Tyler Perry reveals the two ’90s Black love classics that ‘Doing Life’ paid homage to

Perry’s latest film arrived on Netflix on Oct. 2, starring Jay Reeves, Naomi Baker and breakout ‘A Different World’ star Cornell Young IV.

With Netflix’s “Doing Life,” Tyler Perry isn’t just sharing another love story in his extensive catalog; he’s also looking back to two mid-90s Black love stories that have endured for generations.

Perry took to Instagram on Friday to express his gratitude for the 1994 film “Jason’s Lyric” and the 1997 movie “Love Jones,” expressing how those films made him feel after they originally captured his imagination.

“I’m just gonna go on and say it… My latest movie, Doing Life, is an homage to these great films and the way they made me feel after I saw them,” he wrote alongside a carousel post of the movie posters for each film. “For all of you who’ve seen Doing Life already, thank you. And for those who haven’t, I can’t wait to hear your thoughts.”

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“Doing Life” centers on a story of choice and redemption. As Anika (Naomi Baker) juggles motherhood, career and family, she also has to decide on love with the formerly incarcerated Carousel (Jay Reeves), the individual who rescued her and her unborn child from a violent attack during a prison riot. Once released, Carousel not only must stay on the straight and narrow, but also navigate life with Anika, as she deals with her own internal strife and family drama.

The story evolves from there as Anika eventually has to make a choice between love and family, something that is more than recognizable for movie fans who’ve watched “Jason’s Lyric” more than once.

Perry’s latest film debuted on Netflix on Friday and stars Baker, Reeves and breakout “A Different World” star Cornell Young IV as Donovan. It is the third Perry movie to debut on the streaming platform this year, joining September’s “Why Did I Get Married Again?” and February’s “Joe’s College Road Trip.”