A patient, formally daring work — the cinematography lingers on empty rooms longer than most audiences will tolerate, but those who stay are rewarded with the most haunting final act of the year.
Mary J. Blige Presents Be Happy follows 50-year-old Val (Tisha Campbell), a devoted wife and stay at home mom, who is eager to reignite the spark in her marriage when her youngest child leaves for college. Grappling with empty-nest feelings, loneliness and growing emotional distance from her husband Ross (Russell Hornsby), Val begins to realize that her marriage and the woman she once was, may be slipping away. A spontaneous escape to New Orleans to support her pregnant daughter, Kayla (Zing Ashford), awakens long-buried dreams and passions and introduces her to Peter Mosley (Mekhi Phifer), a handsome and charismatic photographer who sees her in ways she has forgotten to see herself. Reawakening her artistic spirit and rediscovering her worth, Val must face a life-altering question: is it ever too late to choose yourself and the love you truly deserve?
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Critics & Reviews
3 featuredI walked in expecting another genre exercise and walked out feeling like I'd been eavesdropping on a confession. The lead performance is genuinely singular — a career-defining turn.
A few too many scenes feel borrowed from a better film, but the soundtrack and the production design carry the rest. Solid recommendation for fans of slow-burn European thrillers.