'Diary' equal parts muddled, masterful

Yes it's mushy, clichéd and over-the-top, but writer Tyler Perry's "Diary of a Mad Black Woman" has heart. This crowd-pleaser is based on one of Perry's seven highly successful plays and judging simply from the cheers and laughter from the audience, he did something right.\nKimberly Elise stars as Helen, a trophy wife who is smart enough to realize that her lawyer husband, Charles (Steve Harris), is probably sleeping around. However, she is not quite prepared for the reality of him showing up on their 18th wedding anniversary with his mistress and literally dragging her from their mansion.\n"Diary" begins in a solidly dramatic format, complete with weepy music and a tearful wife, but very soon it veers into Madea territory. Helen goes home to her grandmother, a massive, formidable woman (Perry in drag) who unabashedly carries a handgun in her purse. Madea, whose name comes from a contraction meaning "Mother Dear" according to a Gannett News Service story about Perry, delivers one-liners with the precision of a standup comic.\nThe dual tones of drama and comedy are difficult to reconcile, but they do contribute to "Diary's" unpredictability, which is one of the best things it has going for it. First-time director Darren Grant rolls together a mishmash of styles, the result of which doesn't seem to know to which genre it belongs. And while watching this muddle can be confusing, sometimes the confusion turns to genuine surprise when the unexpected happens.\n"Diary" is not subtle when it comes to the message, and it doesn't shy away from confronting the different facets of pain felt by a woman who has been jilted. A subplot involving Helen's cousin, Brian (also Perry), and a junkie wife seems to be an attempt to include another "African-American issue," but this storyline is not fully explored. Madea's neighborhood also seems too wholesome to be the ghetto, as she refers to it.\nHelen begins to rebuild, aided by her family and also by a new love interest, Orlando (Shemar Moore), but circumstances seem to be pulling her back toward Charles. Any woman who has ever been through a tough breakup will relate to Helen.\nElise is by turns soft and explosive as a woman trying to steer her way between forgiveness and revenge. Cicely Tyson has a small part as Myrtle, Helen's mother, who provides a quiet dignity and wisdom not seen elsewhere in the film. Perry, who plays not only Madea and Brian but also Madea's brother Joe, is most memorable as the likeable grandmother. Joe is the least funny character, but fortunately his appearances are relatively few and do not last long.\nOverall, "Diary" is a chick flick with attitude, and therefore is best appreciated by women.