What is Mea Culpa rated? Kelly Rowland Netflix movie review explored

Netflix's crime thriller, Mea Culpa, helmed by Tyler Perry, made its debut on February 23, 2024. With an ensemble cast, this title features hints of intense drama, suspense, and romance. Kelly Rowland takes on the lead role in the film as a criminal defense attorney, who develops feelings for a high-profile client.

The film premiered on Netflix and garnered critical reception and mixed reviews on all social media platforms. Merely 21% of the 14 critic reviews on Rotten Tomatoes are positive, resulting in an average rating of 5.2/10. The movie received a 35 out of 100 rating from Metacritic, which calculated the average score from four critics.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author's. Spoilers ahead.

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Mea Culpa's script could be a reason for the poor ratings

Mea Culpa, which Tyler Perry produced, can be considered overly dramatic, poorly written, and predictable. Actress Kelly Rowland plays Mea Harper in the film. Her most recent case involves renowned artist Zyair Malloy (portrayed by Trevante Rhodes) and his deceased girlfriend Hydie (portrayed by María Gabriela González).

When she undertakes a criminal defense, Mea confronts her client's dishonest nature and her steadily growing attraction to him in the course of her quest for the truth. As this intricate attorney-client relationship develops, it becomes one that is perilous for all parties involved.

It is one of those films whose insignificance in comparison to others in its genre demands a personal viewing experience in order to comprehend. In general, however, the murder mystery narrative, characters, and their actions are largely off due to Perry's propensity for centering on highly dramatic situations.

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An overview of Mea Culpa

Perry adeptly concludes Mea Culpa, swiftly establishing the lawyer's familial realm, wherein she confronts the authoritarian tendencies of Azalia, the haughtiness of Ray, and the solace provided by her benevolent sister-in-law, Charlise (Shannon Thornton). Additionally, issues arise with Kal, who is dissatisfied with the coldness of his marriage and is more devoted to his mother, a strong elderly woman undergoing cancer treatment.

Perry avoids developing a profound, personal emotional trajectory for Mea, instead opting to exploit her vulnerability in order to render her essentially helpless in the presence of Zyair. He disregards legal complications and is instead prepared to assert his claim to Mea. During their time together, they discuss aspects of his lifestyle, which include engaging in intimate encounters with strangers.

Although the suspense is consistently high in this thriller, Perry's narrative never centers on the dilemma of whether or not he did or did not do something, due to the numerous dead giveaways.

He diverts our attention with an immature narrative of sensual desire that escalates from zero to one hundred in an unattainable span of time. Mea, who is purportedly an intelligent and competent attorney capable of setting aside her emotions in pursuit of truths, allows her emotions to control her and makes irrational decisions that are inconsistent with her persona.

The film starts as an erotic thriller, but meanders down to dull interpersonal drama, before reaching a climax with incomprehensible twists.

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Mea Culpa is rated R for strong sexual content, graphic nudity, drug use, some violence, and language. Viewers can watch the film on Netflix.