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Creative Writing: We Have To Take A Look At Bad Writing Too

January 30, 2016 by Alice Nelson 6 Comments

In my other life I write movie reviews, and I’m sure it isn’t surprising to you that good writing in films is just as important as it is in literature. At times there is a hairline difference between a good film and a bad one. Then I had the misfortune of reviewing Madea’s Witness Protection, and realized that sometimes the distance between good and bad film making can be an abyss.

This is the first, and God willing the last Madea movie I will ever have to sit through. One of the biggest complaints lodged against Tyler Perry is that he perpetuates negative racial stereotypes. There is a lot to criticize Perry on, but the use of racial stereotypes is the least of his problems. Madea’s Witness Protection is a thoroughly unfunny film, full of poorly written characters, and a script that would be far better suited for a seventies urban sitcom than a major motion picture.

Okay, let’s take a deep breath, I understand that those words may sound harsh, but for those of us who use words for a living, and love it when they are streamed together to make wonderful stories, it can be an offense to the senses when a film appears as if the words were an afterthought.

The premise for Madea’s Witness Protection is this: George Needleman is CFO of a charitable organization under investigation by the FBI. Unbeknownst to Needleman, the organization is a Ponzi scheme that is laundering money for the mob. In order to get protection from the Feds and keep his family safe, George agrees to testify in court. But the safe houses have been infiltrated by the mob, so Federal Prosecutor Brian Simmons, thinks the home of his aunt Madea (played by the very male writer/actor Tyler Perry), is the perfect place for the family to hide out until George can go to trial; because of course they’d be safer with the sassy old black woman Madea, than they would be with the Feds. I am not making this up, this is the actual plot.

I’m not so thin skinned that I can’t enjoy a film where there are characters that represent cultural stereotypes. If done right, these kinds of things can be funny, but good writing is essential in making it work. Madea’s Witness Protection is such an unbelievably bad film that the stereotypes come off as crude and thoughtless. Perry is listed as the sole writer on the film, and maybe that’s where the biggest problem lies. He might need a co-writer who can rein him in, advise him that a nearly two hour film full of one liners with a story created around it, might not be a wise move. The Madea character isn’t very likeable and she reads her lines as if every one of them is a punch line, and she’s waiting for the rim shot. It would make no difference if she were on screen by herself or with another actor, because Madea doesn’t have conversations with the people, she talks at them –and loudly. Every word uttered is meant to illicit a laugh, every joke is more embarrassing than the last.

One of the most irritating aspects about Madea (And it was hard to come up with just one), is the way she greets people with the infamous “Heller” instead of hello. You see, Madea is southern, and in Perry’s world, all old Black southern women say hello this way. It’s meant to be a cute quirk of the character, but it feels forced -just like everything else in this film. Each time Madea utters that expression, I think of the Urkel catch phrase that was so big in the 90s, “Did I do that?” It’s about as dumb and just as tiresome.

Madea’s Witness Protection seems to be an example of writers taking the easy way out by using cheap jokes to make up for the lack of a story. I am mystified at the success of these movies, but their popularity could be due to the fact that Perry is one of a small number of successful black filmmakers. He has tapped into a market starving for entertainment they feel represents the lives and communities of Black Americans. So maybe even a story about an unfunny, and obnoxious black woman who loud talks her way through life, is better than nothing —I guess.

For me, I don’t care what color you are, a powerful story will resonate with audiences regardless of their race. The goal should be to tell a good story —that’s all. Sure, there is a subjective nature to judging any art form, but if we’re making movies for specific groups instead of just for people who love watching movies, maybe what we end up with are films like Madea’s Witness Protection.

 

~Welcome to a monthly look at the art of creative writing from all kinds of mediums: Books, music, movies, television, and anything else I can think of. If you have any ideas please feel free to offer them in the comments below. I hope you find it helpful as well as entertaining  ~AN

Filed Under: On Writing Tagged With: movies, On Writing

About Alice Nelson

Alice Nelson is a regular contributor to Short Fiction Break. She currently co-hosts a flash fiction podcast called A Creative Mind Fiction, where she narrates her original stories. She also co-moderates a flash fiction writing group. She is the author of Hell Is for Puppies, a horror-filled collection of short stories. You can hear more of her writing here.

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Comments

  1. Christelle says

    January 30, 2016 at 12:29 pm

    I wish you had gone back to the ‘hairline difference between good and bad’ to reference where better examples of character realization.
    I have not seen this particular Madea movie but I have seen others and I agree with your overall sentiments. But I’m not sure Perry is doing much different than most others making major motion pictures. The stereotypes of all kinds seem to be immortal, and most movies and their characters seem to have the same qualities in common; vapid, vapid, and vapid.

    Reply
    • Alice Nelson says

      January 30, 2016 at 1:02 pm

      Great point Christelle! I didn’t make any comparisons, I will definitely do that the next time I write a post like this. Thanks for the advice.

      Reply
  2. donaldbakerauthor says

    January 30, 2016 at 4:03 pm

    I saw one of those Medea things once. It got a few chuckles out of me but that’s about all. Too bad. Tyler Perry has talent. I don’t put him up there with Redd Foxx or even Steve Harvey as far as African American comic actors go, but he has a lot going for him. Wish he would go in another direction away from Medea. Nice review. I’ll check the other site.

    Reply
  3. Alice Nelson says

    January 30, 2016 at 6:10 pm

    Thank you Donald. I agree, Perry has talent, he just seems to have settled into this Madea character and won’t let it go. I review movies at DVD Verdict.com, check it out, so many wonderful writers on the site, I know you’ll find some you’ll keep coming back to.

    Reply
  4. littleboweevil says

    January 30, 2016 at 8:23 pm

    I saw that Medea movie you were talking about. I enjoyed your description of the movie better than I enjoyed the movie itself. On the other hand, I didn’t go to that particular movie expecting “good” writing. I, like you, I assume, had to constantly check my watch, wishing-to-hell, the movie would end. This is not usually the type of movies I go to. My wife made me.

    Reply
    • Alice Nelson says

      January 30, 2016 at 9:09 pm

      Thank you, I’m glad you enjoyed the review. I can tell you truly love your wife if you went to this movie with her because she wanted to see it. You my man are a good husband. Take care 🙂

      Reply

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