The actresses who star in the new film For Colored Girls have been saying on the press tour that the film is not just for colored girls. I find it crazy that women have to stand up and say that a film that stars some of our finest African American actresses is not just for one segment of the population based on the title and the fact that the film is populated by just African Americans.

It’s like saying that The Expendables is just for over 50-year-old white guys based on who stars in that film.

But we know that’s not the case because no one thinks that The Expendables is just for guys, just like For Colored Girls is not just for African American women.

But, I was wary about the film from the moment that I heard that Tyler Perry was taking over as writer and director from Nzingha Stewart who had been shepherding the project along. I’m sure she’s happy the film got made, but I bet she’s have been a lot happier had she directed it.

I bet I would have been a lot happier, too cause this film is just not very good. The actresses try their hardest — too hard at times — with great performances from Loretta Devine and Thandie Newton. But a film that is about so many difficult things like abuse, abortion, rape, HIV has to be able to hold up. You have to be able to make the tough stuff palatable so people can swallow it, and this whole movie is a long slog that stops dead in its tracks every time the women break into the beautiful poetry of Ntozake Shange.

On a final note, I want to say loudly and clearly that when this film does not do well it will not be the fault of the women’s audience or the African American audience. This film will not do well because it is not a good film. Period.