Acrimony is best watched with friends or a partner because it sparks huge debate:
When Tyler Perry’s Acrimony hit theaters in 2018, it was met with a specific kind of cultural whiplash. The audience score was high, but the critical reviews were brutal (a fitting 20% on Rotten Tomatoes). The discourse surrounding the film was immediate and damning: It’s too loud. Melinda is too crazy. The third act is ridiculous.
But in the years since its release, a fascinating reappraisal has begun. Viewers are returning to the film via streaming, and the consensus is shifting. The keyword trending in film circles isn't "camp" or "guilty pleasure" anymore—it's "Tyler Perry’s Acrimony better."
Better than what? Better than the sum of its parts. Better than the psychological thrillers that try to play it safe. And arguably, better than Perry’s own extensive catalog of melodramas.
Here is the definitive argument for why Acrimony is a misunderstood masterpiece of operatic rage, and why it deserves a second look.
A major reason Acrimony has staying power—and is often discussed as being "better" than expected—is the debate it sparks. Upon release, audiences were divided. Some saw Melinda as a villain who refused to move on; others saw her as a justified victim. A film that can generate such passionate discourse years after its release is doing something right narratively.
Acrimony is best watched with friends or a partner because it sparks huge debate:
When Tyler Perry’s Acrimony hit theaters in 2018, it was met with a specific kind of cultural whiplash. The audience score was high, but the critical reviews were brutal (a fitting 20% on Rotten Tomatoes). The discourse surrounding the film was immediate and damning: It’s too loud. Melinda is too crazy. The third act is ridiculous.
But in the years since its release, a fascinating reappraisal has begun. Viewers are returning to the film via streaming, and the consensus is shifting. The keyword trending in film circles isn't "camp" or "guilty pleasure" anymore—it's "Tyler Perry’s Acrimony better."
Better than what? Better than the sum of its parts. Better than the psychological thrillers that try to play it safe. And arguably, better than Perry’s own extensive catalog of melodramas.
Here is the definitive argument for why Acrimony is a misunderstood masterpiece of operatic rage, and why it deserves a second look.
A major reason Acrimony has staying power—and is often discussed as being "better" than expected—is the debate it sparks. Upon release, audiences were divided. Some saw Melinda as a villain who refused to move on; others saw her as a justified victim. A film that can generate such passionate discourse years after its release is doing something right narratively.