Michael Schultz, the director of such influential films as COOLEY HIGH, CAR WASH, THE LAST DRAGON, and KRUSH GROOVE, returns to the big screen for the first time in more than a decade with the career-redefining WOMAN, THOU ART LOOSED. Based on the work and writings of Bishop T.D. Jakes, this powerful drama stars Kimberly Elise as Michelle Jordan, a young woman on death row explaining her life to Jakes, who plays himself in the film. Schultz cuts between the past and the present as Michelle relates the abuse she suffered at the hands of Reggie (Clifton Powell), her mother’s (Loretta Devine) longtime boyfriend. Michelle had earned an early release from prison for previous crimes and was reconnecting with an old love (Michael Boatman), but she quickly ended up back in jail after pulling out a gun and firing during a revival meeting headed by Jakes. Elise is magnificent in the lead role, filled with anger, hate, confusion, and tenderness, sometimes all at once. Schultz, best known for his music-heavy comedies, shows a deft touch with very sensitive subjects, exploring the power of prayer, rehabilitation, family responsibility, enduring friendship, drug addiction, and the prison system. Elise is unforgettable as the conflicted Michelle, a woman who has never known true love. Jakes is a gentle giant playing a fictional version of himself, both talking softly to Michelle in prison and preaching magnificently at the West Angeles revival meeting, backed by a wonderful choir. Schultz has reached a whole new plateau with this searing, surprising film that deserves a large audience.
