Father and child sit together smiling while looking at a smart phone.

Want more recommendations for your family?

Sign up for our weekly newsletter for entertainment inspiration

Parents' Guide to

Joyful Noise

By S. Jhoanna Robledo, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 12+

Uplifting but cliched film has great songs, bland story.

Movie PG-13 2012 118 minutes
Joyful Noise Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

See all
age 13+

Based on 18 parent reviews

America's Angel
America's Angel Adult
March 8, 2021
age 12+

You can't go wrong with God, comedy & sass!

This movie has a wonderful story line with plenty of God's love and teachings while also having plenty of funny moments throughout. There is 2 mild makeout scenes and a scene where sex is implied to have happened but not in a way that is inappropriate. All in all it is the type of movie full of love, togetherness, and God that we need A LOT MORE OF and leaves you feeling much better in your heart and soul after having watched it. There are also many things in this movie that many people would do well to remember in this day and time such as how we need to all come together as one and love each other the way God loves us!
dvdgirl
dvdgirl Adult
September 2, 2020
age 12+

Not bad

It’s a good movie

This title has:

Great messages
See all 18 parent reviews

What's the Story?

The Pascashau Divinity Church Choir is on the way to the regional sing-off championship, but there's dissension in the ranks. Newly appointed director Vi Rose (Queen Latifah) insists on sticking to the tried-and-true spirituals, but rival G.G. (Dolly Parton) wants to add some more modern sounds. The conflict gets even more heated when G.G.'s grandson, Randy (Jeremy Jordan), comes to visit and is immediately smitten with Vi Rose's teenage daughter, Olivia (Keke Palmer). Will they work out their differences before the big competition, or will their messy conflicts undermine the choir's performance?

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (18 ):
Kids say (16 ):

If JOYFUL NOISE had just been a concert film -- rather than a hybrid struggling for cohesion -- it would have been a great movie. It's feel-good, and the uplifting song-and-dance numbers are great. But the movie falls flat with messy storytelling and edits, lack of focus, and a case of too-many-plotlines-spoil-the-broth-itis. It clearly means well, but it's predictable and cliched.

Which is a shame, because the cast has so much potential. Queen Latifah completely sells her role as a single mom who can express everything she feels with a nod and a shrug, and Parton is (as always) fun to watch as a folksy spitfire who loves to speak her mind. Newcomer Jordon also stands out, with a strong singing voice and a natural way with the camera. Too bad the script doesn't give any of them enough to work with.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about Joyful Noise's messages. What do you think filmmakers want audiences to take away? How can you tell?

  • Are the characters (particularly the teens) believable? Do you think their decisions are relatable?

  • Talk about the relationship between Olivia and her mother. Why are they fighting? Is it possible they're both right?

Movie Details

Inclusion information powered by

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

See all recommended movie lists

Related Topics

Want suggestions based on your streaming services? Get personalized recommendations

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate