Divorcing Atlanta
GENRE
DRAMA POLITICAL ROMANCE RELIGIOUS
Core Theme
RELATIONSHIP BREAKDOWN
TIME PERIOD
Contemporary
COMPARABLE TITLES
ATLANTA, LOVE, MARRIAGE STORY, KRAMER VS. KRAMER, WAITING TO EXHALE, BLUE VALENTINE.
CHARACTER LIST
PASTOR LORENZO: 40S. LEAD. OBSESSIVE, NARCISSISTIC, CONDESCENDING, CARING, COMPASSIONATE, GENEROUS, IRRESPONSIBLE.
ELIZABETH: 40. BLACK. LORENZO'S WIFE/EX-WIFE.
ANDERSON: 40S. BLACK. ELIZABETH'S SECRET LOVER.
TABITHA: 40S. WHITE. ANDERSON'S WIFE.
MINISTER ABIODUN: 40S. BLACK. LORENZO'S BEST FRIEND.
KENDRA: 50S. BLACK. ELIZABETH'S BEST FRIEND.
Logline
As he fights for his life, after an attempted suicide a southern pastor, reeling from several deaths in his family, the loss of his ministry and his wife public affair with a US Congressman, writes a series of letters to his unborn son before his eventual death.
Target Audiences
Age: 35-54,55+
Target Gender: Female Leaning
Setting
Atlanta
Based on a True Story
Yes
Publishing Details
Status: No
Starting Description
The story opens with a letter to an unborn son. Lorenzo has lost it all. His wife, church and even his reputation. We meet him homeless living out of his car. He's contemplating robbing a club, but turns the gun on himself. Fighting for his life he pens a letter to the son he may never meet.
Ending Description
Lorenzo survives the suicide attempt and reflect on his life and the power of words in a marriage. Through his written words to his son, he's able to fully understand how he lost everything but in doing so finds a way to live again.
Group Specific
Information not completed
Hard Copy Available
No
ISBN
Information not completed
Mature Audience Themes
Information not completed
Plot - Other Elements
Meaningful Message,Philosophical Questions,Twist
Plot - Premise
Rags to Riches
Main Character Details
Name: Pastor Lorenzo Richardson
Age: 42
Gender: Male
Role: Protagonist
Key Traits: Complex,Confident,Aspiring,Charming,Modest,Sexy,Religious,Selfless,Visionary,Romantic,Faithful,Engaging,Empathetic,Educated,Leader,Sophisticated
Additional Character Details
Name: Elizabeth Collins Richardson Esq.
Age: 40
Gender: Female
Role: Sidekick
Key Traits: Charming,Complex,Religious,Outspoken,Engaging,Skillful,Educated,Sophisticated,Insecure,Unapologetic,Power Hungry,Narcisstic
Additional Character Details
Name: Congressman Anderson Banks
Age: 51
Gender: Male
Role: protagonist
Key Traits: Masculine,Aspiring,Badass,Aggressive,Charming,Narcisstic,Confident,Complex,Criminal,Patriotic,Power Hungry,Outspoken,Skillful,Greedy,Heartthrob,Visionary,Insecure,Manipulative,Unapologetic
Additional Character Details
Name: Tabitha Banks
Age: 48
Gender: Female
Role: sidekick
Key Traits: Underdog,Modest,Complex,Gracious,Patriotic,Selfless,Empathetic,Secretive,Educated
Genre
ROMANCE, MATURE AUDIENCE, DRAMA, RELIGION, POLITICS
Brief
In Atlanta, Georgia, the happy recent marriage between a Black church pastor and first lady slowly disintegrates during the the COVID-19 pandemic; while, in Maryland, a Black congressman's lies and infidelity destroy his presidential dream along with his marriage.
Overall Rating
FAIR
Narrative Elements
Authors Writing Style: GOOD
Characterization: GOOD
Commerciality: FAIR
Franchise Potential: FAIR
Pace: FAIR
Premise: FAIR
Structure: FAIR
Theme: FAIR
Accuracy of Book Profile
The logline could be more effective and the developmental pitch could do more to pitch the book rather than summarize it.
Draw of Story
Very little. The entire story is about divorce and not much else and there is very little plot. Instead, a series of scenes in a seemingly random chronology show simultaneously, over a much-too-high number of words in an extremely repetitive manner, two marriages breaking down. The most interesting aspect of the book is its vivid and authentic portrayals of life in modern America for African Americans and relationships between African Americans both romantic and otherwise. There are also themes of race relations, racism, and politics in America that are well realized and intriguing. The writing is wordy but competent, and the dialogue, while mostly inconsequential and wandering, feels authentic to how Black people might communicate in these contexts, and bristles with life and energy.
Possible Drawbacks
Pretty much everything about this book made me want to put it down. There is almost no story here, just endless scenes of characters talking, 90% of which is inconsequential to what little plot there is. The chronology of events is difficult to piece together at times as the scenes are seemingly randomly structured and also contain within them backstory and flashbacks. The writing is competent but much too wordy, full of information that does not advance the story. The story borders on melodrama in its over-the-top portrayals of marriages breaking down, and these breakdowns are portrayed by wild swings in the relationships from happy to unhappy to happy again repetitively. The characters themselves are interesting and have some depth to them but this positive point is smothered by the overly dramatic and sentimental feelings they experience and actions they take. The saving grace of the story is its authentic, passionate portrayals of life in America today for African Americans and relationships between this group, plus a political subplot that is at times interesting. Overall, most aspects of this story are weak and, of the premise, themes, characters and plot, none make the book worth adaptation.
Use of Special Effects
THE STORY DOES NOT RELY ON SPECIAL EFFECTS
Primary Hook of Story
The hook is the book's vivid, authentic, passionate portrayals of life in America today for African Americans and relationships between African Americans both romantic and otherwise. There are also themes of race relations, racism, and politics in America that are well realized and intriguing. The writing is competent and the dialogue feels extremely authentic to how Black people might communicate in these contexts--a perspective sorely lacking from film and TV--and bristles with life and energy.
Fanbase Potential
Doubtful. It would need to actually have a plot first.
Awards Potential
No. Not good enough, needs more story.
Envisioned Budget
LOW BUDGET
Similar Films/TV Series
ATLANTA, LOVE, MARRIAGE STORY, KRAMER VS. KRAMER, WAITING TO EXHALE, BLUE VALENTINE
What’s New About the Story
The protagonist being a Black pastor with his positively portrayed enthusiasm for religion and faith in God is a unique element; as is the mostly Black cast of characters and the authentic portrayals of life in America today for African Americans. The story could be more unique if it focused less on a repetitive plot about divorce and more on the hardships of life in America for Black communities as well as racism and rigged economic and political systems.
Lead Characters
They are all African Americans who are proud of their heritage and culture. Each are complex and vivid and unique from one another and in this way the story presents us with a complex perspective of being Black in America today. The characters experience a wide range of hardships including marriage failures, financial hardships, infidelity, deception, mental illness, crisis of faith, and crime.
Uniqueness of Story
No, there is too much wrong with it. The story needs much more plot and less inconsequential dialogue and information. The premise of divorce is not a fresh concept nor is it executed in a fresh manner.
Possible Formats
Film - Indie, TV Series - Limited Run / Mini-Series
Analyst Recommendation
WORK IN PROGRESS
Justification
Nothing about it in its current form feels worthy for adaptation. Its saving grace is its complex African American characters and authentic portrayals of life in America today for Black people but the plot, premise, theme and structure are all weak and need work if this is to be considered for adaptation.
Tips for Improvement
More plot, much more tightly focused dialogue, more well-realized subplots that branch out from the divorce theme, a little more focus on hardships for Black Americans and racism outside of romantic relationships, better structure with more clear character and plot arcs.
Brief
In Atlanta, Georgia, the happy recent marriage between a Black church pastor and first lady slowly disintegrates during the the COVID-19 pandemic; while, in Maryland, a Black congressman's lies and infidelity destroy his presidential dream along with his marriage.
What We Liked
DIVORCING ATLANTA's vivid, authentic, passionate portrayals of life in America today for African Americans and relationships between African Americans, both romantic and otherwise, offer a representation of Black people and Black experience sorely lacking in film and TV today. Its themes of race relations, racism, and politics in America are well realized and intriguing, and the dialogue of the various Black characters feels extremely authentic, bristling with life and energy. The main characters are all African Americans who are proud of their heritage and culture; each are complex, vivid and unique from one another, and in this way the story presents us with a complex, one-size-does-not-fit-all perspective of being Black in America today. These characters experience a wide range of hardships including relationship failures, financial difficulties, infidelity, deception, mental illness, crisis of faith, and crime through desperation and greed, and through all these elements the story presents us with a complex portrait of Black America set to the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic and the lead-up to what many believed was the most consequential presidential election of their lifetimes. Viewers Black and otherwise will identify with the immense struggle of 2020 as depicted in DIVORCING ATLANTA. Its theme of the breakdown of relationships is a universal one that every young adult and older of all cultures and creeds can identify with. As well as this, the main protagonist is a church pastor whose devotion to God and helping the community is positively portrayed, and this may speak to the millions of religious Americans who are seeing less and less portrayals of religious Americans in film and TV today. However, this religious theme is in the background of this story while the relationships and political subplot come to the fore, offering a perfect balance to attract a wide audience.
Film: Similar to MARRIAGE STORY and KRAMER VS. KRAMER, this story about the breakdown of marriage is universally appealing to everyone young adult and older and offers the perfect story arc in its lead couples who go from happily married to unhappily divorced and on to find some sense of happiness again along with newfound independence and clarity. This makes DIVORCING ATLANTA excellent for film adaptation as this story arc can be explored perfectly over the course of a feature-length film. The story also offers ample subplots in its presidential campaign political subplot and in the subplot concerning the pastor's finances and attempts to keep his church afloat financially, which round out the story and make it feel complete. A film set to the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic and featuring the lead-up to the 2020 presidential election will be appealing to audiences eager to see this trying period portrayed on screen, and the story's focus on largely African American characters and culture is an extremely welcome one today and would be well received by critics and entertainment-focused publications.
TV: Similar to FX's ATLANTA, an adaptation of DIVORCING ATLANTA offers massive potential to explore in subtle detail the breakdowns of relationships within the Black community of Atlanta as well as the blossoming of new relationships, all set to a gritty backdrop of modern America including elements of economic and political struggles, racism and racial injustice, crime and imprisonment. There are an infinite number of potential subplots and characters to introduce over the various seasons, all revolving around relationships between characters in this highly specific community which acts as a microcosm of America. Some more white characters could be introduced, as well as Asian, Muslim, and others, to allow for over the show's run a deep exploration into race relations in America today, while the focus on political and religious themes provides opportunity for even more characters and plots. With the right team of writers, a TV series adaptation of DIVORCING ATLANTA could have many successful seasons and a wide viewership.
Key points: Mostly African American cast; Vivid, authentic, passionate portrayals of Black culture and experience, including naturalistic dialogue; Religious characters portrayed in a positive light while also allowing them to be likable regular people; The portrayals of marriage breakdown are moving and powerful; The story's setting of America in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic and presidential campaign will be well received by audiences eager to see this period portrayed onscreen
Synopsis
ATLANTA, GEORGIA, JUNE 2020: REV. DR. LORENZO HOSEA RICHARDSON (42, Black), divorced and living in his car, swigs from a bottle of alcohol and goes to rob a nightclub with his gun. Inside, he gets cold feet, exits the club, and shoots himself in the head. ONE YEAR EARLIER: Lorenzo and ELIZABETH (40, Black) are a happily (recently) married couple as Pastor and First Lady of their new congregation, but cracks are beginning to show in the relationship as the financial strain of buying a huge new church and lavish home increases, and Lorenzo’s sometimes narcissistic and condescending personality clashes with Elizabeth’s free spirit. MINISTER ABIODUN from Nigeria, a good friend of Anderson, helps keeps the church afloat financially.
Meanwhile, CONGRESSMAN ANDERSON BANKS (40s, Black) and his wife TABITHA (40s, white) strive to launch Anderson’s presidential campaign, but their relationship comes under strain when Anderson has an affair with his new employee, Elizabeth, which culminates in all of Anderson’s infidelity, illegal business dealings, and myriad lies—including a plagiarized bestselling book—becoming exposed, ending his presidential hopes forever, ending his marriage, and sending Anderson to prison. Elizabeth’s affair proves to be the straw that breaks the camel’s back in her and Lorenzo’s marriage, resulting in divorce. After the divorce, the couple try to rekindle the flame one final time unsuccessfully, leading to Lorenzo’s suicide attempt.
Years later, Elizabeth and Tabitha live in Alabama and are happy, while Lorenzo’s church and all the good he accomplished through it lives on under the leadership of Pastor Abiodun. It turns out that Anderson survived the suicide attempt after all, and wrote a series of letters about love, marriage, and faith to his son.