Customer Reviews

Let God Be the Judge

5 star:		(0)
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2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

To quote an old saying, the con is on.

Emmbre Perry, younger brother of now mega-millionaire - and a bigger one-person self-promotion machine than Oprah - Tyler Perry, has apparently been given some seed money to start up his own series of moralistic tales ala Tyler, and this is his second video in a series of those kind of stories, the first being 2009's "God Send Me A Man."

The production company, Most Wanted Films, apparently was eager to have anyone with the last name Perry in their corner, as a partial list of previous winning titles don't really have me racing to the videostore to see them: 2004's "Da Block Party", 2005's "Jeremy's Family Reunion" - wow, what an inventive title there! - and of course, who can forget 2007's "The Rimshop"?)

Apparently, who knew that Black people were now wanting to get in on that niche market of horribly made low-budget movies that go absolutely nowhere? I for one didn't, and now I'm sorry that I do.

This was "produced in Louisiana" and was "performed" in front of a "live" audience. I have seen medical autopsies "performed" and filmed before "live" audiences done with more style and substance than this disaster.

Oh, some of the actors did try and keep me awake - with such wonderful Black veterans as Carl Anthony Payne II, Clifton James and Elise Neal I expected great production, top-notch writing and a wonderful story, at least that what was promised on the back cover of the video.

What I got was something second-year acting coaches throw together on a lazy Saturday afternoon to show their students how to make something like this, more like a how-to, but then not to actually copy that one-dimensional look.

The look of the video was horrible, and the actors must have been paid in bounced checks.

I know the younger Perry was trying to recreate lightning in a bottle by staying Down South and pushing this around the 'chitlin circuit' by re-creating the one stage play/moral story/spiritual sing-alongs that the elder Perry has made endless millions doing, but please don't be deceived when you pick this title up - you will be very very disappointed.

Although the story and plot attempts to be positive and uplifting, the idea is a tired set of cliches and to be honest with you, you've seen it a hundred times and in a hundred different variations - man has crisis of faith and/or love, gets hit on the head, in an extended fantasy sequence he pleads for his life before a judge and witnesses pro and con go on the stage, etc. until he wakes up and wait! was it all a dream? Either way, I'd better get my life right etc. The End.

Now I do NOT want to knock the message, and I think in this day and age some men (and women) should take a look in the mirror and be honest with themselves, but this video only makes me want to never want to rent or consider buying any kind of video or movie with the last name "Perry" attached to it - EVER.

To sum it up: Extremely low budget, a pretty shabby copycat style stolen straight from a older more successful sibling... I mean, come ON! Even the straight-to-DVD cover is deceptive: it looks like a "Tyler Perry-produced, Tyler Perry-directed, Tyler Perry-starring" video, down to the design and layout of it.

Maybe Tyler should reach out to his younger brother with two ideas: try raising the value of his videos up a notch, and then for two, threaten him with a lawsuit for copycatting his style and font on video covers!

Apparently the first video, 2009's "God Send Me A Man", is the same in quality, style and substance as this video. If it is, I'll be asking God to send me one thing - to blind me before I ever have to see it.

I give two stars for the attempt-to-please performances from some of the actors, but I have to give zero stars for the barebones production value and the obvious blatant ripoff, even down to using someone else's box cover and very prominently placing the word PERRY right on top.

I'm just sorry I can't give this zero stars.

Let's hope I never have to see this or any other Emmbre Perry production again. He should be ashamed for all at once blighting and leeching off his brother's hard work.

Please avoid it, and you'll be happier you did.

The movie had a good message but I expected more. The entire movie took place in a court room. All you saw were the lawyers interviewing different individuals to see if carl payne was worthy of going to heaven. The movie was really boring and did not hold my attention.