Studio: Lions Gate Home Ent. Release Date: 09/09/2008 Run time: 118 minutes Rating: Pg13

With his film adaptation of his play of the same name, Tyler Perry asks the question, "Why did I get married?" The answer is different for each of the four couples featured in this relationship comedy, which includes Janet Jackson as a psychologist whose own marriage is on shaky ground. Not known for subtlety, Perry hammers in the point that no marriage is perfect--just as no one is completely blameless. Even when he presents a thoughtless husband who cheats on his wife with her hot best friend, he doesn't present the wife as a helpless martyr. As portrayed by singer Jill Scott, Sheila is an overweight woman who is cowed by her bully of a husband. But the happily ever after that awaits her is almost worth all the verbal abuse she has taken from her philandering spouse. Scott is wonderful in her role and showcases a depth of real emotions. She also brings great humor to her role (After knocking someone out, she asks a police officer, "Did I kill him?... I should've killed him.") Delivered by anyone else, the line would've been callous, but Scott is believable. Jackson, who looks lovely on screen, has a smaller role and does what she can as a wife who is having a difficult time coming to terms with the death of her young son. As for Perry, who plays the cuckolded husband of a high-powered attorney, he tones down his act to succinctly convey hurt, anger, and resentment. Though he's best known for his broad, physical comedies, he shows a deft hand at tackling answers to a very complicated question--even if the answer may be a work in progress. --Jae-Ha Kim