Aahana Swrup
‘The Single Moms Club,’ a 2014 Tyler Perry movie, delves into the lives of several single mothers from different backgrounds who find support and solidarity among each other. The comedy-drama film follows five mothers— May, Jan, Hillary, Esperanza, and Lytia— who are brought together after their kids get in trouble at school for offenses like underage smoking and graffiti. As a result, the school’s principal, Walters, compels the women to host the upcoming school dance fundraiser to ensure they can work out whatever issues their kids are facing.
Consequently, once the women witness how taxing the job of a single parent is on the other women, Hillary pitches the idea of forming a support group for single mothers to help each other carve out moments of solitude and peace. Since West Merryville, the women’s shared school of choice for their kids, plays an instrumental role in setting up the film’s premise, the establishment is bound to attract some attention. Thus, viewers might find themselves wondering, is the school based on an actual institution?
West Merryville is a Fictional School
No, West Merryville, the school from ‘The Single Moms Club,’ is not based on a real-life school. Within the film’s fictional tale, most of the elements, from characters and events to background details, are fictional additions crafted for the sake of world-building. As such, within the film’s narrative, West Merryville, a prep school boasting a diverse student body, is only a work of fiction.
The school is the narrative building block that remains directly responsible for the inciting event that creates the titular Singe Moms Club within the characters’ lives. Still, the film is more focused on exploring the inner lives of single mothers, May, Jan, Hillary, Esperanza, and Lytia, including their careers, relationships, and family dynamics. For the same reason, the storyline rarely gets to highlight any details about the prep school that would give insight into the institution.
Nevertheless, the West Merryville School continues to have an invisible but compelling influence over the protagonists. Since the story’s central conflict revolves around the mothers and their concern for their kids’ education, the looming pressure of hosting the perfect fundraiser for the school persists despite additional plot lines. As a result, the audience gets a good idea about the caring nature of each character, especially regarding their kids.
Even though some characters like Jan, who can benefit from devoting most of her time to the workplace and has the means to throw money at most problems, decide to be an active participant in planning the fundraiser. Likewise, on the spectrum’s other end, Lytia, with multiple kids, a stressful waitressing job, and financial problems abound, still takes time out to ensure she does her part in fixing her kid’s mistake.
Therefore, within the film’s fictional narrative, the West Merryville school remains a crucial element. Nonetheless, it isn’t based on any real-life educational establishments and only exists in service of the plot.
Read More: FUBAR Season 2 to be Shot in Toronto; Pre-Production Starts Next Month
