When reflecting on Tyler Perry’s initial foray into marital drama with Why Did I Get Married?, it was noted for being surprisingly “boring” due to its restraint and tasteful approach, at least by Tyler Perry’s standards. Decades and many Tyler Perry movies later, this assessment still holds true. The original film, while simple and somewhat slow-paced, was a departure from his more flamboyant works. However, its sequel, Why Did I Get Married Too?, released just two and a half years later, takes a starkly different turn. Despite its awkwardly phrased title, this sequel is anything but restrained or tasteful. Instead, it veers into borderline-psychotic territory, mirroring the instability of some of its characters. While far from boring, its lack of entertainment value stems from its alarming portrayal of irrational and volatile individuals, making the viewing experience more defensive and unsettling than enjoyable. It feels less like entertainment and more like bracing yourself against potential chaos erupting from the screen.
Picking up three years after the first film, Why Did I Get Married Too? sees our quartet of couples swapping the snowy Vermont backdrop for a Caribbean island for their annual marriage retreat. Evidently, the previous film’s critique of Vermont as an idiotic vacation spot resonated, as this time, they’ve opted for sun and sand. The script clumsily shoehorns in references to past traumas with lines like “remember when X,” highlighting a lack of organic shared history and Perry’s reliance on forced callbacks as a sequel-building technique. It’s a step up from George Lucas’ prequel writing, but the bar is admittedly low.
For those struggling to recall the intricacies of the four couples, a quick recap is in order. Terry (Tyler Perry) and Diane (Sharon Leal), whose marital strife in the original revolved around Diane’s demanding career, now appear to be the most stable. Their interactions are filled with cutesy, overtly sexual married banter – somewhat jarring coming from the man behind Madea. Marcus (Michael Jai White) and Angela (Tasha Smith) return as the designated comic relief, though their humor is often abrasive. Sheila (Jill Scott), central to the first film’s narrative with her separation from the abusive Mike (Richard T. Jones) and subsequent marriage to Troy (Lamman Rucker), now faces a new marital challenge: Troy’s unemployment and resulting resentment. Lastly, Patricia (Janet Jackson), the pop-psychologist, and Gavin (Malik Yoba), the seemingly perfect power couple, drop a bombshell announcement of their impending divorce, effectively splitting the movie into two distinct acts.
Alt text: Janet Jackson and Malik Yoba portray Patricia and Gavin, a power couple facing divorce in Why Did I Get Married Too.
Structurally, Why Did I Get Married Too? mirrors its predecessor. The first half unfolds at the Caribbean retreat, dominated by didactic dialogues about marriage, relationships, and responsibilities. The latter half focuses on each couple grappling with the fallout from the mid-film twist. What was once bland and talky in the original descends into deranged and illogical territory in the sequel. This film marks only Perry’s third non-stage play adaptation, suggesting a lack of tested material. While Why Did I Get Married? possessed the shallow insight of a greeting card, it maintained tonal and thematic coherence. Why Did I Get Married Too? feels like a barrage of random ideas thrown against the wall. Furthermore, it’s Perry’s sole non-Madea sequel, and it utterly fails to justify its existence. It dodges the fundamental sequel question – why revisit these characters? – by offering neither deeper exploration nor fresh perspectives. Instead, Why Did I Get Married Too? manages to falter on both fronts: the first half rehashes familiar themes in a new locale, while the second half escalates into character destruction, leaving emotional wreckage in its wake.
In essence, Why Did I Get Married Too? sacrifices the original’s modest grounding in relatable psychology and emotion in favor of manufactured drama. To propel the plot, Perry inexplicably reintroduces Mike, shoehorning him into the narrative without any discernible motivation beyond sheer antagonism. When this plot thread fizzles, the film resorts to character assassination, particularly targeting Patricia and Angela. This is especially disappointing for Angela, as Tasha Smith’s portrayal was a highlight of Why Did I Get Married?. Here, Angela is transformed from a comically insecure woman into a volatile, monstrous figure, spewing venomous abuse at Marcus. Her actions transcend comic relief nagging, descending into genuinely cruel verbal assaults and disproportionate revenge that Perry fails to frame humorously.
Alt text: Tasha Smith and Michael Jai White depict Marcus and Angela’s tumultuous relationship in Why Did I Get Married Too, highlighting Angela’s aggressive behavior.
However, Angela’s character degradation pales in comparison to Patricia’s. She morphs into an exaggerated, misogynistic caricature of a grasping, professional woman – a stark contrast to Perry’s usual, albeit often heavy-handed, depictions of strong, dynamic women. A palpable undercurrent of darkness and anger permeates this portrayal, though its source remains elusive. Perry’s portrayal of abusive men often leans into comic absurdity, but his depiction of awful women in Why Did I Get Married Too? descends into a sexist and patriarchal nightmare.
Ultimately, Why Did I Get Married Too? not only fails to achieve the minimal psychological realism of its predecessor but also falters as a piece of filmmaking on multiple levels. From Perry’s superficial portrayal of the Caribbean as a backdrop for tacky fashion (and Cicely Tyson’s bewilderingly inconsistent accent) to fundamental errors in shot composition and editing – including cuts that would fail a film school freshman – the film is riddled with flaws. Claustrophobic medium shots contribute to a sense of unease. Coming after the relative success of I Can Do Bad All By Myself, Why Did I Get Married Too? is a significant misstep. It’s not just a bad film; it stands as Tyler Perry’s worst, a cinematic misfire detached from genuine human experience, regardless of where it sits within his filmography.
