Taraji P. Henson is a force. If you saw her in Hidden Figures or watched her dominate the screen as Cookie Lyon in Empire, you know she doesn't just play a character—she consumes it. That's why, back in 2018, the hype for Proud Mary the movie felt so massive yet so strangely quiet at the exact same time. It was supposed to be this huge moment. A Black woman leading a gritty, R-rated action flick in a subgenre usually reserved for the Keanu Reeves and Liam Neesons of the world. But then it actually came out, and things got... complicated.
Honestly, the marketing was top-tier. That first trailer, set to the Tina Turner cover of "Proud Mary," was an absolute vibe. It promised a high-octane, soulful hitman thriller with incredible costume design and enough firepower to level a city block. It looked like John Wick met 1970s Blaxploitation. People were ready for it.
What Actually Happens in Proud Mary the Movie?
Let's look at the actual plot. Taraji plays Mary Goodwin, a professional assassin working for an organized crime family in Boston. The family is led by Benny, played by the legendary Danny Glover. During a routine hit, Mary kills a bookie but realizes too late that his young son, Danny (played by Jahi Di'Allo Winston), is in the other room. She leaves him alive. Fast forward a year, and her guilt catches up to her. She finds Danny living on the streets, working for a rival gangster named "The Uncle," and decides to take him under her wing.
This isn't just a "professional killer with a heart of gold" story. It's messier. By killing The Uncle to protect Danny, Mary accidentally triggers a massive turf war between the two biggest crime syndicates in the city. The movie spends more time on this maternal bond and the internal politics of the mob than it does on the actual "killing" part of being a contract killer.
The Marketing Versus the Reality
There was a weird disconnect. Sony’s Screen Gems didn't screen the film for critics before it opened. In the industry, that’s usually a massive red flag. It implies the studio doesn't have faith in the project. Because of that, the film landed with a bit of a thud, earning a 25% on Rotten Tomatoes.
But here is the thing: critics wanted John Wick. They wanted stylized, neon-drenched gun-fu. Director Babak Najafi instead delivered something that felt more like a 70s character study. It was slower. It was grittier. It cared more about Mary’s apartment decor and her quiet moments of regret than it did about flashy choreography.
The movie cost about $14 million to make. It pulled in around $21 million domestically. It wasn't a total disaster, but it certainly didn't spark the franchise many hoped for.
Taraji P. Henson as Mary: An Underrated Performance
Taraji carries this film on her back. Period. Whether she’s staring into a mirror or loading a customized semi-automatic, she has this grounded weight to her. She didn't play Mary as a superhero. She played her as a woman who was tired. Tired of the killing, tired of the loyalty to a man (Benny) who clearly viewed her as an asset rather than a human being.
The chemistry between her and Jahi Di'Allo Winston is the actual anchor. If you go back and watch it now, away from the 2018 "hitman movie" craze, the emotional beats land much better. It's a story about a woman trying to find an exit strategy from a life that doesn't allow for exits.
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Why the Action Sequences Felt Different
Most action movies today rely on "shaky cam" or hyper-fast editing. Proud Mary the movie didn't really do that. The final shootout—the big climax where Mary drives a Maserati into a warehouse—is actually quite clear. You can see what’s happening. You see the hits. It feels tactile.
Some people hated the Maserati scene. They thought it was "product placement gone wild." Maybe. But seeing a Black woman in a designer leather jacket tearing through a warehouse in a luxury car while "Proud Mary" blasts over the speakers? That’s pure cinema. It’s iconic imagery, even if the script around it felt a little thin at times.
The Real Controversy Behind the Scenes
You can't talk about this movie without talking about how it was handled. Taraji P. Henson was vocal about the lack of support. In various interviews, she alluded to the struggle of getting Black-led films the same international marketing budget as white-led films. There’s a persistent, albeit debunked, myth in Hollywood that "Black films don't travel" internationally.
Proud Mary the movie was caught in that crossfire. It felt like the studio sent it out to die. No press junkets. No early screenings. No massive billboard campaigns in major international hubs.
When you compare the treatment of this film to something like Atomic Blonde, the disparity is glaring. Both are stylish, female-led assassin movies. One was treated like a prestige blockbuster; the other was dropped in January (the "dump month" of cinema) with minimal fanfare.
Looking Back: Is It a Cult Classic?
Six years later, the conversation has shifted. If you look at streaming platforms like Netflix or Hulu, Proud Mary the movie often pops up in the "Trending" lists. Why? Because away from the theatrical expectations, it’s a perfectly solid, entertaining 90-minute thriller.
It doesn't try to reinvent the wheel. It just tries to give Taraji P. Henson a gun and a reason to use it. Sometimes, that’s all you need on a Friday night.
The supporting cast is also worth a mention.
- Danny Glover as the patriarch is chilling in a quiet, grandfatherly way.
- Billy Brown (from How to Get Away with Murder) plays Mary’s ex-lover and fellow hitman, Tom. Their dynamic adds a layer of "what could have been" to the story.
- Neal McDonough shows up as a rival mobster because, honestly, it’s not a mid-budget action movie without Neal McDonough looking menacing in a suit.
Why the Script Failed the Lead
The biggest critique—and it's a fair one—is that the script didn't give Mary enough to say. The writers (John S. Newman and Christian Gudegast) relied heavily on tropes. You have the "kid who sees too much," the "mentor who turns into the villain," and the "one last job."
We never really learn how Mary became a top-tier assassin. We don't get the backstory of her training or her rise through the ranks. We just meet her at the end of her rope. While that works for some movies, here it felt like a missed opportunity to build a world as rich as something like Kill Bill.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Film Buffs
If you are planning to revisit the film or watch it for the first time, keep these things in mind to get the most out of the experience:
- Ignore the John Wick Comparisons. If you go in expecting 100 kills and non-stop martial arts, you will be disappointed. Treat it like a crime drama with occasional bursts of violence.
- Focus on the Wardrobe. The costume design by Kimberly Adams-Galligan is genuinely spectacular. Mary’s outfits are an extension of her armor. The leather coats, the wigs, the boots—it’s all intentional and adds more characterization than the dialogue does.
- Watch it as a "Double Feature." Pair it with Peppermint (Jennifer Garner) or The Protégé (Maggie Q). It’s fascinating to see how different directors handle the "lone female assassin" trope within the same five-year span.
- Check the Soundtrack. Beyond the title track, the score and song selections are deeply rooted in 70s soul and R&B, which gives the film a texture most modern thrillers lack.
The reality of the film industry is that not every movie needs to be a $200 million masterpiece to be worth your time. Proud Mary the movie is a gritty, flawed, but ultimately stylish entry into the hitman genre. It proved that Taraji P. Henson can lead an action franchise; it just needed a studio that believed in it as much as she did.
Next time it pops up on your streaming feed, give it a chance. Look past the 2018 reviews. You might find that it's a lot more soulful and interesting than the critics led you to believe.
To really dive into the genre, look for the "Blaxploitation" influences that director Babak Najafi tried to weave in. Researching films like Foxy Brown or Coffy will give you a much deeper appreciation for what Mary was trying to represent on screen.
Check out the official trailers and behind-the-scenes interviews with Taraji to see the physical training she put in for the role—it makes the stunts feel much more personal when you see the work behind them.