‘Woman Thou Art Loosed’ Has Powerful Message

JANE WILSON, Special Contributor

Published: October 14, 2004

“Woman Thou Art Loosed” is the inspirational tale of one woman’s journey from abuse to sin to redemption; although the narrative is at times uneven, the film is consistently interesting and thought provoking.

Based on the book and stage play by Bishop T.D. Jakes and directed by Michael Schultz, “Woman Thou Art Loosed” is the story of Michelle, a young woman who was sexually abused by her mother’s boyfriend at the age of 12, fell into a life of drugs and prostitution which led her to prison, was released, then wound up back in prison for an even more serious offense.

The film is framed by a conversation between Michelle and Bishop Jakes, who plays himself in the movie. He has come to visit her in prison, and they discuss how she came to be there and what she has learned from her experiences. We see her story in flashbacks to her childhood and the time of her first parole and in the “testimony” of her friends and family.

The fragmented story is occasionally uneven, especially in the scenes showing Michelle’s life before her first prison sentence, but this is the area of her life that is least explained, and some gaps are understandable. After she is paroled she seems determined not to go back to that life and attends a church revival to make a start on the straight and narrow, but it is never clear what caused her to make this change or how she was influenced by Jakes.

In contrast, the rest of the action is much more effective. The flashbacks to her childhood are harrowing, and the scenes after her first parole are poignant, as they demonstrate hopefulness about what her life could be like—with friends and a possible positive romantic interest in the form of a childhood sweetheart who has moved back to the neighborhood.

Oddly, although the film is structured by a dialogue with a minister and much of the action takes place during a church revival, there is not much overt religion in the movie. We see Bishop Jakes preaching during the revival, but the characters are much more concerned with each other’s actions than in what he is saying. The soul and the message of the movie is more about the characters’ spirituality than about the doctrine they practice. At the end of the film Michelle explains what she has learned through her experiences, and the film becomes a compelling testament to the power of forgiveness and redemption. Michelle has become “loosed” of the problems that have held her back, and although she is in prison, her spirit is more at peace than it has ever been.

Kimberly Elise does a wonderful job as Michelle; her demeanor and attitude display a wariness and inability to trust from the first frame of the film. The portrayal makes her story even more heartbreaking, because just as she begins to believe that she might deserve something good in her life and she begins to open up to the people around her, she loses it all again.

Each of the major characters is portrayed sympathetically. One of the biggest strengths of the film is that each of the characters is understandable and multi-dimensional. We may not agree with the actions of Michelle’s mother, who elected to believe her boyfriend rather than her daughter, but by the end of the film we can understand why she made the choices she made. Loretta Devine as Cassie, Michelle’s mother, and Debbie Morgan, as her friend Twana, are especially effective as the important women in Michelle’s life. Clifton Powell does a fine job as Reggie, Cassie’s abusive boyfriend. He is despicable and frightening enough to make his scenes with Michelle realistic, but he is also charming enough that it is plausible that Cassie could choose to spend her life with him. Finally, Michael Boatman plays an entirely different sort of man, Michelle’s old friend Todd, who shows her the possibility of a decent, promising life. His performance is positive without being sentimental, and he seems to be just the sort of friend Michelle needs.

What happens to Michelle at the end of the film is left open to interpretation, but it is clear that she has made a long, harrowing journey, has come to peace and understanding with herself, and has taken responsibility for her actions. “Woman Thou Art Loosed” is an emotional story that demonstrates the resilience of the human spirit.

Jane Wilson, a local writer and movie enthusiast, holds a doctorate in English from the University of Georgia. She is a parishioner at St. Pius X Church, Conyers.