility.

The film is Perry’s most mature work yet and conveys his directing ability that most viewers only get a taste of in his “Madea” films. The transition from the stage to the big screen is almost flawless. Perry integrates his own screen writing with the various monologues in order to make the story flow smoother. The poetries appear throughout the film like songs in a musical where characters break out into poetic numbers and then resume back to the scenes. The way the women are integrated with one another throughout the film brings a sense of the film “Crash” as each encounter adds a missing piece to the final story.

The film is not easy to sit through, as many scenes do not leave much to the viewer’s imagination. One of the tougher scenes to watch is when Crystal, played by Kimberly Elise (The Great Debaters), is beaten by her alcoholic, Vietnam veteran boyfriend while their children are being babysat by the neighbor next door. The children come home to witness their mom bruised and bloody as their father proceeds to verbally belittle Crystal. The scene ends with a fatal twist that is sure to evoke strong emotions within viewers.

Overall, the production of the film is simple and straightforward and the stories of the nine women are strong enough to speak for themselves. Men are definitely the antagonists in this film and are portrayed as vicious monsters that terrorize the women and complicate their lives. This film will take viewers on an emotional roller coaster so be prepared to bring a box of tissues and a stress ball to the theater.