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Taraji P. Henson, Adam Rodriguez, Tyler Perry, Hope Olaide Wilson, Mary J. Blige ... see more see more... , Brian J. White , Kwesi Boakye , Freddy Siglar , Gladys Knight , Marvin Winans , Eric Mendenhall , David Paulus , Randall Taylor , Tess Malis Kincaid , Joe E. Taylor Jr. , Cheryl B. Pratt , Judith Franklin , Jameaka Tubbs , Thomasina Walker , Jamilah Windham , Greta Glenn , Tanya R. Rodriguez , Toni Redd , Frederick Siglar

A hard-living nightclub singer discovers the importance of family with the help of a handsome Mexican immigrant in this inspirational comedy drama from writer/director Tyler Perry. When pistol-packing... read more read more... granny Madea (Perry) awakens to the sound of her home being ransacked by wayward teen Jennifer (Hope Olaide Wilson) and her two younger brothers, she promptly marches the troubled kids over their aunt April's house. But despite being the only relative the kids can turn to, April (Taraji P. Henson) is hardly a role model; a self-destructive songbird with a serious drinking problem, she spends her nights at the club and relies on her married boyfriend, Raymond, to pay the bills. Suddenly, into April's life wanders Sandino (Adam Rodriguez), a hard-luck immigrant in search of some honest work. Before long, Sandino has moved into April's basement room, and formed a solid connection with the kids. The closer April and Sandino grow, the more April begins to recognize the importance of faith and family. When the time comes to say goodbye to her old ways and start a new life, the wounded chanteuse realizes that she may have finally found the true love that's always eluded her. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

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81% liked it

176,223 ratings

Critics

62% liked it

42 critics

PG-13, 1 hr. 53 min.

Directed by: Tyler Perry

Release Date: September 11, 2009

Keywords: predictable

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DVD Release Date: June 28, 2005

Stats: 7,126 reviews

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www.tightropemagazine.com I Can Do Bad All By Myself I Can Do Bad All By Myself I Can Do Bad All By Myself official film still I Can Do Bad All By Myself Brian White as "Randy" in Tyler Perry's, "I Can Do Bad All By Myself." official film still Brian White as "Randy" in Tyler Perry's, "I Can Do Bad All By Myself." I Can Do Bad All By Myself First Look - Movie Poster: Politics of Love (aka Love, Barack) I Can Do Bad All By Myself Brian White gives the shirt off his back for charity: http://www.obviousmag.com/calendar www.tightropemagazine.com I Can Do Bad All By Myself www.tightropemagazine.com
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Flixster Reviews (7,126)

  • EightThirty
    January 2, 2012
    EightThirty
    02/01/2012 (PS3, NETFLIX)
  • DreamExtractor
    October 6, 2011
    DreamExtractor
    I Can Do Bad By Myself may possibly be Tyler Perrys best film and has shown he is sometime a very good director. The plot focuses on one story instead on a bunch of them. and thats a good thing because then we get to know the characters and we care about them, but I really did g... read moreet into the story. The cast was very good, Tyler Perry is funny as usual, and Taraji P Henson plays a great and very emotional role and she made me cry near the end. The music wasn't for me, many people may enjoy that but its just boring music to me, but hey, its my opinion. If I have said it once, ive said it a thousand times, we want more Madea in these films, you can't just use her like three times and make us laugh and cry, its really hard, but I still love Madea. I Can Do Bad By Myself has some pretty big flaws, but what it doesnt make a mistake in is acting and story, I really enjoyed this film and I recommend it.
  • LWOODS04
    December 16, 2010
    LWOODS04
    Cast: Tyler Perry, Taraji P. Henson, Brian J. White, Hope Olaide Wilson, Mary J. Blige, Adam Rodriguez, Kwesi Boakye, Frederick Siglar, Gladys Knight, Marvin Winans, Eric Mendenhall



    Director: Tyler Perry



    Summary: Jennifer (Hope Olaide Wilson) and her k... read moreid brothers realize they've picked the wrong house to rob when they come face-to-face with quick-tempered matriarch Madea (Tyler Perry), who promptly deposits them with the only family they have: their hard-living aunt April (Taraji P. Henson), a nightclub singer. April's got no room in her heart for the kids -- until a handsome new tenant (Adam Rodriguez) starts to crack her tough exterior.



    My Thoughts: "A typical Tyler Perry movie with the same premise as his other films. Another woman in a bad position being rescued by another "prince charming". Different story, but the same outcome. It's getting a bit boring. The women in these stories are all starting to blend into one another. Beaten, raped, molested, or being cheated on. Basically they all get treated bad by men in their life, and then here comes another man to treat them right. Although there is comedy to relieve some of it, its still the same feel of the other films. So if your looking for something new and he hasn't done before, this one isn't it. I would like to see him do something different. Also, why is the answer to every woman's problem in his films solved by a new man. Can't these woman be strong and independent? Not every woman needs a man to make it all alright. Just getting old with these story-lines. Tyler Perry needs to start looking outside the box he has put himself in, cause these concepts are played out and he needs new material."
  • itsjustme2004
    October 14, 2010
    itsjustme2004
    Gosh, I really wanted to love this movie. I didn't expect Madea to be in it, and when she showed up I laughed and laughed. Those parts are great, and the only reason why I gave it 3 stars...otherwise I would have given it 2. There were WAY too many singing performances in this mo... read morevie. I know that Madea's name was not in the title, so apparently she wasn't a big part of this movie. Well, she needed to be to make it better.
  • LitelBluHli
    June 29, 2010
    LitelBluHli
    Wanted to like it, but it wasn't for me.
  • rayman0071
    September 21, 2009
    rayman0071
    Every year around this time,we get another dose of Tyler Perry and his alter-ego Medea. This is another one of his films that brings positive messages with a sense of christian values in them. "I Can Do Bad All My Myself" is excellent in several areas,with Oscar nominated actress... read more Taraji P. Henson conquering the film with her breakout performance here and it shows along with a stellar cast that includes Brian J. White, Gladys Knight, Adam Rodriguez, Marvin Winans,and Mary J. Blige(who also sings the title track of the picture).
  • fb1526363679
    December 2, 2011
    fb1526363679
    I Can Do Bad By Myself may possibly be Tyler Perrys best film and has shown he is sometime a very good director. The plot focuses on one story instead on a bunch of them. and thats a good thing because then we get to know the characters and we care about them, but I really did g... read moreet into the story. The cast was very good, Tyler Perry is funny as usual, and Taraji P Henson plays a great and very emotional role and she made me cry near the end. The music wasn't for me, many people may enjoy that but its just boring music to me, but hey, its my opinion. If I have said it once, ive said it a thousand times, we want more Madea in these films, you can't just use her like three times and make us laugh and cry, its really hard, but I still love Madea. I Can Do Bad By Myself has some pretty big flaws, but what it doesnt make a mistake in is acting and story, I really enjoyed this film and I recommend it.
  • fb653545547
    December 21, 2010
    fb653545547
    Taraji P. Henson is a force of nature in this Tyler Perry film. Watch how she constantly and confidently changes tone from righteous indignation to emotionally broken to a soul sister over the course of two hours. The material is obvious and a bit demeaning...but she almost ove... read morercomes the script by herself. Other actors help her out in fits and starts, though none have the sheer gravitas of Henson. (In regards to demeaning: there's the insinuation Henson's April needs a good man in her life. Not that she can do it all by herself, but the man is key. I have a problem with that. Then there's the revelation April lives literally next door to church but hasn't been there in ages. Really? REALLY?) The real downside here is Perry as the insufferable Madea. Perry's appearances drag the film from the family drama it should be into the realm of comedy, which is wildly off target for the material. Yes, I suppose the audience needed a familiar face to dive into the movie, but I wish that face hadn't been Madea. Really, though, I'd take a whole Madea movie as long as Henson was right there on the screen. What a magnetic personality and a terrific actress unafraid to do anything the script asks her to do.
  • jeffboam
    July 15, 2010
    jeffboam
    Based on his past syrupy dramas with the plot structures of Little Golden Books, the prolific Tyler Perry can clearly do bad all by himself. Audience approved but critically disapproved, Perry's bottomless bottle of feel-good pills starring himself as a 7-foot granny have tested ... read morethe patience of this reviewer in the past. His latest, however, actually stands testament to this filmmaker's cinematic strengths as well as weaknesses. More than any of his works, Bad made each of these points glaringly apparent. The movie is still sub-standard, cloying fluff at best, but there shines a hope that success is making Perry a better writer and filmmaker...if only he could lose the 7-foot granny in drag.

    In this PG-13-rated drama, some delinquent siblings (Hope Olaide Wilson, et al) are put in the care of their aunt, a boozy nightclub singer (Henson) who wants nothing to do with them.

    Admittedly, your terminally cynical reviewer found himself drawn into the ranking and rising optimism of the powerful second act...only to be let down by Perry's endless sermonizing. Backed by rousing gospel music (and Gladys Knight), Perry built his very flawed main character up in a revealing worship scene only to chillingly have her confront a villainous boyfriend in the next. For 20 amazing minutes, it proved to be the only time that your reviewer completely bought the dialogue and intentions of these players. Rather than a satisfying wrap up, however, more histrionics ensued. The frustratingly unfunny scenes involving Madea also rankle what could have been a solid effort on Perry's part.

    Bottom line: Perry bad things.
  • crazydannielle16
    July 14, 2010
    crazydannielle16
    Writer-director Tyler Perry has done it again with perhaps the best of his career. "I Can Do Bad All By Myself" has a title that just makes you cringe but it is a funny, heart-warming story.

    The story begins when Madea catches three children robbing her home. She brings them to... read more their aunt's house after giving them some dinner. Their aunt is an alcoholic nightclub singer who sleeps by day and parties at night. She is involved with a married man who pays all her bills and whose wife is pregnant again. The local church sends April a handyman to help fix her crumbling old house in return for room and board, the optimistic and caring Sandino in whom April later falls in love with.

    It's hard to care about April or anyone else in I Can Do Bad All by Myself because for the first hour, nearly every character is unlikeable. Then April turns her life around with the help of Sandino and an eye-opening revelation that her boyfriend is worse than a creeper. She goes to church, gives her life to Jesus, and lives happily ever after.

    The spiritual message in Tyler Perry's film is a little vauge. Probably because he doesn't want to offend people of different theologies but in so doing, he has left out an important part of the gospel. In any case, the movie does well, and even evoked a little tears during some of the singing parts.

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Critic Reviews

Cliff Doerksen
October 2, 2009
Cliff Doerksen, Chicago Reader

Contrived, sentimental, tonally bipolar, and as predictable as clockwork, this latest from chitlin' circuit impressario Tyler Perry is just a fat slab of ecstatic entertainment. Full Review

Melissa Anderson
September 15, 2009
Melissa Anderson, Village Voice

If the Atlanta impresario is just bored with cranking out two adaptations a year of his earlier stage work, the audience is getting restless, too. Full Review

Randy Cordova
September 15, 2009
Randy Cordova, Arizona Republic

It is easy to knock the Tyler Perry formula, but you have to give the man credit: He knows how to create meaty roles for women. Full Review

Carrie Rickey
September 14, 2009
Carrie Rickey, Philadelphia Inquirer

Though no one would cite him for the cinematic qualities of his visually pedestrian films, Perry is a master conductor of emotions. Full Review

Neil Genzlinger
September 14, 2009
Neil Genzlinger, New York Times

Mr. Perry has his moviemaking machine running smoothly, which is to say somewhat predictably.

Robert Abele
September 14, 2009
Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times

Unashamedly fond of mixing messages of vengeance and piety, Perry nevertheless manages to reduce the tonal whiplash, so that this newest entry glides a little more easily from broad laughs to teary an... Full Review

Ty Burr
September 14, 2009
Ty Burr, Boston Globe

It's the best Tyler Perry movie to date -- the writer/director/actor/mogul's most confident and competent mixture of uplifting black middle-class melodrama and low-down comedy. Full Review

Lisa Schwarzbaum
September 14, 2009
Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly

After a summer of phony, pasty rom-coms, do this: See a movie where old-fashioned notions of love, faith, strength, and the possibility of redemption are taken seriously. Full Review

Stephen Farber
September 12, 2009
Stephen Farber, Hollywood Reporter

Tyler Perry's latest hodgepodge has its moments.

Peter Debruge
September 11, 2009
Peter Debruge, Variety

There are absolutely no surprises in store, plot-wise, though Perry's approach has always been to rework familiar narrative conventions in such a way as to reaffirm key values. Full Review

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