 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
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 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
The Fighting Temptations
- Review Date: February 1, 2004
- PG-13
- Genre: Comedy
- 2003
Common Sense Media says
Great music, mediocre plot and acting.
Parents say
Kids say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that one character is an unwed mother who's shunned by the church. There are some sexual references, including a man who brags about his conquests and asks children if they know he's their daddy and a crude reference to Mary Magdalene. One of the church leaders is exposed as a hypocrite who lied about her husband leaving her. Darren smokes expensive cigars and several characters drink, one to excess in a manner that's intended to be humorous.
What's the story?
In THE FIGHTING TEMPTATIONS, Cuba Gooding Jr. plays Darren, who returns to his small Southern hometown for the first time in many years after his aunt's death. She leaves him $150,000, provided that he can get her beloved church choir to win a competition. Darren has spent his life staying far away from the place where his mother was thrown out of the church for singing music that wasn't considered appropriate. Although he is still bitter and angry, he is also insecure, so he fabricates a background he thinks makes him more acceptable. He is so eager to be successful that he proposes an ad campaign that exploits small-town blacks in order to sell more malt liquor. But his lies are exposed and he is fired. He owes a great deal of money. That $150,000 is one temptation he cannot resist, especially when he sees a singer named Lilly (Beyonce Knowles) who could not just win the competition but make some of his other dreams come true as well.
Is it any good?
You may or may not believe that gospel music saves the soul of an out of work advertising executive, but you just might believe that it saves this movie, and that might be enough to make you say "Amen." There is nothing particularly fresh or distinctive about what happens next.
Beyonce Knowles cannot act, but she has a nice presence and a beautiful smile. Cuba Gooding, Jr. can act, but based on the evidence of this movie and several before it, he is choosing not to for the time being. There is some very broad attempted humor, as when they have to bring in a high-voiced convict in chains to sing in the choir. But that music is just plain glorious, especially when Knowles, the O Jays, Melba Moore, Faith Evans, and real-life gospel star Shirley Caesar raise up their voices.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about whether the church should have refused to include Darren's mother and Lilly.
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AGE
THE FIGHTING TEMPTATIONS
THE FIGHTING TEMPTATIONS as a movie is......Awful. I did not like Cuba. Or the chessy script. But....a ray of hope there still may be.....The singing......is MAGNIFICENT with a double underline. Beyonce shines and is mostly the best actor and Mike Epps and crew give a mostly funny performance but Cuba Gooding Jr. Cuba Gooding Jr. Cuba Gooding Jr., my he is just getting farther and farther away from his JERRY MAGUIRE Oscar win. Parent Section:
Sexual Content is at a minimal except for some sultry performances by Beyonce yet with taste.
Violence is not present.
Drugs/Alcohol consists of Cuba smoking cigars and such. Beers, wine is drank.
Language-- a somewhat sexual remark about a women's buttocks.
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AGE
Ilove to sing so this movie was awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Some movies with this kinda of plot could be really cheesy! But I thought every actor was just exactly in the right role. Cuba and beyonce together was ..........it was just like peanut butter and chocolate. For me spiritually it was pretty powerful. And for kid well im 11 i think 10 and up could enjoy it. the sexual content was not very bad it was never really in your face it was very un-often. PLEASE BELIEVE ME IT WAS AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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| Studio: | Paramount Pictures |
| Director: | Jonathan Lynn |
| Cast: | Beyonce Knowles, Cuba Gooding Jr., Faith Evans |
| Genre: | Comedy |
| Run time: | 123 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | September 19, 2003 |
| DVD release date: | February 3, 2004 |
| MPAA rating: | PG-13 |
| MPAA explanation: | some sexual references |
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