If a director is churning out over 5 movies and TV shows in a single year, you’ve got to know his creative juices have stopped flowing long before that media hits your screen. In a world that is so focused on convenience, not going to the cinema to watch a movie, getting delivery whenever you like, or simply using your phone while watching something because it doesn’t have anything important to say, I think it’s time we admit that we’re the real idiot boxes. Well, at least that’s what people like Tyler Perry make me want to believe. In the name of Black stories, this man has been producing consistently horrendous movies that fuel the stereotypes that Black people have been working to leave behind for years. But hey, bestie, if you’re looking for a lesson in marketing, I think a deep dive into this man might give you some answers. I suppose if you’re rich and famous, just associating your name with a movie will give you the views. It is quite a genius move for such a famous guy, if I’m going to be completely honest.
Tyler Perry’s Duplicity tells the story of a high-profile attorney named Marley. She finds herself in a difficult situation after one of her close friends is killed in an incident of police brutality. This leaves her devastated but eager to help his wife, her best friend, through this situation and win her a settlement that can protect her. On the surface, this may seem like a movie about racism and just police brutality, but for this once, I’d recommend judging a movie by its title, because simply based on that fact, you’ll be able to tell exactly what this movie is going to throw at you. It’s not even that I don’t understand where the idea is coming from; I even get that it is a voice against the far right, I do, but what it leaves you with is simply a sour taste in the mouth.
But hey, at least you can trust that AI will never give you such an original story. Well, no, I mean such a unique plot twist. The movie plays out just as any other of Perry’s filmography. I understand the genre you’re going for is drama, but at least make it make sense, you know? If I had to be completely honest, seeing the numbers, I think I’ve just become tired of the same thing being shoved down my throat every two months under the guise of good drama. I’m sorry, this isn’t good drama; I’m not even sure it is drama at all, because I was so bored I couldn’t help but reach for my phone every 2 minutes.
Duplicity is only elevated by the decent job done by the actors in it. Kat Graham has to be the best part of this film. Also, I’m not sure how Perry manages to make all his leading ladies look and act nearly the same despite their entirely different backgrounds. If you asked me to describe the characters in Tyler Perry movies, you’d get nothing better than cardboard from me. Now, this woman is a lawyer; let’s compare her to the leading lady of his latest show, Beauty In Black. In terms of personality is all I mean. Do you think you’ll get different answers? Well, I hate to disappoint you, but no, you’d probably describe either one as a strong, independent woman trying to make her mark in this world and fighting for those she loves the most. Will we ever get something more than this? In all honesty, I don’t think so. Unless Tyler does a rebrand and chooses to explore new subjects in contemporary ways. In no way am I saying he’s untalented; I just think he’s bored, and it shows. Because look, even with such tedious stories and absurd plot twists, he manages to get the best performances out of his actors, which is a difficult thing to do.
As we know already, this is the genre the director is most familiar with. Almost every piece of his work in recent times is some sort of dramatic thriller. You know how you feel when you eat the same exact thing every single day for all 3 meals? That’s how I feel watching Tyler’s films, but I’m also almost certain this is how he feels too. There’s no freshness or newness to his work, and it all just feels like a copy-paste with some minor changes. Oh, the color grading on this one is much better than some of his previous work, so there’s that. Other than that, it is all luxury cars, massive houses, non-racist white characters, and an apparent political agenda that is completely deflated by the end of the film. I don’t know if I should say I was baffled or unmoved because this is Tyler Perry we’re talking about.
I’m sure I’m going to get a lot of hate for saying all of this, but I promise you I want to defend this man too. However, I will only do that if I get to see some actual good movies. At the end of the day, the plot twist of Duplicity will make you want to blow your brains out, and what happens in those last 15 minutes, I think, is almost laughable. So, I guess if you want to have an ironic laugh, then give this one a go. If you’re a fan of Tyler Perry, I’m almost certain you’ll be disappointed too. The drama is half decent in some parts, but nothing feels actually complete; everything feels like eating a slice of half-baked pizza, with the dough still sticky and the cheese not melted. I’d give Tyler Perry’s Duplicity 1 out of 5 stars. All I want to really say is “Do better.”
