Movie: “Why Did I Get Married?”

– B2-C1 (upper-intermediate to advanced) –

Practice Your Listening Comprehension

Practice Your Reading Comprehension

Famed producer, director and actor Tyler Perry is a staple among the Hollywood elite. Known for his industry-changing move of creating a major film studio in Atlanta, Georgia, the man has opened doors for Black actors across the United States to be offered protagonist roles in both TV and cinema. Previously, the majority of parts that were given to members of the Black community were either focused on being the token Black friend of a white character or a criminal. Such did not and still does not properly reflect the Black experience. So, he has made it a mission of his to create more roles that more realistically represent what it means to be Black in America. While most of his productions belong to the genre of drama, he also pulls out a variety of rom-coms and straight-up comedies every now and then.

What To Learn

“Why Did I Get Married?” is the first film in a dramedy duology that explores a variety of universal themes. While it centres on a group of Black characters, its story is relatable to nearly everyone, regardless of their skin tone. While watching this movie, there are a number of elements that a person can learn from concerning the English language:

• American English

• AAVE (African American Vernacular English)

• Southern American English

• informal language

• idioms

• phrasal verbs

• slang

• vocabulary related to:

  • relationships (friendship, dating, marriage, divorce)

  • change

  • brainstorming

  • problem-solving

  • humour

  • emotions (anger, frustration, joy, excitement, disappointment, sadness, uncertainty, etc.)

  • work

  • vacation

and much more…!

Have you ever seen one of Tyler Perry’s movies? What do you think of this one? Are you a fan of dramedies? Let me know in the comments below.

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Thumbnail photo courtesy of impawards.com, Fair use, on Wikipedia.com.