Generally speaking, adapting a movie from a self-help book
written by a bishop is never a good idea. It’s only inviting
hammy symbolism and characters with every problem under the sun.
But director Michael Schultz apparently was not too concerned.
Schultz directed “Woman Thou Art Loosed,” based on a
book by Bishop T.D. Jakes, who also stars.

The film’s content is both powerful and real. Michelle
Jordan (Kimberly Elise, “John Q”) is on death row for
murder. She requests to talk with Jakes, and as their conversation
delves into Jordan’s life, the film flashes back to her
gruesome childhood of molestation and rape by her mother’s
boyfriend.

Here’s the twist though; Jordan already knows Jakes
because she was released prematurely from a prison sentence for
prostitution and drugs, on the condition that she attend Jakes
‘s three-day revival (if this kind of alternative
“punishment” is legit, all inmates should befriend a
bishop). This three-day revival that leads up to the murder is
where the bulk of the film takes place.

While the plot and issues of the film work well, one of the many
important messages in the film — sexual abuse and rape sadly
goes far too unnoticed in this world — is muddled by all of
the symbolism. For example, flash forward to Jordan in her jail
cell with the bishop: She’s building a house out of popsicle
sticks with no door and accidently leaves the glue bottle inside.
The metaphor is cheesy enough, but to further the unsubtlety, the
last scene in the film is a shot dollying up to the model house in
an empty jail cell — this time, however, the house has a door
(but really, who builds model houses on death row?).

Not only are important messages lost within the film but also,
religious values are addressed dismissivly, as boring scenes of
preaching are much too long and frequent. The revival should be a
life-altering event for many of the characters, but Jordan in
particular seems unmoved by the preaching. Instead, the revival is
plot-driven, allowing for Jordan to reconnect with people from her
past.

Aside from the film’s flaws, the cinematography is
suggestive, with stationary shots allowing the dimly lit sets to
create a dreary mood that compliments the subject matter. Also
helping the realism and mood of the film is authentic, yet subtle
make-up, creating everything from a black eye to the aging process
to the results of a hardened prison life.

But good make-up and lighting unfortunately cannot make a movie
incredible. With all the film’s slow-paced scenes,
“Woman Thou Art Loosed” would have made a better
play.

Hopefully, the film’s preachiness and cheesiness are a
warning to all producers out there who want to adapt self-help
books into movies. Otherwise, “Dr. Phil: The Movie”
will be hitting screens soon.

Rating:  2.5 out of 5 stars