Last week, May 4, 2010 Preacher’s Kid[Warner Bros] made its DVD release debut. Starring Destiny’s Child LeToya Lucket, Sharif Atkins[White Collar and The Good Wife], Recording Artist Tank Babbs, Gregalan Williams[Baywatch], and Gospel Recording Artist Kiki Sheard to name a few.
Here’s the plot:
Angie King[Luckett] is a sheltered twenty-something bishop’s daughter, who wants to see more of the world than her Georgian home. Her father uses family guilt and biblical scripture to keep tight reigns on his daughter. Even when the musical director[Atkins] asks for the Bishop’s permission to date Miss King, the Bishop claims his daughter has too many godly duties to perform. So of course, when Angie deceptively ditches home for a chance to see a gospel play all Hell breaks loose. She meets R & B heartthrob Tank, who sniffs out her naivety faster than you can say Prodigal Daughter. And there you have it.
My review: 2.5 Hallelujah Handclaps
Plot: The Prodigal Son Remake was just as trite as The Gospel. Lord of the Ring’s Return of the King is still remains the paramount of Prodigal Son stories. What this story fails to like so many before it is instead of creating an interesting and compelling character arc that parallels with the Prodigal Son parable they continue to Red Robin Hood the story. They forget that even a child can tell that even if the wolf puts on Granny’s nightgown and glasses we still see him. The parable should never overshadow the plot, else we will continue to have poor storytelling in movie scripts like these.
Cast: The cast saved this movie. However, I must say that Tank’s character was too one dimensional and overly done. We’re about done with the handsome Ike Turners. It wasn’t Tank’s fault. He did the best he could do with that script. Also I’m just curious is Clifton Powell the hardest working man in Hollywood and DVDland? Someone give this man a lifetime achievement award for being an equal opportunity thespian. Goodness. Another sore spot: Kiki Sheard playing a coy singer in the beginning…Really?
Script Dialogue: If the plot’s weak, then so is the dialogue. Sharif and Essence Atkins[no relation] had the best lines. Sidekicks should never outshine the main characters. Tank’s dialogue was stilted. Powell’s dialogue was uncharacteristic. I heard two cities tossed around in the movie(Augusta and Atlanta) which city is the story set in? Knowing that would definitely make a difference in understanding Angie’s naivety.
Music: Since this movie is set between a church and a gospel play, it’s understood their will be great music. Wrong. Miner misplaced song choices in spots(ie. Jennifer Hudson’s song.) The bright spot was the duet in New York. There were places where a Tank or Luckett song would definitely befitted the scene.
Biggest Challenge: The treatment of Domestic Violence. Although DV is whispered in most African-American churches, it was never brought to the spotlight during Angie’s reversal. Instead it was glossed over like a lover’s quarrell and a climactic battle between 2 beaus. Low point.
Overall this movie will be enjoyed by those who hope to see a behind the scenes glimpse of a Tyler Perry or David Talbert play. It is not romantic, sweeping, barely coming of age, comedy, family drama…it is a hodge podge of all, yet not mixing well.
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