The Fighting Temptations Review:

The Fighting Temptations is a winded, plot ridden film, but its terrific singing and music make it more of a average film than a stale one. Darrin (Cuba Gooding, Jr.) is a junior executive with a respectable advertising firm in New York, who has just been promoted and then fired due to lying about his educational background. On top of this, most of Darrin’s things have been repossessed due to over $40,000 in credit card debt. Darrin is a likeable person by his charm, but is a constant liar.

He then receives word from his small hometown in Georgia that his last living relative, Aunt Sally, has passed away. While going home to attend her funeral, Darrin learns that his church-loving aunt has left him the position of choir director for the local Baptist Church. His aunt’s will also states that if he can lead the choir to winning the state Gospel Explosion competition that he will inherit $150,000. Constantly squirming away from creditors, Darrin accepts his role in regards to the money.

His obstacles include recruiting an choir for the little church that has actual talent as well as dealing with Faye (LaTanya Richardson), who is the church treasurer that is furious she was not left in charge of the choir. Looking anywhere for help, Darrin recruits beings not totally liked by the church such as sex-driven teenagers and convicts (one played by Montell Jordan) to help out the choir. He also recruits his childhood sweetheart Lily (Beyonce Knowles), who is an incredible lounge singer that is also looked down on because of her profession. Darrin begins to learn that there are more important things in life than what he has been accustomed to as the choir begins to gel and look towards the competition of the Gospel Explosion.

The great singing in this film, mostly by Beyonce Knowles, who continues to bloom as an actress, is really what saves this film from disaster. The songs are catchy, even if the music is not of your taste. The film really is not that funny, its plot is flimsy and it is pretty lengthy for a comedy clocking in at over two hours. The characters are pretty standard and Cuba Gooding, Jr. has done better work. Overall the film is something worth seeing, but once might just be an enough.

Picture & Audio

The vast atmospheric colors are presented boldly on the disc, with only the deleted scenes needing to be polished up more. The disc can be bought in either wide-screen or full-screen format. The transfer of the film is fine.

The sound of the disc is presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 and it is a treat to listen to the great music of the film through an efficient sound system. The dialogue is clear, but like the overall movie, the songs and music are the highlights, especially Beyonce’s musical numbers.

Extras

Extended Scenes
There are seven extended or deleted scenes on the disc. One shows more of Darrin recruiting Scooter among others for the choir. This sequence is was probably cut because of its length, but it does give more as to his offering of half of his inheritance money to each of them. In the original scenes, these characters just arrive to the church and are a part of the choir. Other extended scenes have Mike Epps continuing on his theory of booty as well as more of Cuba Gooding, Jr. break-dancing as Darrin. It is quick to note that though some of these scenes give more depth to the film, however, it is understood why they were cut.

Extended Music Numbers
As one of the special features, there are 8 extended musical numbers that were probably snipped due to the film’s running time. As with most of the film, the music is wonderful and the extensions of songs are pleasing. The eight extended numbers include more singing from Beyonce, Faith Evans, The O’Jays, Montell Jordan, The Blind Boys of Alabama and more.

Trailers
• Theatrical Trailer of The Fighting Temptations
• Against the Ropes
• Timeline
• School of Rock
• Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star

Overall

The Fighting Temptations is a lengthy comedy that could have been a lot longer if all the extended cuts on the disc were included. The film has enjoyable musical numbers throughout, even though its script and plot are pretty shallow. The features that are on the DVD are fun, with longer moments given to the characters’ development and the songs. However, it is understood why these were cut for the running time. There is no commentary on the disc, which might have been nice to hear Beyonce Knowles or Montell Jordan comment some on the highlighted music of the film. There are also no interviews. I believe that this film has a built in audience that will go out and purchase the DVD, but others with interest will just rent it.

The Film: C
Video Quality: B
Audio Quality : B+
Extra Features: C+

DVD as a whole: C

Joseph C. Tucker

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