Temptation: Confessions of a Marriage Counselor(2013)

Plot Summary

• The movie opens up in a rundown office where a marriage counselor is counseling a couple. Due to an argument, the husband walks out and the counselor notices a change in the wife's demeanor once the husband is gone. The counselor says she can tell that the wife has met someone, and that she would like to tell her a story about her sister, Judith.We then cut to a montage of Judith (Jurnee Smollett-Bell) and her husband Brice (Lance Gross) growing up and falling in love in southern Virgina, throughout the years. Eventually, with the blessing of Judith's mother, Ms. Sarah (Ella Joyce), the couple marries and moves to Washington D.C. Brice gets a job at a local pharmacy working for the elderly owner Ms. Chapman (Renée Taylor), while Judith takes a job as the in-house therapist at matchmaking/dating service company owned by Janice (Vanessa Williams), a French woman. At the practice, Judith is constantly belittled by Ava (Kim Kardashian), Janice's personal secretary, for her lack of sex appeal and fashion sense.Over at the pharmacy, Brice and Ms. Chapman hire Melinda (Brandy Norwood) to work in the store, although Ms. Chapman has a stereotypical view of Melinda. Based on her boots and clothes, she think she's a lesbian. Melinda still takes the job.At Judith and Brice's small one bedroom apartment, Judith talks about wanting to start her own practice and move up. Brice reminds her maybe in 10 to 15 years when they are more established. He then decides to take Judith out to dinner to a cheap $5.99 buffet. After dinner, some young thugs make a sexual comment towards Judith who wants to say something, but Brice tells her to walk it off and let it go. Meanwhile, in another part of the city, Melinda is walking home and looking over her shoulder very afraid. Once she arrives at home at her one-room apartment, she puts about six locks on her front door and grabs a baseball bat for protection.The next day at work, Judith is introduced to Harley (Robbie Jones), a Zuckerberg-type computer software inventor who wants to invest in Janice's company. While speaking privately with Judith, Harley asks if he knows her, and he mentions that he's seen her running in the same park he does. Judith counters this by saying he's the shirtless man who is always trying to impress the ladies in the park. Judith then gives Harley a questionnaire about his love life and personality for him to fill out. At home, Judith mentions to Brice whom she met and that her mother will be paying a visit in the coming days.When Judith goes back to work the next day, Harley gives her a questionnaire to be completed, but he mentions that there are no questions about sex on the questionnaire. Judith says: "we aren't that kind of business". Janice informs Judith that she'll be working with Harley on the deal. Meanwhile at Brice's pharmacy, Melinda mentions that she needs to quit. Ms. Chapman asks her why, and she informs Brice and Ms. Chapman that her ex-husband attempted to kill her, and that she's been on the run for years trying to escape him. Ms. Chapman then mentions to her that she can't quit and that Brice will take her to and from work, so she feels safe.While working late one night, Harley verbally seduces Judith by asking her about her sex life with Brice, coming to the conclusion that Judith and Brice have a boring sex life, due to the fact that they basically only have sex in the bedroom. Harley mentions having sex in the car, in the kitchen, etc., and it's clear by Judith's face that she's turned on. Judith rushes home and attempts to seduce Brice in the kitchen, even going as far to make animal-like noises, but Brice is taken aback. He tells her they only have sex in the bedroom, and if she wants to attack something, attack the sandwich he just made her.The next morning, Judith wakes up un-sexually satisfied and decides to go for her morning run to see Harley. While running, Judith runs into a biker on accident and Harley blows up at the man. Judith calms him down. Harley takes her to his home to fix up her leg, which was hurt when she fell. Judith is very impressed by Harley's home and once again, Harley tries to verbally seduce Judith by saying he doesn't miss anything about her, such as the way she smiles or some of the blonde hairs mixed in with her natural hair. Judith counters him again by saying she doesn't miss a thing either, like the smell of perfume in his home, or the woman's earring on the table. Brice shows up to pick up Judith, and they head home.A few days later, it's Judith's 26th birthday, and she decides to try something different with her makeup and hair. Brice doesn't notice and mentions to Judith that he will be working late tonight, and walks out of the house without wishing her happy birthday. When Judith gets to her office, there are roses waiting, and she runs into Ava, who again is taken aback by her appearance. Judith thinks the flowers are from Brice, but they are from Harley. At home that night, Brice notices a single cupcake with a candle and realizes his mistakes. He then decides to sing, "Try A Little Tenderness" to his wife in nothing but a cowboy hat and his underwear to cheer her up.Back at work the next day, Judith finally gives in to Ava's desire to make her over. Around the same time, Janice tells Judith that she will be accompanying Harley to New Orleans to finalize their deal. Janice warns Judith to be careful around Harley. Judith arrives at Harley's private plane and the two head to New Orleans. In New Orleans, the deal is a success, and the two spend the day exploring the city. Heading back on the plane after much talk, Harley comes on to Judith, initially she tries to push him away, but gives in to him, and they have sex on his plane. Arriving back home, Judith tells Harley to never call her again. Harley chases after Judith, right as her mother and Brice are pulling up. Judith's mother instantly takes a disliking to Harley.While having dinner with Judith and Ms. Sarah, Brice lets it slip that Judith hasn't been cooking, nor has the couple been attending church, which doesn't sit well with the conservative and traditionalist Ms. Sarah.At work the next day, Judith is in her office and sees Harley who's been ignoring her all day. At home that night, Brice is watching a football game when Harley calls Judith. Judith goes off on Harley who reminds her she is the one who wanted to end things. Harley then insults Judith while at the same time seducing her. He tells her to tell him that she wants him, to which she does and that he will be there to pick her up in 20 minutes. Judith walks out of the house, Brice doesn't notice, but Ms. Sarah does.After having sex again with Harley in his home, Judith cooks for him, cleans his house, etc. Harley then mentions to Judith that he doesn't want to go into business with Janice. Instead, he wants to start a business with her on the condition that she leaves Brice. Judith refuses to leave Brice, and the two get into an argument, which results in Judith throwing food and walking out, which results in Harley just laughing. When Judith arrives at home, she gets into an argument with her mother. Judith then reveals to her mother that she knows the real reason her dad left, which causes Ms. Sarah to slap Judith. Brice is awoken by all the arguing, and asks what's wrong with the two, and they both ignore him.A few days pass, and Judith ends up going up back to Harley. Harley is reluctant at first, but when Judith has sex with Harley in his Rolls Royce he changes his mind. Judith has totally changed into a wild and crazy, devious person.One day, when Brice notices her stumbling in their apartment from being dropped off with Harley, he puts two and two together. Judith ends up putting in a one week notice with Janice. However, Janice fires her before she can quit, revealing she knows all about Judith's deal with Harley. Judith attempts to have the last word with Janice by revealing that she's knows that she's not from Paris like once thought, but rather from Georgia. Caught off-guard, Janice then counters her by changing her accent and saying, "bitch get outta of my office."In the midst of her affair with Harley, Judith still hasn't told Brice, who shows up at Harley's home in the middle of a party. In an attempt to get his wife back. Brice drags Judith out of the house, where she all but breaks Brice's heart, and he breaks down crying. He tells Judith he'll pack her stuff, but she says she doesn't need it. She then walks back into the house. Brice goes to Melinda's home for comfort, and while there, he attempts to kiss her, but she reminds him that they aren't attracted to each other, but she can be his friend.The next day Judith goes back to the apartment to get her laptop, and her mother is there with members of the local church. The ladies are all praying for Judith, but it falls on deaf ears. Harley becomes frustrated and throws Ms. Sarah to the ground, and then forces Judith out of the house.Back at Harley's home, the couple get into an argument with Harley acting childish and going as far as to say that Judith is picking her mother over him. Judith responds by saying: "it's not my fault that your mother left you to go to a crack house!" Harley then goes into a closet and beats Judith.That night at Melinda's apartment, while having dinner with Brice, he asks her if she thinks she will ever find love again. She says no, due to the fact that she's HIV positive. Melinda then reveals that she got it from her ex-husband... Harley, which alerts Brice.Melinda and Brice rush to Harley's apartment, where they find Harley passed out drunk and Judith bloody and bruised in the bathtub. Brice picks her up and takes her to his truck. He then goes back in to Harley's home and gives Harley a beating. Melinda comes into the home and stops Brice before he kills Harley. Harley, dazed but still aware, notices Melinda and says, "Karen... you came back to me." She replies with, "Yes, it's me." Brice then warns Harley to stay away from both Melinda/Karen and Judith.Cut back to the present day where the marriage counselor is finishing up the story. The wife asks if this story has a happy ending, and the marriage counselor reveals that it's still being written. Judith did contract HIV as well. The client then tells that the marriage counselor that she has decided to stay with her husband and end the affair.The marriage counselor is next seen walking into Chapman's pharmacy, now run by Brice. It is revealed that she is Judith. Brice tells her he spoke to her doctor about her new meds, and he hopes she's doing okay. A woman and a young boy walk into the store and run towards Brice. It's made clear that Judith and Brice didn't work things out, and Brice re-married (making the present day at least five or six years forward). Judith then walks out of the pharmacy and heads to church to meet her mother.

Storyline

• Roger Jackson strives to support his family, a group that includes not only his Ivy League-educated wife Judith (Jurnee Smollett-Bell) but his ganja-smoking father Stanley and her Bible-thumping mother TT. Meanwhile, Judith doles out thoughtful advice to couples every day, yet remains completely powerless when it comes to addressing the issues surrounding her own troubled marriage. When an old college friend drops by her office, Judith faces her biggest personal challenge.