The Fighting Temptations (2003)

I love this movie so much

You won't be disappointed!

Don't listen to the Hype. It's awful

There are moments that feel comical, some horrific, and some downright inspiring but the tonal shifts hardly matter as the end results come to a film that's perfect for this time.

The story, the plot, the drama, or the comedy, is nothing particularly important and deep. But the music is great, this full new generation of Gospel singing that finds its reviving inspiration in hip hop, rock, and all kinds of other new developments, particularly the black musicians of the USA, urban or not, that want to take real life as their inspiration, real life of the younger generations and dedicate their vision to some religious dream and hope.That's probably what this film is best about: it really puts religion back in its place in society and that place is to procure joy and even happiness to people and not the sour ethics of an old fake widow who hides her having been abandoned by her husband behind the front cover of the Bible. This film is probably optimistic about the depth of this religious feeling among the younger generations, but it is not entirely false: these younger generations are looking for some spirituality, even in the most secular countries who, like the secular sectarian France, forbid religious discourse and culture in their schools and public institutions, including the kipa or skullcap for the Jews, the head scarf for Moslem women, and only tolerate religious pins if they are smaller than one inch. Here in this film they work a revival of a southern Baptist church choir that manages to find the real force of joy and gaiety in being together with others and share some communion with a divine dimension in this life. Not the communion of the commandments but the communion of the heart and empathy, soul and mind.The film though, as for the plot and tempo, is slightly too slow at times, too nonchalant. A slightly tighter treatment would have improved it tremendously. But the music is first and foremost.Dr Jacques COULARDEAU

The Fighting Temptations was mean-spirited and way too shallow for my liking. In a way I suppose it does expose the religious hypocrisy that goes on a lot now a days, but the way it was done was cruel and mean- spirited. Many of the characters are hard to root for, and while Cuba Gooding does his best with the material, his character is very hard to relate too. I think the producers of this movie expected a big hit, because they brought in Beyonce and figured it would be the revival Cuba needed, but there is too much wrong with it too work. The music itself was quite impressive at times, Beyonce can really do no wrong with her voice, and I especially enjoyed the guys from the jail who were doing the creative rapping, but I feel this should have been light-hearted fun, and in the end it took itself much too seriously a lot of the time. Cuba's charisma serves him well in this movie, but not well enough to make this anything more than mediocre, and it's a shame too because it had all the potential in the world to be a great musical.Performances. Cuba Gooding Jr's charisma makes him better than he has any right to be here, but his character does many things I didn't like. Beyoncé Knowles is gorgeous to look at, but her character is rather shallow and she had her wooden moments, while her chemistry with Cuba felt off. Golden Girl fans may recognize Rue McClanahan has a small role here, she's pretty much wasted. Wendell Pierce had a nice comic touch as the Reverend, I enjoyed his performance. LaTanya Richardson plays one of the most unlikable and despicable religious woman I've ever seen in my lifetime, she did her job well.Bottom line. It has its moments, but not enough to make it a quality flick. It's really mediocre when it all comes down to it, and I really can't recommend this than anything more than if nothing else is on the T.V.4/10

Why is it people get all critical about the level of acting, direction, plot and script etc? many of the so called classic great actors were not really that good, same with many classic films, but at the time we loved them because they were after all just films, entertainment. This film if GREAT entertainment. As has been said it is one of the rare films the whole family can watch and it lifts your spirits. Beyonce acting wooden someone said? I thought she was wonderful, I believed she was that character and that is all good acting is. Her voice was outstanding and most if not all of the songs in this film are great. One to watch on a rainy afternoon over and over again ( well I live in England ) Let the film critics watch their usual boring films where nothing much happens but they rave on about the direction, cinematography and all that nonsense that does NOT make a great film. Great stories make great films and this is a great film.

What could been a feel good musical comedy was instead turned into a pathetic vehicle for shameless musicians attempting to kick start acting careers( Montell Jordan, Lil Zane & Beyonce) This is the movie that started Cuba Gooding Jr'S slow yet tragic descent down the dungeons of Z Movie Roles. Who's resolve to commit career suicide has been recently demonstrated by his involvement with Daddy Day Camp and Norbit. Ms Knowles should stick to singing, she could't act her way out of a tuna sandwich even if her life depended on it. I watched this dud when it first came out on DVD now five years later i still get nauseated every time someone mentions it or i accidentally see the cover at my local video store. I have read a lot of reviews suggesting that the music made this movie worth watching, (remember purple rain) no amount of good music can redeem a pile of crap. folks do yourselves a favour avoid this one at all costs