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The Fighting Temptations
2003
As a young boy growing up in Montecarlo, Georgia, Darrin sings in the church choir alongside his mother (Faith Evans). He and his mum leave town after the choir discovers that she has been singing rhythm and blues in a local club. Twenty years later, Darrin (Cuba Gooding, Jr.) is a broke, junior-level advertising executive in .. Read more
| Starring | Cuba Gooding Jr., Beyonce Knowles, Wanda Williams, Mike Epps |
|---|---|
| Director | Jonathan Lynn |
| Genres | Comedy, Romance |
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The Fighting Temptations
As a young boy growing up in Montecarlo, Georgia, Darrin sings in the church choir alongside his mother (Faith Evans). He and his mum leave town after the choir discovers that she has been singing rhythm and blues in a local club. Twenty years later, Darrin (Cuba Gooding, Jr.) is a broke, junior-level advertising executive in New York City who has just been fired. Summoned back to Montecarlo when his only living relative dies, Darrin discovers that he stands to inherit her estate if he can revive the choir at his old church and win the annual Gospel Explosion. Against the odds, Darrin assembles a first-rate choir of talented quirky characters. He also recruits Lilly (Beyonce Knowles), a jazz singer and single mother who just may steal his heart and help him find himself. Rich with impressive musical talent culled from the worlds of gospel, hip-hop, and R&B, the choir includes members of The O'Jays, as well as T-Bone, Melba Moore, Angie Stone, the Reverend Shirley Caesar, Zane, and Montell Jordan. Directed by Jonathan Lynn, the film also stars LaTanya Richardson, Steve Harvey, Wendell Pierce, Mike Epps, and Rue McClanahan.
| Starring | Cuba Gooding Jr., Beyonce Knowles, Wanda Williams, Mike Epps, Latanya Richardson, Angie Stone |
|---|---|
| Director | Jonathan Lynn |
| Studio | PARAMOUNT HOME ENTERTAINMENT |
| Run time | DVD: 1 hr 57 mins |
| Certificate | |
| Genres | Comedy, Romance |
| Language | English |
| Released | DVD: 02 Apr 2004 Production year: 2003 |
| Format | DVD |
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Critics' reviews (3)
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It's hard to believe the co-creator of Yes, Minister was the optimum choice for this comedy about a Deep South gospel choir. Yet even if Jonathan Lynn is au fait with the milieu, he's rarely in control of the tone or pacing of this messy amalgam of African-American social attitudes and musical tastes. Cuba Gooding Jr clowns to excess as the cynical ad executive determined to galvanise the choristers at his aunt's church in order to inherit her fortune. But the diverse singing styles of Melba Moore, T-Bone and Beyoncé Knowles, and a feisty turn from LaTanya Richardson, provide some compensation.
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Not even some impassioned vocals can save this sickly entertainment, with its banal narrative and a frenetically tiresome performance from Gooding.
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Most helpful member's review
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13 out of 15 people found this review helpful
Worth a look
I wasn't quite sure if I was going to like this film or not but I did. The film is a little over 2 hours long but certainly didn't feel like it. For me, you don't see or hear enough Beyonce singing in the church or solo.
Music - Tracks include Beyonce's 'Fever' and believe it or not 'Swing Low Sweet Chariot' - never knew Beyonce liked rugby!
T-Bone raps in the film on the 'Down by the riverside' track, again an interesting variation on a theme.
The movie I would say is fairly predictable (although there are a couple of twists!), there's the resident evil person that appears in any moralistic family film and cuba Gooding who really seemed to get into the roll - you'll see what I mean later in the film!
I would recommend this movie - a good feeling movie with an interesting music soundtrack. -
Most recent members' review
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1 out of 1 person found this review helpful
Cuba not Awful Alert
Average at best, and rather drawn out until we slip in into the expected Cuba does the right thing and becomes a hero bit starts.
The movie would've scored 2 stars (and may not have survived viewing until the end) were it not for the actual choir singing pieces which are both sonically/visually entertaining.
On the Cuba scale of things this is as good as Rat Run and not as bad as Snowdogs.
Are Betfair offering a book where I can lay against that 2nd Oscar? -
News and features
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Critic bends rules to review Beyonce movie
- 07 Dec 2006
A film critic has published a review of new Beyonce movie Dreamgirls before an official embargo was lifted. But it isn't the first time that Jack Mathews of the New York Daily News has done this, reports Studio Briefing. He previously broke the traditional day-of-release time limit on reviews from Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. And Mr Mathews gave Dreamgirls' cast a glowing review, stating that Jennifer Hudson, who plays Effie Melody... Read more
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As a young boy growing up in Montecarlo, Georgia, Darrin sings in the church choir alongside his mother (Faith Evans). He and his mum leave town after the choir discovers that she has been singing ... -