Social media has been abuzz about Kelly Rowland's latest Netflix movie - and let's just say, the reviews aren't great.
Mea Culpa, directed and produced by Tyler Perry - as well the 43-year-old singer - tells the story of "an ambitious criminal defense attorney that, in her aspiration to be named partner, takes on the case of a 'seductive' artist accused of murdering his girlfriend" as per its official IMDb description.
Have a look at the trailer below:Rowland stars as Mea Harper while Trevante Rhodes plays the artist she starts defending after he finds himself in the middle of a messy murder trial.
Alongside Rowland and Rhodes, Mea Culpa also stars the likes of Nick Sagar, Sean Sagar, RonReaco Lee, Shannon Thornton, and Kerry O'Malley.
Prior to the movie's release, Perry opened up about the inspiration behind the concept telling Netflix's Tudum: "This idea came to me because I love all of those older thrillers from the '80s and '90s."
"It was fun to explore the best and worst of humanity through the genre of an exotic thriller," he added.
While the concept may have proved to be a challenge, Perry also revealed that working with his lead actor was also a challenge - but in the best way.
"I never had an experience where I was working with someone who had so many great ideas to bring to the table," he told the outlet. "As a producer, she was fantastic."
He also added that the 'When Love Takes Over' hitmaker not only "a phenomenal superstar around the world, [and] incredibly beautiful, but the camera loves her. Working with her was such a joy."
And it seems as though Rowland felt the same way about Perry.
"It was just so easy to work with him and if there was ever any moment where he was uncertain about something, he would say, 'Well, let’s discuss it and then let’s try it.' But it was all about communicating," she said.
And for Rhodes, it was an easy decision to join the project. "I told Tyler 'yes' before he sent the script," he said. "We cookin'."
However, despite the stars' positive attitude towards the flick, it seems as though it's gotten a disappointing response from fans and critics alike.
On X, formerly Twitter, people shot it down.
"Mea Culpa is such a bad movie. Like one of Tyler Perry’s worst," said one user.
"Mea Culpa might be one of the worst films I’ve ever watched. Poor Kelly," added another and a third was also less-than-impressed writing: "This may have been worst then A Fall From Grace honestly. At least the bad wigs was entertaining us from how bad the movie was."
"This film was one of the worst I’ve ever seen. Not even that bad good I can rewatch. Just awful awful awful," another X user added, with somebody else tweeting: "Got to be one of the worst movies I've seen in a long time and I've watched every movie with a super-sized crocodile, tiger or killer shark #MeaCulpa".
Critics were also not feeling it, with Benjamin Lee giving it a below-average rating of two stars.
"As one might have guessed from the plot description, it’s hopelessly overstacked," Lee wrote in his review for the Guardian. "Perry’s poor actors stumbling over absurdly soapy dialogue, needlessly busying something that required a lot more focus to work.
He continued: "While it might start out as an erotic thriller, it slows down to a damp relationship drama before meandering its way to a climax hinged on head-scratching twists that make little to zero sense."
Ouch.
But Murtada Elfadl from Variety was more forgiving, stating that while Mea Culpa might not be for everyone, there's something good about it.
"Tyler Perry’s Mea Culpa isn’t for everyone," he wrote. "In fact, many will write it off as as shlock, and yet, there’s something admirable about a filmmaker who knows exactly what his audience wants. For his loyal base, it will be enough entertainment on a slow night at home."
Over on Rotten Tomatoes, the movie currently "boasts" a lackluster 18% from critics overall.
Mea Culpa is available to watch on Netflix.
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