Review of Why Did I Get Married?

Why Did I Get Married? is a 2007 American comedy-drama film that is written, produced, directed, and starred by Tyler Perry. It was released by Lionsgate in the United States on October 12, 2007.It is a film adaptation inspired by Perry’s play of the same title. Aside from Tyler Perry, the film also stars Janet Jackson, Malik Yoba, Tasha Smith, Jill Scott, Sharon Leal, Richard T. Jones, Michael Jai White, Keesha Sharp, and Denise Boutte.

Story of the Film

The film Why Did I Get Married? is about the struggle of keeping a solid relationship in modern times. Its story revolves around eight married college friends plus one other non-friend who went to Colorado and stayed there for a week for their annual reunion. The mood changes when one couple’s disloyalty comes to light. Their secrets were discovered and each couple began to question their own marriage.

The couples in the film battle with issues about commitment, betrayal, and forgiveness over the course of the week. They examine their lives as individuals and as well as committed couples. Why Did I Get Married? explores the resultant emotional impact that unfaithfulness and love have upon the structure of marriage.

Why Did I Get Married? Cast

  • First Couple – The Brocks
  • Tyler Perry – Terry, a pediatrician
  • Sharon Leal – Diane, an attorney 
  • Second Couple – The Agnews
  • Malik Yoba –Gavin, an architect
  • Janet Jackson –Patricia, a psychologist 
  • Third Couple – The Williams
  • Michael Jai White – Marcus, a former football player
  • Tasha Smith –Angela, owner of a hair salon 
  • Fourth Couple
  • Richard T. Jones –Mike, an entrepreneur
  • Jill Scott – Sheila, a housewife 
  • Other Cast
  • Lamman Rucker – Troy Jackson
  • Denise Boutte – Trina aka Tricka
  • Keesha Sharp – Pam
  • Kaira Whitehead – Keisha
  • Sheri Mann Stewart 

Film Production

A lot of the church and message scenes were taken out of the film because Perry, according to an interview, want the film to be “on a whole ‘nother spiritual level—there’s a whole ‘nother connection to it.”. Perry also invited experienced and neophyte African-American actors such as Danny! and Tracee Ellis Ross to a reading of an early script in order to field reactions.

Soundtrack

Atlantic Records released the soundtrack of Why Did I Get Married? on October 2, 2007 but what’s surprising is that neither Janet Jackson nor Jill Scott were featured on the soundtrack. The film’s soundtrack debuted at number 51 on Billboard 200. It was number 7on R&B and Hip-Hop Albums, and number 6 on Soundtracks. Around 58,000 copies of the album were sold in its first week. Here are the songs included in the soundtrack.

  1. “Love U Better” by Keith Sweat feat. Keyshia Cole
  2. “Sorry for the Stupid Things” by Babyface
  3. “You Belong to Me” by Anita Baker
  4. “Why” by Kelly Price
  5. “DJ Don’t Remix” by Gerald Levert feat. Jaheim
  6. “Betterman” by MusiqSoulchild
  7. “One” by Tyrese Gibson
  8. “Who Am I to Say” by Hope
  9. “Flaws and All” by Beyoncé
  10. “Mmm…” by Laura Izibor
  11. “No One Else” by AmelLarrieux
  12. “L-O-V-E” by Michael Bublé
  13. “Why Did I Get Married”-Tamika Scott
  14. “Givin’ Up” by Jennifer Holliday

General Reception

“Why Did I Get Married?”was able to earn $21.4 million on its opening weekend. It was shown in 3,105 theaters in the United States and Canada and it ranked number one at the box office. On the second weekend of the film, it slipped to number two in the box office charts, earning a gross of $12.1 million. Its 10-day total was over $38 million and it total, the film grossed $55,862,886 domestically.

Why Did I Get Married? was also nominated for several awards such as Outstanding Motion Picture, Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture (Jill Scott), and Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture (Tyler Perry). And Janet Jackson won the award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture.