The live theater culture of Atlanta has seen a revival in recent years, and in an effort to spread those efforts further than the city limits, the productions have since been committed to DVDs and Blu-rays for home viewing anywhere in the world. Theoretically that’s a great idea, but it begs the question: is community theater really worthy of such wide distribution? Based on the productions of Tyler Perry and now Je’Caryous Johnson, there’s an argument to be made that their theater should never be seen at all. Je’Caryous claims that Cheaper to Keep Her is a story that brings couples back together, but if that’s true, it raises serious questions about their sanity. Maybe the most important and disturbing misstep of Je’Caryous’s train of thought in creating Cheaper to Keep Her is that he wrote awful dialogue and hilariously bad musical numbers to posit that unhappy couples should stay together because divorces are expensive. That’s right, to hell with the kids, stay together for the bank account.
After Raymond’s (Brian McKnight) slutty medical assistant reveals their affair to his wife Morgan (Vivica A. Fox), he has to decide whether or not divorcing her is really the best option. Nevermind that the two of them have different expectations for their marriage and don’t seem to get along at all, is divorce really the right answer if it’s so expensive? After all, the cost of a legal procedure is more important than happiness. Is there a single voice of reason to be found in the production? Maybe two people who argue for and against divorce in a rational manner? Of course not, because Je’Caryous’s verdict on the matter is based in a faith that thinks divorce is the negation of a holy covenant between a man, a woman, and God. In Je’Caryous’s desire to push out a message he knows his niche audience will applaud, he fails to actually put a single intelligent thought in the mouths of the strong, men-hating women and the men entrenched in materialistic negotiations.
Je’Caryous has made such an audience-limited film that putting it on DVD is something of a cruel joke.
DVD Bonus Features
The extras focus more on Je’Caryous and who he is than it does the film. An intro by him and a profile piece on him make up two-thirds of the extras, and a quick behind-the-scenes featurette finishes it out.
"Cheaper to Keep Her" is on sale December 6, 2011 and is not rated. Comedy, Drama. Directed by Jecaryous Johnson. Written by Je'Caryous Johnson. Starring Vivica A Fox.
