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Tell Others About This Page By Using This Button "THE GOSPEL" (2005) (Boris Kodjoe, Tamyra Gray) (PG) Alcohol/ Drugs Blood/Gore Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude Frightening/ Tense Scenes Guns/ Weapons Moderate None Heavy Minor None Imitative Behavior Jump Scenes Music (Scary/Tense) Music (Inappropriate) Profanity Mild None None Mild Mild Sex/ Nudity Smoking Tense Family Scenes Topics To Talk About Violence Heavy Minor Heavy Moderate Mild QUICK TAKE: Drama: A popular R&B star is torn between his career and trying to assist his estranged and now ailing father and the church he built. PLOT: Fifteen years ago, two young men planned on entering the ministry, but only one completed that journey. Now, David Taylor (BORIS KODJOE) is a famous R&B star whose manager, Wesley (OMAR GOODING), is always hustling to get him new gigs and deals. But his former friend, Charles Frank (IDRIS ELBA), is now an assistant pastor at New Revelations Church where he works alongside Pastor Hunter (DONNIE McCLURKIN) under David's father, Bishop Fred Taylor (CLIFTON POWELL). David hasn't seen his father since being upset that he wasn't there when David's mother died in the hospital, but news that his father is sick brings him back home. There, he learns that his father is dying of pancreatic cancer and is thinking of having Frank rather than the more veteran Hunter be his replacement. More pressing is the fact that their church is in dire need of repair, but has no money. Frank, whose marriage to David's cousin Charlene (NONA GAYE) is on shaky ground due to her inability to conceive a child, has grandiose plans for the church, but needs $150,000 as a down payment for a new sanctuary. When someone jokingly says that David can put up the money, he offers to throw a benefit concert for the church with the aid of other musicians. As Wesley worries about taking so much time off from the road, David does what he can for his father and his church, all while starting to fall for choir member Rain (TAMYRA GRAY) whose ex-husband Oscar (DWAYNE BOYD) has just moved back to town and wants to get back with her. WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT? If they're fans of someone in the cast or are into gospel music and/or films with religious themes, they might. WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG For thematic elements including suggestive material, and mild language. CAST AS ROLE MODELS: BORIS KODJOE plays a successful and famous R&B star who long ago turned his back on his father and church following his mother's death. Appearing in risqué videos and performances, as well as having casual sex, he returns home upon learning that his father is sick. When he hears his dad is terminally ill, he decides to stick around to help him and his church anyway he can, all while starting to fall for Rain. He drinks while grieving (and drives while holding a bottle). TAMYRA GRAY plays the choir member and divorced mom who starts to fall for Rain but must contend with her ex-husband's unexpected return home. CLIFTON POWELL plays David's terminally ill father who's happy to see his son return home, but is concerned about the welfare of his church and congregation. IDRIS ELBA plays David's childhood friend who ended up becoming an associate pastor at Fred's church. Now pegged to take over, he lets his ego get the better of him, all while having to deal with his strained relationship with his wife over her infertility. NONA GAYE plays his wife and David's cousin who serves as the church's legal counsel but is upset about being unable to bear a child. OMAR GOODING plays David's manager who's always hustling to get him more gigs as well as women for casual sex. DONNIE McCLURKIN plays another associate pastor who isn't happy that Pastor Taylor has chosen Frank to head the church. DWAYNE BOYD plays Rain's ex-husband, a military man who's been transferred back to town and wants to get back together with her. CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit? Then read OUR TAKE of this film. (Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below). OUR WORD TO PARENTS: The following is a brief summary of the content found in this PG-rated drama. Profanity consists of 1 non-explicit, but sexually related slang phrase and a minor expletive, while some colorful phrases are uttered, as is some other sexually related dialogue and song lyrics. Casual sex is implied (we see a man wake up, apparently nude -- but we only see him from the waist up - with a woman who's asleep under the covers) while a pastor wants to have sex with his wife, but her infertility has left her unwilling to participate. Some backup dancers in somewhat revealing attire do some sexy dancing at a concert, while an artsy painting shows some partial female nudity. Various characters have varying degrees of bad attitudes, while tense family material includes the above fertility issue, an estranged son returning to his ill father, and several parental deaths. There's a brief fistfight with some struggling, while some characters smoke and others drink (one appears to be intoxicated and later drives with an open bottle on his lap). If you're still concerned about the film and its appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home who may be interested in seeing it, we suggest that you take a closer look at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content. For those prone to visually induced motion sickness, there's some camera movement in various scenes (along with plenty of jump edits). ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE Miscellaneous people smoke and drink at a concert. Miscellaneous people have drinks. Charlene has some wine. David and Rain have champagne. Miscellaneous people have beer. We see David drinking from the bottle while grieving. He then throws the bottle to a wall while angry. David holds an open bottle of whiskey while driving. BLOOD/GORE None. DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE We see a flashback to young David rushing to the hospital where he sees his ailing mother. We then hear that she's died when his dad finally shows up. Mad that he was late and was gone with church business like always, David tells him father "I hate you" and then turns his back on him and the church where he was planning on serving as a pastor. A man punches David who then punches him back before both are on the floor and struggling until they're separated. Frank questions where David has been and what he's been doing in all of the years since he's been gone (trying to make him look bad in front of others, but not in his presence). It's implied that David has reneged on an agreement with others about his music (and they sue him over that), but we never know the real story. Wesley says that one of the perks of fame is having women on stand-by, adding that it's the "American Idol" dream. Frank lets his ego get the better of him, particularly in regard to how he views his role in the church and how he treats assistant Pastor Hunter and David once the latter's father has died and Frank has taken over control of the church. David nearly gives up on trying to save his church and almost leaves (the bad attitude part), but then changes his mind and sticks around. Charlene suddenly develops a bad attitude toward David, mainly due to news stories about his business legal problems. FRIGHTENING SCENES Fred collapses at a meeting (from his illness). GUNS/WEAPONS None. IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR Phrases: "What up," "Broke his foot off in somebody's hind parts," "Knucklehead," "A cold day in Hell," "Chump," "Dawg," "Shucking and jiving," "Chick," "Damn well," "I never thought Eden would be littered with so many emotional demons" and "My bad." David holds an open bottle of whiskey while driving. JUMP SCENES None. MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE) None. MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE) Some lyrics in a song titled "Let Me Undress You" are sexual in nature (but not explicit), including repeated lines about "I want you." PROFANITY At least 1 slang term for sex ("hitting it"), 1 damn and 1 use of "God." SEX/NUDITY We see David performing his song "Let Me Undress You" in front of a crowd while backed by some women in small/tight attire (with bare midriffs) who do some sexy dancing. Some lyrics in that song are sexual in nature, including repeated lines about "I want you." Wesley shows David that he has two women picked out for David. Later, David is awakened in bed by a phone call and we see that one of the women is in bed with him (asleep). David is shirtless and we then see the motion of him putting on his briefs, but don't see that part of his body. Frank and Charlene start kissing (clothed), but she then says "I can't" and he comments on it being a long time (since they had sex). A young woman is excited about meeting David, saying she'd be surprised and happy to find him in her living room, particularly with his song "Let Me Undress You." Frank tells Charlene that it sure would be nice to have the loving part of their marriage back, with her agreeing. We see an artsy and slightly impressionistic painting on a wall that shows a nude, seated woman from behind her (we see the bare back and the top of the buttocks, but it's far more arty than explicit). Frank crawls up on all fours across the bed to kiss Charlene on her shoulder (covered by a nightgown), but nothing happens and he's dejected. Rain pulls in David to her for one brief but passionate kiss. Wesley walks in with two women on his arms, one of which shows some cleavage. Upon hearing Rain's name, Wesley thinks she's a stripper. He then says to David "You're not hitting it" (having sex) because she's "saving it" for marriage. He then notes that she's already been married, equating that to closing the barn door after the horse is already out. Wesley says that one of the perks of fame is having women on stand-by, adding that it's the "American Idol" dream. Rain shows a little cleavage in her dress while performing. SMOKING Miscellaneous people smoke and drink at a concert. We see Wesley with a cigar in one scene. TENSE FAMILY SCENES We see a flashback to young David rushing to the hospital where he sees his ailing mother. We then hear that she's died when his dad finally shows up. Mad that he was late and was gone with church business like always, David tells him father "I hate you" and then turns his back on him and the church where he was planning on serving as a pastor. Frank and Charlene start kissing (clothed), but she then says "I can't" and he comments on it being a long time (since they had sex). David learns that his dad has terminal prostate cancer. Frank tells Charlene that it sure would be nice to have the loving part of their marriage back, with her agreeing. We hear that Rain is divorced from Oscar and is raising their 5-year-old daughter by herself. Later, she learns that Oscar has been reassigned nearby and will now be back in their lives (and wants to get back with Rain, although she's not sure how she feels about that). Frank crawls up on all fours across the bed to kiss Charlene on her shoulder (covered by a nightgown), but nothing happens and he's dejected. David rushes to see his father in the hospital upon hearing he's been admitted. He then visits with him, where Fred says he's proud of his son right before dying. We then see a somewhat lengthy funeral service (mainly of singing, but also of David grieving afterwards - in a flash-forward montage). Frank and Charlene get into an argument over their inability to have children. During the ending montage, however, we see that they're going to adopt. David visits his father's grave (looking for guidance). TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT People who've lost their faith and those who regain it. Married couples facing fertility issues and the strain that can put on them. People who let their egos get in the way of their goals or that of others. David learns that his dad has terminal prostate cancer. It's implied that David has reneged on an agreement with others about his music (and they sue him over that), but we never know the real story. The comment that churches are now competing against multiple venues for the attention of young people. Frank is concerned about the image David will bring to their church, particularly regarding his more risqué songs and appearances performing them. We hear that Rain is divorced from Oscar and is raising their 5-year-old daughter by herself. Later, she learns that Oscar has been reassigned nearby and will now be back in their lives (and wants to get back with Rain, although she's not sure how she feels about that). Wesley says that one of the perks of fame is having women on stand-by, adding that it's the "American Idol" dream. David nearly gives up on trying to save his father's church and almost leaves, but then changes his mind and sticks around. David holds an open bottle of whiskey while driving. VIOLENCE A man punches David who then punches him back before both are on the floor and struggling until they're separated. We see David drinking from a bottle while grieving. He then throws the bottle to a wall while angry. Reviewed October 5, 2005 / Posted October 7, 2005