Rating: 
Summary: Corny
Review: If you don't take this film too seriously, you should really enjoy it. The storyline is good natured and the music is fantastic. Cuba Gooding Jr. plays a hustling New York City based ad man who agrees to fulfill his great aunt's dying wish for him to lead her church's gospel choir in a state competition for $100,000. At first he's like a fish out of water but then he learns about what's really important in life. I'm not going to spoil this one, you'll have to see for yourself.
LaTanya Richardson (Samuel Jackson's wife for those who don't know) turns in a nice performance as the judgmental and overbearing church treasurer Paulina and Beyonce's protrayal of Lily isn't bad at all. Much of the remaining cast is a who's who of contemporary talent including the O'Jays, Angie Stone, Beyonce Knowles Melba Moore and Montell Jordan. Not a bad addition to a DVD collection.
Rating: 
Summary: A wonderful Musical Comedy
Review: Ignore all the negative reviews about this movie & checkout The Fighting Temptations It's one of the best Musical/Comedies I've ever seen. Because I has not only Cuba Gooding Jr. &Beyonce Knowles, but also: Yolanda Adams, Donnie McClurkin, T-bone, Angie Stone, Shirley Caesar, Mary Mary, Montel Jordan, Rue Mccallahan, Faith Evans, & many other cast members. I've see this movie & I really enjoy it. If you like sister act 2 & Gospel Music, you'll love The Fighting Temptations.
Rating: 
Summary: Heavenly music, ham-handed script
Review: In "The Fighting Temptations," Cuba Gooding Jr. once again demonstrates that he and comedy do not belong in the same area code (and, come to think of it, after "Snow Dogs," "Rat Race" and "Boat Trip," did anyone need further evidence?).
Gooding is what's known in the theater as a "focus puller," a performer who wants the audience to notice him every minute, even if he's not supposed to be in the spotlight.
In this case, that means Gooding is continually trying to lure the viewers' attention away from the dynamic singing of Melba Moore, Angie Stone, Ann Nesby, the Rev. Shirley Caesar and Beyonce Knowles by making lots of goofy faces and prancing around as if he had ants in his pants. Kirk Franklin, where are you?
During the end credits, there's a two-minute segment in which Gooding gets to show off his enormously impressive skills as a breakdancer. If he had only boogied through the film and spared us all the painful mugging, "Temptations" would have been far more irresistible.
There are disconcerting echoes of the Jayson Blair scandal in Elizabeth Hunter and Saladin K. Patterson's screenplay, in which Gooding plays Darrin Hill, a pathological liar who took that "Fake Your Way to the Top" number from "Dreamgirls" as words to live by.
Just as he's fired from his job as a junior marketing executive in a New York agency -- his resume was a work of pure fiction -- the financially strapped Darrin receives word he must return to his hometown of Montecarlo, Ga., for the funeral of his beloved Aunt Sally.
Sally has left him $150,000 worth of stock, but there's a catch: In order to collect it, Darrin must satisfy the late churchwoman's dream of seeing her local choir compete in the statewide Gospel Explosion. So Darrin recruits a team of immediately recognizable types, including local "bootyologist" Lucius (Mike Epps), the tart-tongued and sanctimonious Paulina (LaTanya Richardson), and permanently mellow doofus Bill (Dave Sheridan), for his group.
He also includes Lilly (Knowles), a juke-joint chanteuse detested by most of the town's residents, perhaps because she's one of the few people around who doesn't behave as if she just strutted onto the set of her own personal sitcom, ready to ham it up to the heavens.
When Darrin learns Lilly is considered to be soiled merchandise in Montecarlo because she had a son out of wedlock, he leaps to her defense, telling the gossips, "Have you forgotten Jesus loved Mary Magdalene? She was a ho!"
Most of the comedy in "Temptations" would be difficult to distinguish from the humor found in your average touring gospel musical ("A Good Man is Hard to Find," "Beauty Shop," etc).
It's mostly mundane until the musical segments, which jolt the film -- and the audience -- to life. Knowles wraps her honey-sweet voice around Peggy Lee's "Fever," revs up a memorable rendition of "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" and supports the ensemble superbly on the soul-searing "Rain Down."
Rap finds common ground with gospel on "To Da River," performed by T-Bone, Zane and Montell Jordan (as a trio of prisoners conned into joining the group), and it's definitely a stirring moment when The O'Jays show up as singing barbers who attract business with their rousing version of Paul Simon's "Love Me Like a Rock."
Yet The O'Jays segment also points out how misguided director Lynn was. Just as the song is taking hold, Lynn cuts away so that the dopey plot can keep moving.
The story gets told -- as if anyone was concerned about whether or not Darrin's soul would be saved -- but at the expense of the songs. "The Fighting Temptations" gives us a tantalizing glimpse of paradise, then slams the Pearly Gates shut in our faces.
Rating:
Summary: Feelin the Beat Movie
Review: In the beginning of the movie you might thinks its lame, but you have to watch it for about five minutes until you get into it. Beyonce` and Cuba Gooding Jr. work together as actors very good.
Rating:
Summary: Great entertainment
Review: Last night on tv I heard a movie critic say that the movie left little to plot well my answer is this and has been for some years. I go to the movie for entertainment and I just want to sit in a chair and someone entain me. Now if I want heavy themes etc I read a book . Hollywood came out with movies to let you dream what happen to that idea.?I loved all the singers new and old and the simple theme which means a lot is great. I know there is a cd because the singing was awsome.
Rating: 
Summary: Nice plot and characters
Review: Music Music Music. The music was GOOD! Very comical movie and the actors did a good job as well. I think Beyonce has a lot of talent however, it seemed like her acting was a little shaky in this movie, nevertheless she came out on top! I thought Cuba's character was a little "hyper-active" at times but he played him well :-) . Don't rent this...buy it. I Promise that you would like to see it again.
Rating:
Summary: Heart Warming and Uplifing
Review: My twelve yr. old and I went to see this movie we loved it. The casting was just perfit,hats off to the casting director.The gospel was uplifting from Shirly Cesear,O'Jays and surprising Beyonc'e.If you have any christanity in you and felt you have got lost along the way in life the movie certainly brought you back to your roots.I myself love gospel and church at time at the movie I forgot were I was.Will go see it again. 10 stars
Rating:
Summary: GOOD FUN! GREAT MUSIC!
Review: Not since, "As Good As It Gets," with Jack Nicholson, and "What Dreams May Be," with Robin Williams, has Cuba Gooding Jr. brought such brilliance, warmth and exhuberance to the characters he portrays. He is perfectly cast as a charming hustler out to collect his inheritance by rejuvenating his late Aunt's Church Choir. Great music, Beyonce, and mellow singing groups round out a more than capable cast supporting Cuba's hilarous antics and efforts. It's all good fun. Very entertaining.
Rating:
Summary: Give Me a Break
Review: Ok, it's a cute movie. It is a predictable and harmless movie feel good movie and watching it is a pleasant way of spending an evening. The music was outstanding- Beyonce Knowles, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Shirley Caesar, and the Rapper T-Bone gave outstanding performances. But as a pastor, give me a break. The stereotyping was awful. Where did they find such a weak-kneed pastor who could not stand up to female church bully especially in a black church? Since when does one find someone being slain in the Spirit in a Baptist church? Just how long are those church by-laws anyway? It seems that even the minutest detail of church life is regulated by these omnipresent by-laws. The overly enthusiastic church service with people dancing in the aisles seemed like it was borrowed from The Blues Brothers movie. Oh by the way, since when can a ministry position in the church (choir director) be passed on through a private will to someone who does not attend? And since when are Christians so selective who can come into the church? Although my congregations have been uncomfortable I have yet to serve or attend a church were even the worst offenders (child molesters and convicts) were not welcomed. Give me a break. This movie was just too long. If it were edited down form 120 minutes to 90 minutes, it would have been a much better flick. As it was, I kept falling asleep during it.
Rating:
Summary: A Must-see
Review: okay--I'm not a Christian and I'm not particularly fond of gospel music--but this is an awesome comedy with an uplifting message. I laughed out loud the whole way through the movie, along with the rest of the audience.
This is not a preachy movie, but spirituality at its best, (no matter what religion you follow, this is a fun piece to watch).
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