Tyler Perry’s “Divorce in the Black” (2024) is about a church-going good woman who is just compelled to stay in an out-and-out of abusive marriage because she has been taught so. Despite everyone’s warning, she puts up with a guy who is way down the sinkhole of violence and misery. Starring Meagan Good as the part hapless and incredibly injudicious Ava, the linear plot does not leave any room for ambiguities, even in terms of the main character’s immediate need to leave the marriage. Still, we have tried to get down to the basic plot points and break down the film.
Tyler Perry’s Divorce in the Black (2024) Plot Summary & Movie Synopsis:
The older son of the Bertran family has died after he got shot while robbing an old woman. During the preaching session at his funeral, the pastor, Clarence, warns the other sons of their misdeeds and the repercussions and how they can end up in the same place as their dead brother. The pastor claims that the Bertran brothers consistently wreaked havoc in their small town with their regular brush with the law. The only one who tried hard to steer away from the world of crime was Dallas, as he married Ava, Clarence’s daughter.
Miss Linda, their mother, gets infuriated by Clarence’s insult. She blames her daughter-in-law for their misery. Clarence, on the other hand, asks Linda to show Ava some respect because it is due to Ava’s insistence that the Church has agreed to pay for the burying of the dead son. Linda causes a furor in the Church as she orders her sons to get their brother’s dead body out of the coffin. She removes all her clothes, throws them to Clarence, and leaves in a petticoat. The family drives away with the body, leaving Ava behind.
It becomes amply clear that Ava is trying hard to keep up with a relationship that lacks respect and love. Witnessing the unfairness that is being meted out to Ava, her parents ask her to draw the line. But Ava keeps rationalizing Dallas’ problematic behaviors as something that all couples face during a long partnership. Later that night, Ava arrives at the Bertran’s as the family is burying the dead son’s body in their yard. Ava goes to meet Dallas.
As she recollects the memory of a prom night from their teenage years, we understand that Dallas has been mean to Ava since the early years of their relationship. Dallas accuses Ava of trying to change him and not accepting him the way he is. Ava tells him that she loves him and tries to think the best for him. In reply, Dallas says this cannot be love as she is unable to love the real Dallas.
It becomes clear that the people in the town put up with the unruly Bertran boys because of Ava. Dallas has a run-in with Ava’s old friend, Benji, the reason being Ava again. Dallas rarely talks to Ava in a respectful tone, but only when he gets drunk he starts blurting out all his misdeeds, craving to be in Ava’s arms like a baby. The next day, when Ava asks Dallas about his confession from the previous night, Dallas refuses to own up.
Ava’s best friend of 17 years, Rona, does not mince her words while letting Ava know that Dallas is a monster. One night, when Ava and Ro arrange for a dinner date with their husbands, Dallas shows up in a bad mood, throwing tantrums and abusing Ava. At the table, Dallas says he wants a divorce. He asks Ava to keep the house for herself as it was her parents who gave the down payment for the house. He draws the attention of the entire restaurant as he says publicly that he would not pay any alimony as Ava already has a job that allows her to make ends meet sufficiently.
How does Ava deal with her heartbreak post Dallas’ divorce announcement?
After her breakup, Rona leaves a long letter for Ava listing all that she had to bear while being with Dallas. Ava takes a week off and drives back to her parents’ home at night. Her mother gets hold of the letter and is shocked to know that Ava was verbally and physically abused by Dallas. Ava’s mother starts feeling guilty for not being able to see through her daughter’s unaffected countenance.
She tells Ava that what she did for Dallas was beyond trying. While Ava is in her hometown, Clarence tries to set her up with Benji. Benji, who has been in love with Ava since they were young, is relieved to know that Ava is heading for a divorce with Dallas. Being a divorced man himself, he offers to guide Ava.
Ava’s father shows her a compilation of home videos where young Ava can be seen playing, running, and just being happy. Clarence shows her other videos of Ava following her marriage to Dallas. In the marriage video, Dallas’ mother can be seen screaming and hurling insults at Ava. Clarence says marriage to Dallas has made Ava subservient, something that they did not pass down to their daughter. Ava let Dallas talk to her in a demeaning tone despite her father setting a standard.
Ava meets Benji again at the local fair. They spend some time at the field behind the fair, and Ava asks Benji to make love to her. However, Benji maintains that although he is attracted to her, he cannot make love to her as that would mean settling scores with Dallas. When Benji asks Ava to take his number, Ava refuses politely, telling him that she has not made up her mind about pursuing any relationship.
How does Dallas turn violent?
Once Ava returns to the city, Dallas gets a photo of Ava and Benji from the fair. One of his brothers forces him to believe that Ava surely has been cheating on him. Dallas shows up at Ava’s bank and tries to create a ruckus. He threatens Ava to bring her lawyer and sign the divorce papers. Finally, Ava signs the divorce papers and can heave a sigh of relief. But things take a turn for the worst soon. Rona throws a party celebrating Ava’s newfound freedom in the presence of all her friends and Benji. But Dallas shows up here as well. The night ends with Ava and Dallas having sex.
The next morning, Ava finds Dallas having breakfast at her house. Dallas tells her that he is ready for another shot. Ava is not ready to throw herself back at his mercy all over again. Dallas goes upstairs and finds Benji sleeping in Ava’s bed. He starts thrashing Benji, but Benji takes him down. Tired of Dallas’ unruly behavior, Ava drags him down the stairs and throws him out. Rona advises Ava to get a restraining order to put a check on Dallas’ access to her.
Benji reaches home and finds all his farm animals dead. His suspicion is on Dallas. At the supermarket, Dallas– high and drunk– assaults Ava’s mother and accuses her of being privy to Ava cheating on him with Benji. Ava’s father changes the locks of Ava’s house, installs cameras, and keeps guns at her disposal.
As Ava, Benji, Rona, and Jim, Rona’s husband, are enjoying themselves in Jim’s backyard, Dallas turns up again in the guise of leaning on Jim for some heart-to-heart talk. Jim throws Dallas out when he abuses her. Upon learning that his wife was assaulted by Dallas, Clarence confronts Dallas with a gun. However, Clarence gets shot in the leg and severely beaten by the Bertran boys.
Tyler Perry’s Divorce in the Black (2024) Movie Ending Explained:
How does Ava finally get rid of her abusive marriage?
Ava steals Benji’s truck and goes to her house, then provokes Dallas to drive to her house. Ava tells Dallas that throughout their marriage, she never disrespected him. She constantly taunts Dallas by drawing comparisons to Benji. A livid Dallas punches Ava and makes her fall to the ground. He pushes her and throws her around. She calls 911 and reports Dallas breaking into her house.
At last, due to Dallas’ growing abuses, Ava is compelled to fix her gun at Dallas. Ava finally shoots him, and Dallas is finally felled, and so is Ava’s abusive marriage. The film ends with Clarence leaving the hospital with Ava and his wife, accompanied by Benji, Rona, and Jim. The group encounters the Bertrans at the hospital. As Linda threatens Ava, Ava says that this is the price they pay for pushing people too far. With this, Ava’s association with the Bertrans is drawn to a close.
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