It’s funny how you can see a movie one time, and see it again, then another time, but by the next time you see it, you have a completely different view on most of the things that were seemingly normal to you. On this episode of re-watching movies that I found hilarious, I chose what I’d call a classic. At least to Black people. You can already guess what my movie of choice was.
Think Like a Man (2012)
Directed by Tim Story and Produced by Will Packer, Think Like a Man is based on Steve Harvey's 2009 bestseller, Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man. It’s a romantic comedy of four women, who just like every other woman in a relationship or seeking a relationship, desires something that would likely lead to full commitment and better, marriage. Their significant others, on the other hand, are not quite on the same page.
My Thoughts and Rating
I’m undoubtedly a huge fan of Black Hollywood movies. Not necessarily rom-com because somehow, they could mess that up, but regular Black movies. Apart from the present relatability, which is one of the most endearing things to experience, it just sits right with me, you know?
The jokes, the banter, the regular teasing of white people...(Lmao, one of my best things to see, no offense) The whole ensemble just adds to why it’s one of my most ideal genres to watch. At least when it’s done right.
Now, back to my main concern. I hinted at something in the beginning abour how you get to a certain age, or reach a certain awareness in life, and your perspective towards something almost goes a complete 180°. You see I read the book when it first came out, or when I could lay my hands on it. Snuck it from my older cousin’s wardrobe and eagerly devoured its pages. I was young and impressionable, then. And as far as I was concerned, so long as it was written in the pages of a book, it had to be true.
When I saw the movie, I felt the same. Steve Harvey was God’s great gift to women and we needed to be eternally grateful to him for revealing the secret psychology of men, and how to trick get them into loving us. Choosing us. I felt this way even after watching this movie twice in my very young adult years. But then I watched it today, and saw how very flawed it was. How utterly sexist, too, despite Harvey’s supposed good intentions.
The whole deal of “withholding the cookie” for 90-days to get a guy to love you, letting him be and feel like the man even though he is a deadbeat, ambitionless, never-do-well who couldn’t stomach wanting better for himself, and you're everything but that. The list is endless. But it all points to one thing...
Teaching the woman to sacrifice and compromise and continuously lower her standards because no matter a woman’s level of success in life, true fulfilment can only come from being with a man. So, she can afford to reduce herself to absolutely nothing, and manoeuvre her wat into "getting a man' who rightfully shouldn’t b able to look her in the face, let alone having a romantic affiliation with her, but hey! She needs to have a man, right?
So, I guess I can still afford to laugh at the quips and witty comebacks, but at the end of the day, a very, and I mean very bad message is being passed with this movie, and it may have taken me over a decade to see it, but boy am I glad I did.
The truth is that, Harvey did not lie. Everything he said was the God-honest truth about relationships, at least the patriarchy's idea of how it should be, and if you do what he says, greater chances are you WILL get yourself a man. But at what cost?
Anyway, I didn’t come to preach to you about all the abundant ills of the patriarchy and how it has cost, for generations, women losing bits and pieces of themselves all in the name of marriage until they one day look into the mirror, and see only a shell of who they once were. Anyone with, at most, two and a half functioning brain cells can deduce that. I came to tell you about the humour-filled, albeit, typical rom-com that is Think Like a Man. But it’s a Black-dominated film, so you should have a swell time. A solid 6.3/10. Have fun!
Jhymi🖤
Images from IMDb.
