Monique Wilson

I watched it because I was told it was a good movie, one that I would enjoy. But I am emotionally compromised and psychologically traumatized by watching this and I am sitting here in tears, real tears, because of the lack of sensitivity to our trauma. We have not healed from slavery, are still dealing with daily tragedy because of racism. So, to make a movie that would suggest that we could endure those atrocities, again, in the 21st Century, and make the movie in today's climate, is hurtful, and disrespectful to the Black culture and our current Civil Rights movement. I did walk away, with an understanding of the metaphor. "Slavery" itself, goes beyond the "Plantation", it is indeed an institution. And it STILL exists in the workplace, schools, social settings and has continued to negatively impacted the foundation of the Black family. And the point is that we have to rise above those challenges and continue to fight for our equality, human and civil rights, and equity. I get that, hence the reason there is a Civil Rights uprising today. But, in this story, No one else had the ability or will to fight back?? Only one BLACK WOMAN was able to get out??!! Once again showing that the Black woman must endure EVERY TYPE OF ABUSE and still has to be the savior. I am not a writer, director, actor or an artist of any sort. I am just a cinema loving Black woman who's heart was broken by the negligence and carelessness of this movie towards the current holistic state of the Black community. Janelle Monae's performance was great. She did an awesome job with the work that was given to her. I just wish she wasn't given THIS particular story to tell.