The Gospel (2005)
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32% of critics liked it
(37 reviews) -
75% of users liked it
(15,974 ratings)
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… More 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 congregation's pastor, Bishop Taylor (Clifton Powell). However, David's faith is shaken when his mother dies while giving birth to another child, and when Bishop Taylor fails to arrive at the hospital in time, David runs away from home, turning his back on his father and his church. Fifteen years later, aging Bishop Taylor has announced he's retiring, and Frank (Idris Elba), now a reverend, seems poised to take his place. However, the church is in dire financial shape, and no one is sure how long Rev. Frank's flock will have a church to call home. Meanwhile, David (Boris Kodjoe) has used his musical talents to become a top-selling R&B singer, and his latest hit record, "Let Me Undress You," suggests he's given up on the faith of his youth. But David has been undergoing a spiritual crisis, and when he learns his father is ailing and the church is in dire shape, he returns to Atlanta in hopes of finding himself and keeping the church afloat. Not everyone regards this as good news, though; Rev. Frank, who sees his position in the church as a stepping stone to bigger things in the gospel music business and establishing a high-profile ministry, is not eager to share the spotlight with David, especially when the prodigal star begins organizing a large-scale fundraiser for the church. The Gospel features musical contributions from a number of leading gospel artists, including Kirk Franklin, Fred Hammond, and Yolanda Adams. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Directed By
- Rob Hardy
- Written By
- Rob Hardy, William Packer
- Genres
- Drama, Faith & Spirituality
PG,
- In Theaters
- Oct 7, 2005 Wide
- Studio
- Screen Gems
Critic Reviews
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Michael Rechtshaffen, Hollywood Reporter
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.
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Bob Townsend, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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.
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Scott Brown, Entertainment Weekly
It's a rich portrait of a church in transition.
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Richard Roeper, Ebert & Roeper
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.
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Lisa Rose, Newark Star-Ledger
Voices soar in The Gospel, but the story drags.
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Cast
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Boris Kodjoe
as David
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Clifton Powell
as Bishop Taylor
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Idris Elba
as Reverend Frank
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Nona Gaye
as Charlene Frank
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Keshia Knight Pulliam
as Maya
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Omar Gooding
as Wesley
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Michael J. Pagan
as Young David
- Sean Nelson
- Dwayne Boyd
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Aloma Wright
as Ernestine
- Fred Hammond
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Donnie McClurkin
as Minister Hunter
- Pastor Hezekiah Walker
- Yolanda Adams
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Tamyra Gray
as Rain
- Delores Winans
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Sierra McClain
as Youth in Children's Choir
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China Anne McClain
as Alexis
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Lauryn McClain
as Youth in Children's Choir
- Nona M. Gaye
