don't bother going to this one. There is exactly one actual gospel tune in the picture, beautifully done by Queen Latifah.
The rest of it is secular music done in a very flashy way, with the words 'Jesus' or 'God' or 'Him' substituting for 'baby' or 'woman' or 'man' by people in choir robes. And what obedient choir member tailors her robe to fit her enormous chest? And gets away with it? Not once do you see the choir pray together, the pastor sits in the congregation while the choir is singing...in fact, I don't recall there being a pulpit at all. I don't believe that anyone who had anything to do with producing, writing, or directing this picture has been within a hundred miles of a gospel choir within last twenty years - maybe.
The story itself is a mess as well. All sorts of loose ends are left hanging around.
I gave it four stars because:
1. the Queen herself was fantastic - flawless, in fact. 2. One of the kids in the film is listening to 'In Walked Bud' on his car radio at the beginning, and you can never ever have too much Thelonious Monk 3. Kirk Franklin 4. Sly Stone mash-up
Dolly Parton, whom I was prepared to love, was lackluster if you can believe such a thing.
Save your money and wait for it to come on streaming Netflix, if you must. What a disappointment.
The rest of it is secular music done in a very flashy way, with the words 'Jesus' or 'God' or 'Him' substituting for 'baby' or 'woman' or 'man' by people in choir robes. And what obedient choir member tailors her robe to fit her enormous chest? And gets away with it? Not once do you see the choir pray together, the pastor sits in the congregation while the choir is singing...in fact, I don't recall there being a pulpit at all. I don't believe that anyone who had anything to do with producing, writing, or directing this picture has been within a hundred miles of a gospel choir within last twenty years - maybe.
The story itself is a mess as well. All sorts of loose ends are left hanging around.
I gave it four stars because:
1. the Queen herself was fantastic - flawless, in fact. 2. One of the kids in the film is listening to 'In Walked Bud' on his car radio at the beginning, and you can never ever have too much Thelonious Monk 3. Kirk Franklin 4. Sly Stone mash-up
Dolly Parton, whom I was prepared to love, was lackluster if you can believe such a thing.
Save your money and wait for it to come on streaming Netflix, if you must. What a disappointment.