The film stars Kelly Rowland as a criminal defense attorney, who takes the case of an artist (played by Trevante Rhodes), who is accused of murdering his girlfriend.

In Chicago, Mea Harper, a seasoned defense attorney, faces ongoing marital strife, exacerbated by her husband Kal's infidelity and his mother Azalia's domineering influence.

Amidst these challenges, a family gathering brings news that her brother-in-law, Ray Hawthorne, an ambitious assistant district attorney, is set to prosecute a high-profile murder case against Zyair Malloy, a charismatic local artist.

The situation is further strained by Kal and Azalia who vehemently oppose her involvement in the case, fearing the scandal could tarnish the family's reputation, especially as Ray prepares for a mayoral run.

The website's consensus reads: "Neither campy enough to qualify as a guilty pleasure nor exciting enough to hold up as a thriller, Mea Culpa is a sorry entry in the Tyler Perry filmography.

The writer reflected that Rowland "commits to the thankless task of playing a smart woman gone stupid" while Rhodes "can't do much with Zyair, whose affect is more flat than seductive".

Even if "Rowland and Rhodes have no chemistry" and the scenes don't show "anything resembling real life", Edfadl affirmed that the film "should work for anyone familiar with Perry's oeuvre".