The Gospel (2005)
Average Rating: 4.9/10
Reviews Counted: 37
Fresh: 12 | Rotten: 25
While it features outstanding musical numbers, The Gospel reduces a series of worthy themes -- faith, family, forgiveness -- to soapy, banal clichés.
Average Rating: 5.1/10
Critic Reviews: 13
Fresh: 5 | Rotten: 8
While it features outstanding musical numbers, The Gospel reduces a series of worthy themes -- faith, family, forgiveness -- to soapy, banal clichés.
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Average Rating: 3.5/5
User Ratings: 15,974
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Movie Info
Close friends become unexpected rivals as they struggle to keep their spiritual home alive in this musical drama from writer and director Rob Hardy. David (Michael J. Pagan) and Frank (Sean Nelson) are two close friends who are members of the same Baptist church in Atlanta. The teenagers have developed a deep and abiding faith in Christ, and both aspire to become ministers some day; David, who has also become a star vocalist with the choir, is thought to have a head start since his father is the
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Cast
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Boris Kodjoe
David -
Clifton Powell
Bishop Taylor -
Idris Elba
Reverend Frank -
Nona Gaye
Charlene Frank -
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Omar Gooding
Wesley -
Michael J. Pagan
Young David -
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Aloma Wright
Ernestine -
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Donnie McClurkin
Minister Hunter -
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Tamyra Gray
Rain -
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Sierra McClain
Youth in Children's Cho... -
China Anne McClain
Alexis -
Lauryn McClain
Youth in Children's Cho... -
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All Critics (44) | Top Critics (15) | Fresh (14) | Rotten (27) | DVD (6)
The soapy, cliche-ridden script aside, the picture is a technical mess of awkward framing and choppy editing that puts a dispiriting damper on all that uplifting music.
When the music isn't pounding in sanctified syncopation, the look and the dialogue of The Gospel are a lot like what you might see and hear on daytime TV.
It's a rich portrait of a church in transition.
I loved the music and I admired its good intentions. But there are just too many sub-professional touches for me to recommend the film.
Voices soar in The Gospel, but the story drags.
So doggedly positive that it amounts to a glossy version of a Sunday-school instructional film.
"The Gospel" is a cliché-filled movie with low production values that says nothing significant about gospel music or its core values.
R&B star comes home to look after ailing family.
While The Gospel's faith-laced dialogue might annoy non-Christians, the plot mostly explores themes of a universal nature. Recommended to members of any faith for the stirring, onscreen performance of Grammy-winner Yolanda Adams.
While The Gospel's faith-laced dialogue might annoy non-Christians, the plot mostly explores themes of a universal nature. Recommended to members of any faith for the stirring, onscreen performance of Grammy-winner Yolanda Adams.
A more-than-fine movie -- the kind that Christians who like to complain about Hollywood should support, and the kind that may appeal to people who aren't interested in church.
Hallelujah for the hymns! They save "The Gospel."
Believers feel that Gospel music has a saving power, and that may be true. It certainly saves this film.
If the Devil doesn't like this movie then he can just sit on a tack.
The gospel performances recommend the movie most highly; otherwise it's not due for much praise.
An appealing and entertaining package that makes up for whatever it lacks in perfectly polished sheen in exuberance and passion for its subject and message.
Really, a musical would have been a much better idea.
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