List Price: $14.94You Pay Only: $13.49 You Save: $1.45 (10%)Prices subject to change.
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Audience Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Binding: DVD
Brand: Sony
EAN: 0043396127579
Format: Color, Dolby, DVD-Video, Special Edition, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
Label: Sony Pictures
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
Number Of Items: 1
Publisher: Sony Pictures
Region Code: 99
Release Date: January 03, 2006
Running Time: 111 minutes
Sales Rank: 14723
Studio: Sony Pictures
Theatrical Release Date: October 07, 2005
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Editorial Review:
Product Description:
A young singer turns his back on god & his fathers church. He returns years later to find the once powerful congregation in disarray. With his childhood nemesis creating a new vision for the church he is forced to deal with issues that send him on a collision course with redemption or destruction. Studio: Sony Pictures Home Ent Release Date: 03/27/2007 Starring: Boris Kodjoe Nona Gaye Run time: 103 minutes Rating: Pg
Amazon.com:
The Gospel is by no means a great movie, but it has enough heart, simple decency, and fine music to make it appropriate viewing for families of all kinds. Director-screenwriter Rob Hardy's story revolves around David Taylor (played in his adult years by Boris Kodjoe), a devout youngster who, disillusioned by the death of his mother and mistrust of his pastor father (Clifton Powell), leaves the fold and goes on to become a hip-hop star. But when Bishop Taylor falls ill and David returns home to find his church in dire financial straits and about to be taken over by the Reverend Charles Frank (Idris Elba), once David's best friend but now a self-promoting, money-obsessed hypocrite, well, let's just say that one needn't be an oracle to predict how things will turn out. So the dialogue is hackneyed and the story short on nuance (the title of David's big hit, 'Let Me Undress You,' is typical of the general lack of subtlety). What this modest film has going for it is a refreshing dearth of cynicism and pretension, not to mention a total absence of profanity, violence, and graphic sex. And in shedding light on an African-American church's place in its community, a role that is not just spiritual by financial, social, and more, The Gospel also gives us some wonderfully infectious contemporary gospel music, performed by singers like Yolanda Adams and American Idol finalist Tamyra Gray. In fact, the music might even inspire some viewers to check out the music of some of the genre's real-life giants, like the great Rev. James Cleveland. And that is high praise indeed. --Sam Graham
Customer Reviews
Average Rating: 
Rating:  - The Gospel
This was a well done film and the music as well as the story is on the mark. I think that this is a good family film and has a wonderful message. I don't think you will make a mistake by getting this film.
Rating:  - The music makes it worthwhile
The movie itself is a fairly bland, formulaic thing: a modern telling of The Prodigal Son, the tale centers on Bishop Taylor's (Clifton Powell) son, David (Boris Kodjoe), returning home and re-winning favor. Meanwhile, the Bishop's close-like-a-son right-hand man, Reverend Charles Frank (Idris Elba), stews over these developments. [In the interim, David was out putting together an Usher-styled R&B career, shepherded by a manager played by Omar Gooding.]
The acting is very uneven - there are some novices. A pro like Elba (who's earned major chops in The Wire - The Complete First Season and Sometimes in April)) simply blows the doors off the others whenever he's on screen. Plus, Kodjoe is clearly lip-synching. Here's there simply because he looks great doing it. Behind the scenes, credit goes to Atlanta-area singer Greg Kirkland (he's in the credits).
The music is worth three stars alone. The DVD extra of Yolanda Adams' full take at 'Victory' is worth the price of rental. She and her background chorus, as well the choreography, are outstanding.
Rating:  - Not Overly Dramatized
The Gospel. Many have reviewed it as a let down. That it was hyped up to be more than it was. I'll admit, to a certain degree, I'd have to agree. But the thing that stood out to me above all, was that it was real...
There was no pretention, over-dramatization, or uneccesary actions just to make it more "marketable". What it showed was real people dealing with real issues in a real way. It showed different choices and the consequences of those choices. It showed reconciliation as well. It showed that no matter what you've been through - God will always be there to help you back to him - and may use unusual ways with which to do it.
If you're looking for a showstopping, bonanza of entertainment, this may not be it, but if you're looking for intriquing story and a peek at real-life ministry and issues, then this is a definate must-see!
Rating: - So how often do we get a decent Christain film?
I'm not sure where the 1-3 star crowd is coming from on this one. Nit-picking this film is missing the point. In an age where Hollywood is cranking out banal trash by the truckload and torture-porn flicks are released on Christmas, this was a refreshing and uplifting change of pace. Yes, it wasn't big-budget. Yes, it wasn't A-list actors. Yes, it was a prodigal son story....SO WHAT??!! At least it was a story, about real (flawed) people struggling through life making choices (not alwasy good ones)and trying to walk their faith. No one is a villan and no one is a hero....it was as much a slice of contemporary life as you will ever get in a movie. And yes, it was a good film deviod of vapid garbage and filthy language....the whole family can watch it and learn something from it about being human and doing what is right instead of what is easy or glamorous. So set aside your big budget expectations and ENJOY!
Rating: - get it for the music
The story was not all to my liking, but I found the characters likable, so I cared about what happened. But I bought the movie for the music. If you like good gospel or worship music, see this movie. The story was not satisfying, but the music was the real story.
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