"Too often the movie sticks to the obvious and the cliché."

A fine-looking, strong-spirited, affluent African American couple, hoop dates with the boyz, a best girlfriend that begins every sentence with “Girrrrlll”, an old friend from the hood with a troubled past, a bitter, I-been-done-wrong, bear of a mother-in-law, and a heavy dose of you need God in your life—haven’t we seen this movie before?

The formula’s very, very familiar…though it’s not a Tyler Perry production.

Clarice (Taraji P. Henson) and Dave Johnson (Morris Chestnut) had the beginnings of a perfect marriage, until a home-plate slide cost Dave his dream of being a big league star. While Clarice’s career as a “real estate rainmaker” skyrockets, Dave is left to putt around in his remodeling van with his sense of emasculation. The tension climbs slowly until a car accident stretches the marriage to its breaking point. Add to that a live-in mother-in-law and Dave’s attraction to Clarice’s physical therapist Julie and his fatherly affection for her son Bryson, and the once-golden couple’s marital ties are about to snap. Ties that are symbolized in Clarice and Dave’s wedding ceremony by three cords wrapped around them, one for each of them, and the third, for God.

The narration, the dialogue, the entire film glistens with a glossy coat of manufactured drama and generously dispensed, religiously couched life lessons.

True, Clarice was in a major collision, but considering the outcome the characters grave reactions lay it on a bit thick. We know Dave’s little league team means the world to him because the characters say so. And we occasionally see him spend a minute or two coaching them. Not because we witness any heartwarming relationships or conversations. We’re also told it’s a ghetto league and see vague shots of a rougher part of town—but we’re never really there. The film, based on a T. D. Jakes novel, has a little something to say about everything—race, marriage, mother-in-laws, how to be a man in a man-and-woman’s world. But unfortunately reveals nothing particularly insightful, in-depth or engaging on any one topic. Stylized storytelling—solemnly-spoken narratives, moody music—cue us that it’s a meaningful movie, but the characters and the story itself don’t back it up.

It comes closest to being captivating when it turns its lens on the more subtle slips that cause a marriage to lose its way for no obvious reason. But more often the movie sticks to the obvious and the cliché. The latter along with Dave’s awkwardly overemotional hoop boy Tree and Clarice’s best girl Michelle, a.k.a. Niecy Nash are the designated comic relief. Girrrl, “Don’t make me go Oprah on you”, and “don’t go all Waiting to Exhale on me”! And Tree just has to tear up. Cause a man crying is funny. Cause it’s true?

And with all the talk of God as the crucial nuptial link and all the advice the film dispenses throughout the film, it doesn’t really explain what it means to keep God in your marriage. Unless the answer’s obvious. Maybe it’s in my 10th grade Catholic catechism textbook... Or maybe the movie wants us to go to church, to find out.

All in all it’s a decent story with jumping off points for one, or more great stories if the film took the time to explore an idea or uniquely portray a particular perspective—rather than just replay scenarios and platitudes we’ve already heard from other films. It’s likely nothing you haven’t seen before or couldn’t see on cable.

Grade: C-

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