Tyler Perry has his Eddie Murphy moments with the character Joe (who really wasn't particularly necessary), and although Madea has "Big Momma" tendencies at time, overall she's compassionate and real. She's meant as comic relief, but at times is written as serious. She's better that way. Her strong-will is a key to the movie.

Elise is a good actress and is decent in this movie. The opening scene and her relationship with her husband seems so over-the-top. But my mouth admittedly dropped when his clear-cut infidel family actually is extended beyond the woman. It's one thing to cheat, quite another to literally have a second family. My apologies if that sucks juice from you.

We knew how the movie would end from the previews, not to mention the evident happenings to Steve Harris's character were so heavily foreshadowed the acting was downright horrible. But Shemar Moore is more that applicable for this movie. Those chiding him as purely a Soap actor are not unfair; however, he is convincing. I believe his pursuit is in earnest and the knowing struggle of Elise's character.

Elise's character is pathetic at times and Moore gives us a trite statement to sum it up; however, it is central to the movie. You do find yourself saying to the screen "What are you doing Helen?" It's clear she needs closure and in a she-devil type of way she begins to receive it. Irony is ever-present in this movie, but best presented when Elise is making herself more miserable when exacting her revenge. It's moments like these that Madea gives sensible advice that appears rather natural.

Tyler Perry does have himself in the flesh in this movie and is a fleshy, decent character. I feel for him, but he certainly is overly tight when trying to eliminate memories of struggle and the ending concerning him is too tidy, whilst Elise is over dramatic, and Steve Harris is unquenched. But I like it at the same time because sometimes when calm and at peace, sense arrives. It arrives here.

Elise and Perry, combined with Shemar Moore and at times Steve Harris do the movie justice, while it was a good casting call to get "Star Search" star Tiffany Evans as Perry's daughter. Harris is so callous it doesn't seem real sometimes; moreover, it is certainly pointed in favor of Helen. It didn't take that much extraneous writing to figure that out or get us to feel that way. But slowly it is revealed how poor this relationship really was. Elise borders on overacting here, but mostly gives grit to the movie.

Perry has messages to give and never subtly delivers them, yet the movie is decent, a bit mushy, and a touch long. It is a five-minute story that most develop as it does: over time.