The Gospel | Rotten Tomatoes

The Gospel

PG

Released Oct 7, 2005

1 hr. 43 min.

Drama

List

32%

37 Reviews

Tomatometer

75%

10,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

While he was once on the way to becoming a minister, David Taylor (Boris Kodjoe) instead chose to become a popular music star, and the hedonism that followed turned his father against him. But despite the gulf between them, David comes home when he finds out that his father is sick. At the church David once stood to inherit, he finds that the Rev. Charles (Idris Elba), who has been groomed to shepherd the congregation after his father's retirement, has ideas that could ruin everything.

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Critics Consensus

While it features outstanding musical numbers, The Gospel reduces a series of worthy themes -- faith, family, forgiveness -- to soapy, banal clichés.

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Audience Member

All ages admitted; containing funny moments!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/28/23

Full Review

Audience Member

The Gospel is a gorgeous film, one the whole family will enjoy.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/14/23

Full Review

william s

The movies quite bad but the music is very good.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

it was pretty good for a christian wibe, near to tyler perry's laughs but still yet so far

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/27/23

Full Review

Audience Member

I love this movie, it is very INSPIRATIONAL. It will touch your heart. A FOOT-STOMPING, HAND-CLAPPING GOOD TIME.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/21/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Faith-based films are difficult. Rarely are they as well made as 'The Mission' or 'The Passion', but they can pack an emotional punch despite their smaller budgets (see also, 'Fireproof' and 'Facing the Giants'). This film tries to do too much. It takes the prodigal son approach to the story, but tries to tie in too many subplots that the audience just gets lost in the mess. Then it tries to cram a bunch of gospel numbers in, but never gives an emotional payoff. Sure, it's really nice to see the likes of Yolanda Adams and Martha Munizzi on screen with actors like Boris Kodjoe (Resident Evil: Afterlife) and Idris Elba (Prometheus), but their presence doesn't have a solid grounding. It's almost as if the producers said, "Let's throw together a generic movie, but have a few well-known gospel singers in the mix." That's essentially what the movie boils down to. There are some good messages about forgiveness and ministry thrown in there for good measure, but it never amounts to anything truly substantive.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

02/18/23

Full Review

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Rob Hardy

Director

Boris Kodjoe

David Taylor

Idris Elba

Reverend Charles Frank

Clifton Powell

Bishop Fred Taylor

Aloma Wright

Ernestine

Donnie McClurkin

Minister Hunter

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Marrit Ingman

Austin Chronicle

The gospel performances recommend the movie most highly; otherwise it's not due for much praise.

Rated: 2/5

Oct 22, 2005

Full Review

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.

Rated: C

Oct 15, 2005

Full Review

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.

Oct 15, 2005

Full Review

Cole Smithey

ColeSmithey.com

"The Gospel" is a clich-filled movie with low production values that says nothing significant about gospel music or its core values.

Rated: D

Apr 19, 2009

Full Review

Joe Lozito

Big Picture Big Sound

Rated: 2/4

Jul 14, 2007

Full Review

Kam Williams

Princeton Town Topics

While The Gospel's faith-laced dialogue might annoy non-Christians, the plot mostly explores themes of a universal nature. Recommended to members of any faith for the stirring, onscreen performance of Grammy-winner Yolanda Adams.

Rated: 3.5/4

May 25, 2007

Full Review

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Synopsis

While he was once on the way to becoming a minister, David Taylor (Boris Kodjoe) instead chose to become a popular music star, and the hedonism that followed turned his father against him. But despite the gulf between them, David comes home when he finds out that his father is sick. At the church David once stood to inherit, he finds that the Rev. Charles (Idris Elba), who has been groomed to shepherd the congregation after his father's retirement, has ideas that could ruin everything.

Director: Rob Hardy
Executive Producer: Holly Davis Carter, Fred Hammond
Screenwriter: Rob Hardy
Distributor: Sony Pictures Entertainment
Production Co: Rainforest Productions
Rating: PG (Thematic Elements|Suggestive Material)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 7, 2005, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 16, 2012
Box Office (Gross USA): $15.8M
Sound Mix: Surround

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