Tyler Perry's Acrimony

Name: Tyler Perry's Acrimony
Genre: Drama, Thriller, Comedy
Released: March 30, 2018
Duration: 120 min
Rating: 32
Cast: Ajiona Alexus, Bresha Webb, Brian Kayode-Patrick Johnson, Crystle Stewart, Danielle Nicolet

2018

METASCORE

Generally unfavorable reviews based on 14 Critic Reviews

See All

USER SCORE

Generally unfavorable reviews based on 36 Ratings

See All

3.9

VOTE NOW

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

3.9	Your Score
3.9	User Score Generally unfavorable reviews based on 36 Ratings

Would you like to write a review?

There is a 75 character minimum for reviews. If your review contains spoilers, please check the Spoiler box. Please do not use ALL CAPS. There is no linking or other HTML allowed. Your review may be edited for content. 0/5000

Check box if your review contains spoilers

Movie Details & Credits

Lionsgate | Release Date: March 30, 2018 | R

Starring: Ajiona Alexus, Bresha Webb, Brian Kayode-Patrick Johnson, Crystle Stewart, Danielle Nicolet, Jason Vail, Jay Hunter, Jazmyn Simon, Katie Carpenter, Kendrick Cross, Lyriq Bent, Nelson Estevez, Ptosha Storey, Racquel Bianca John, Taraji P. Henson, Terayle Hill, Tika Sumpter

Summary: A faithful wife (Taraji P. Henson) tired of standing by her devious husband (Lyriq Bent) is enraged when it becomes clear she has been betrayed.

Director: Tyler Perry

Genre(s): Drama, Thriller, Comedy

Rating: R

Runtime: 120 min

See All Details and Credits

Watch Now

Buy on

Stream On

Expand

Metascore

Positive:

Mixed:

Negative:

Critic Reviews

Katie Walsh

Mar 30, 2018

Stylistically, Acrimony has moments of genius — slow camera movements that push in on Melinda, emphasizing Henson’s performance and the building pressure — but it’s also hilariously cheesy, and slightly chintzy, which adds to its schmaltzy charm. Read full review

Alonso Duralde

Mar 31, 2018

While Tyler Perry’s Acrimony doesn’t quite live up to its stylish trailer — that water-torture sound design promises a floodgate that will burst at any moment — it’s the kind of “women’s picture” that used to be Joan Crawford’s bread and butter, the sort that allows its star to glamorously lose her grip in a succession of great outfits. Read full review

The Film Stage John Fink

Mar 30, 2018

Ambitious and deeply flawed, Acrimony may appeal to hardcore fans of The Room–it’s not every day a melodrama comes along that’s this fun precisely because it never takes itself seriously. Read full review

RogerEbert.com Monica Castillo

Mar 30, 2018

I’m not sure the movie knows what it wants to say. Perry’s maltreatment of his morally ambiguous character feels excessive, and if Melinda is mentally ill, then that treatment is cruel. Read full review

Movie Nation Roger Moore

Mar 31, 2018

And telling your story with endless pages of sarcastic, venomous narration? It doesn’t work and even Henson was bored with it, judging from her line-readings. Read full review

Dominick Suzanne-Mayer

Apr 3, 2018

That the film never fully gets to the heart of its savage commentaries is probably its greatest disappointment. Read full review

Owen Gleiberman

Mar 30, 2018

A ludicrously scattershot drama in which overwrought feminine rage, diary-of-a-mad-woman craziness, and inept filmmaking are all but inseparable. Read full review

SEE ALL 14 REVIEWS

Write a Review

User Reviews

Millmovie

Jun 15, 2019

With all the negative reviews I didn't want to waste my time. But then I saw it on Hulu and watched. I enjoyed it thoroughly. It's a great thriller. I believe women will relate to the movie more than men.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

shpostal

Mar 30, 2018

I don't understand sometimes what gets a movie critic's goat, but I very much disagree with the poor ratings by the "experts" on "Acrimony". Tyler Perry has a flair for the bizarre, and this time around we're dealing with a woman who is played brilliantly by Taraji Henson, one of theI don't understand sometimes what gets a movie critic's goat, but I very much disagree with the poor ratings by the "experts" on "Acrimony". Tyler Perry has a flair for the bizarre, and this time around we're dealing with a woman who is played brilliantly by Taraji Henson, one of the best actresses in the business today. It's tough not to give away certain plot points here because the movie revolves around a scenario and marriage that slowly but surely reflects two wildly different accounts of the events contained therein. Critics calling this a soap opera are wrong - it's nowhere near the mundanity of those wretched shows. It is listed as a comedy, but I assure you there is little if anything to laugh at. Henson of course is fantastic in her role as a girlfriend and then wife of a man who tries desperately to invent a self recharging battery and get the attention and hopeful financial payday it would deserve. We know something is wrong fairly quickly with Henson's character's narrative, and by film's end we are found being both for and against her at the same time. That is not plot confusion - I just can't mention particulars without giving the plot away. Not only do I disagree with the poor critics' remarks, I think "Acrimony" is a great movie with a brilliant story line, exceptional acting all the way around, and whether critic snoots like it or not, one of the year's best movies. For those of us sick of the usual parade of superhero movies, religious movies and blow-em-up brainless action films, "Acrimony", along with "Annihilation" rank as two of the best so far in 2018. In this case, definitely do NOT pay attention to the critical drubbing. They are just plain wrong and for some reason, a few seem to be vindictive, to what end I don't know. Tariji Henson is too talented and too smart to waste her time starring in poor movies, and all her fans including myself know it. I see a lot of movies now that I'm retired, and I know good when I see it, whether critics do or not.… Expand

1 of 9 users found this helpful18

DJ98

Jul 9, 2021

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Reviewers criticized Acrimony for playing into the “angry black woman” stereotype and punishing its female lead for not constantly supporting her man. I think part of where those criticisms came from is, for one, it’s a Tyler Perry movie. If you know anything about him, he doesn't have the best track record for positive portrayals of black women.

The second is Acrimony is the antithesis of Gone Girl. Both movies feature women in their 40s with possible mental disorders who were burned and disappointed by men they've "invested" a lot of their time and money to improve. They then get revenge by ruining their (ex) husband's lives, even though both of their issues could've been solved with an early divorce and a prenup. One of the differences between the movies is how they frame the female and male leads.

Amy isn't supposed to be a hero, but Nick is portrayed so negatively with so few redeemable qualities that it's impossible not to root for her. Even Nick's own friends don't like him. Not to mention, in the end, Amy's plan works. Melinda, despite her actions being no worse than Amy's, is portrayed more negatively. Robert is shown in a much more sympathetic light than Nick, and even gets everything he wants in the end. It's understandable why people would claim Acrimony is racist since Amy is white while Melinda is black. However, the second difference between the two movies is Gone Girl is an escapist revenge fantasy, and Acrimony is a cautionary tale. The way things turned out for Robert is sadly realistic. How many male rapists, child molesters, thieves, and war criminals are part of the 1%? How many of those men have never been arrested or received an early bail? Acrimony is a warning to all the young women who "invest" in men.

Our society loves to tell girls, "don't find Mr. Right. Find Mr. Wrong and turn him into Mr. Right." There are two problems with that statement. The first is men aren't houses. A house can't argue, resist help, or go behind your back and undo all the work you put into it. You can drag Mr. Wrong by the ear to the gym, therapy, and rehab day long. If he doesn't want to be fixed, then he's just gonna sneak out and indulge while you're not looking. The second issue is that mindset is what has allowed men to take advantage of women for their own benefit since the beginning of time. There are countless horror stories of women who had met men who seemed nice or were a little rough around the edges and needed some help. Then by the time they reveal their true colors, it was too late. How many female abuse survivors and divorcees have said, "He was so nice when we first met," "He wasn't always like this," “I just wanted him to get better,” "I don't know what changed." The harsh reality is nothing changed; they were always like that.

Robert is a classic example of a manipulative self-indulgent man. Whether or not he's a narcissist is up to debate. Robert is the type of man women and girls need to look out for. The wolves in sheep’s clothing. The men who put on a mask of kindness to lure in young, naive women with money and bleed them dry. Those masks can stay on for decades. So while I do understand how frustrating it is to see a movie with another dark-skinned black woman suffer, it’s an excellent warning to any woman who plans on dating/marrying a man with "potential.”… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Mauro_Lanari

Jun 4, 2019

(Mauro Lanari)
The script, unstable as much as the protagonist affected by borderline personality disorder, makes her oscillate between victim and victimhood. After all, it wouldn't be a flaw if the story didn't turn into a melodrama with a bit of splatter lived by a rich couple.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

GreatMartin

Mar 30, 2018

Tyler Perry has a fertile mind whether it is producing, directing, writing various TV series hits on OWN cable or writing successful plays that he turns into even more successful movies and is so busy that at times you want to yell at him to slow down, take a deep breath and rethink what youTyler Perry has a fertile mind whether it is producing, directing, writing various TV series hits on OWN cable or writing successful plays that he turns into even more successful movies and is so busy that at times you want to yell at him to slow down, take a deep breath and rethink what you are doing. In his TV series, he drives me crazy by repeating sentences/thoughts 3 times and having the characters say and do the same things 3 times so you start to wonder if he has a ‘thing’ for that number.

I never miss an episode of “If loving you is wrong”, “The have and the have nots” and “For better or worse”. What does all this have to do with his new “Tyler Perry’s Acrimony”? For a writer/director who knows how to put in cliff hanger after cliff hanger, who knows how to put a lot of soap and opera in the term ‘Soap Opera’, makes a number of beginners mistakes. Where to start? The slow pacing of the first hour with way too many voiceovers, a lack of chemistry between the two lead characters whether as their younger selves (Aijona Alexus and Antonio Madison) or when older (Taraji P. Henson) and Lyriq Bent) not to forget that most people who know Taraji P. Henson from the TV series “Empire” will miss the sass that is as much a part of her as her walk. Let’s not forget the obvious studio shots that were false looking back in the 1950s like people walking in front of a screened background shot.

Tyler Perry, the writer, gives his actors some ludicrous lines to read not to mention his lead male character represents the emasculated man that makes many of the scenes laughable and the psychological reasons for what the female lead does what she does like dancing, cursing, crashing cars isn’t reasonably explained.

The best thing about this movie is the Nina Simone songs which really don’t fit into the screenplay but hearing her voice is always a plus.

I am a Tyler Perry fan and go to see all his movies—except for those ‘starring’ Madea—whether he is the producer, writer, director and/or actor but the only reason to see this is to listen to the women in the audience react!… Expand

6 of 7 users found this helpful61

JLuis_001

Jun 30, 2018

It's a Tyler Perry film, so no surprises there, but apparently Taraji P. Henson didn't understand she can do better.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

Seniorita

Apr 15, 2018

The story line for this movie is completely implausible. The acting in the movie was D-list at best (with the exception) of Taraji Henson. It is really hard to see Tyler Perry in the same light knowing that he wrote and directed this movie; as many parts of it simply didn't make any sense.The story line for this movie is completely implausible. The acting in the movie was D-list at best (with the exception) of Taraji Henson. It is really hard to see Tyler Perry in the same light knowing that he wrote and directed this movie; as many parts of it simply didn't make any sense. To add to the poorly written script, this movie is really long. I am already not a fan of Tyler Perry movies. This just makes it worse.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

SEE ALL 16 REVIEWS