The Fighting Temptations

The Fighting Temptations is a 2003 American musical comedy film directed by Jonathan Lynn, written by Elizabeth Hunter and Saladin K. Patterson, and distributed by Paramount Pictures and MTV Films. The main plot revolves around Darrin Hill (Cuba Gooding Jr.) who travels to his hometown of Monte Carlo, Georgia as he attempts to revive a church choir in order to enter a gospel competition with the help of a beautiful lounge singer and childhood friend, Lilly (Beyoncé Knowles), with whom he falls in love. Through the choir's music, Darrin brings the church community back together all the while seeking a relationship with Lilly.
The film is notable for its soundtrack and ensemble cast. The film received mixed reviews upon release.
==Plot==
In 1980, young Darrin Hill and his mother, MaryAnn, are run out of their hometown of Monte Carlo, Georgia, after MaryAnn is soon discovered to be singing secular R&B music while also singing in their church's choir. After being confronted about this by the self-righteous and domineering Paulina Pritchett, MaryAnn is forced to choose between singing professionally or remaining in the choir. MaryAnn chooses the former, and she and Darrin are last seen on a bus saying goodbye to their beloved Aunt Sally, as they sadly wave to each other.
In 2003, Darrin has grown up to become a successful advertising executive in New York City with a bad habit of lying; MaryAnn is later revealed to have died in a hit-and-run accident when he was a teenager. His secretary and only loving, true friend, Rosa Lopez, does a good job at keeping his credit problems under control. However, Darrin has achieved so much under false pretenses, having faked his college degree and high school diploma and lied about being the son of a congressman. Eventually, his lies soon catch up with him and get him in trouble with his paranoid boss, resulting in Darrin‘s termination. After being tracked down by a private investigator, Darrin finds out that Aunt Sally has died.
Darrin returns to Monte Carlo and upon arrival, finds new friendships in Paulina’s grandson Jimmy B. and Lucious, the town's happy-go-lucky, womanizing cab driver. After Aunt Sally's funeral, Darrin learns from Reverend Paul Lewis, the church's pastor and Paulina's brother, that Aunt Sally had stated in her will that he must direct the church choir and enter the annual "Gospel Explosion" competition and win the prize money of $10,000 and in doing so, will inherit Aunt Sally's stock in the company that produces the show which is currently worth $150,000. This, however, does not sit well with Paulina, as she had originally been next in line after Sally to become choir director.
Upon taking charge of the once-powerful choir, Darrin discovers that it has fallen into decline over the years, with only a handful of members remaining. After several setbacks, Darrin eventually recruits many new members, most of which he does so by promising half of the competition's prize money to them (though he has no intention of actually paying anyone). He also reconnects with his childhood friend and crush Lilly, who has faced ostracization from the townspeople similar to MaryAnn's, due to her being an R&B nightclub singer, and having a son, Dean, out of wedlock. Lilly at first refuses to join the choir as she is both put off by Darrin's romantic advances and because she doesn't want to deal with the townpeople's criticism of her, but with some assurance from Darrin, she ultimately relents and becomes the choir's new lead singer, causing Paulina to quit in retaliation.
Several weeks later, Paulina reveals that Darrin failed to enter the choir into the auditions on time. Luckily, the audition judge, Luther Washington, who is also the town's prison warden, lets them perform in a show for his prisoners when their booked act cancels. Thanks to Lilly's beautiful looks and voice, the choir performs well and Washington lets them into the competition. Washington also lets Darrin borrow three convicts, Bee-Z Briggs, Lightfoot, and Mr. Johnson, who can sing and rap.
After weeks of success, the choir has become more popular, as more people have joined both it and the church. Lilly starts to trust Darrin and develops romantic feelings for him as well. However, Paulina takes a message for Darrin in a phone call from Rosa and learns of his past troubles. The next afternoon at a church barbecue, Paulina deliberately reveals Darrin's secrets with a polite demeanor in order to make herself look innocent. Lilly, furious that Darrin had been using her all along, coldly tells him that she doesn't care what he does, and the choir members whom Darrin promised money to begin to panic and become angry at him for his lies. Darrin, however, rebukes them for their hypocrisy of joining the choir just to get paid, as well as the rest of the churchgoers for running him and his mother out of town all those years ago simply over her decision to pursue her singing dreams.
Since Lilly wants nothing to do with him now, Darrin quits and returns to New York, where he has been offered his job back with a promotion. However, shortly after Darrin gets the promotion and a new condo, he comes to realize that none of these things mean anything without Lilly and the choir. Darrin quits his job and returns to Monte Carlo to reconcile with Lilly instead. Afterwards, the two recruit Lucious and the Reverend, and they all rush down to the Gospel Explosion to join the choir for the performance.
When Darrin and Lilly arrive, Paulina, having taken over as director, tries to keep them out, citing that Darrin forfeited his inheritance when he left Monte Carlo. However, Reverend Lewis finally stands up to Paulina and calls her out for being a selfish, conniving, hypocritical individual. He then reveals to the choir that her husband, whom she previously had claimed was deceased, is alive and remarried to a better woman. Lilly scolds Paulina for insulting Sally's will and wishes, which gave Darrin the choir. They manage to convince the others to vote Paulina out of the choir, giving Darrin his position as director back.
Before their performance begins, Darrin tells Lilly that she inspired him to name the choir The Fighting Temptations. After giving an outstanding performance, the choir wins the competition, but before ending his acceptance speech, Darrin starts a proper relationship with Lilly by surprising her with an unexpected marriage proposal, which she accepts. Eighteen months later, the two are shown to be happily married with a baby of their own. In addition, the church is about to undergo an expansion, and Paulina has returned to the choir after seemingly reforming her ways.
==Cast==
*Cuba Gooding Jr. as Darrin Hill
*Nigel Washington as young Darrin Hill
*Beyoncé Knowles as Lilly
*Chloe Bailey as young Lilly
*Mike Epps as Lucious
*LaTanya Richardson as Paulina Lewis-Pritchett
*Eddie LeVert Sr. as Joseph
*Melba Moore as Bessie Cooley
*Wendell Pierce as Reverend Paul Lewis
*Lou Myers as Homer T.
*Rue McClanahan as Nancy Stringer
*Angie Stone as Alma
*Mitchah Williams as Jimmy B.
*Walter Williams Sr. as Frank
*Rosalie Washington as Faye Jenkins
*Mickey Jones as Scooter
*James E. Gaines as Lilly's Grandfather
*Dave Sheridan as Bill the Mechanic
*Eric Nolan Grant as Samuel
*Zane Copeland Jr. as Derek
*Montell Jordan as Mr. Johnson (Convict #1)
*Darrell Vanterpool as Dean
*T-Bone as Bee-Z Biggs (Convict #2)
*Chris Cole as Lightfoot (Convict #3)
*Mae Middleton as Tasha
*Faith Evans as MaryAnn Hill
*Steve Harvey as Miles Smoke (Local Radio DJ)
*Ann Nesby as Sally Walker
*Dakin Matthews as Mr. Fairchild
*Lourdes Benedicto as Rosa Lopez
*Faizon Love as Luther Washington (Prison Warden)
*Wilbur Fitzgerald as L&G Representative
===Cameos===
*Reverend Shirley Caesar as Herself
*The Blind Boys of Alabama as Themselves
*Mary Mary as Themselves
*Ramiyah as Themselves
*Donnie McClurkin as Judge of Gospel Explosion (Himself)
*Yolanda Adams as Judge of Gospel Explosion (Herself)
*Daphne Duplaix as Tiffany, Darrin's girlfriend
==Production==
The film crew used several locations throughout Georgia. The final scene was filmed in Columbus, GA at the RiverCenter for the Performing Arts. Several of the extras were local residents of Columbus, GA.
==Reception==
The music of the film received critical acclaim, most notably, Beyoncé's cover of "Fever".
However, the film itself received generally mixed reviews upon its release. The film was criticized for its screenplay, rehashed premise and lack of chemistry between actors Gooding and Knowles. The film, nevertheless, opened at #2. Notably, Ebert & Roeper reviewed the film and Roger Ebert gave it thumbs up. It holds a 42% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 111 reviews, with an average rating of 5.32/10. The site's critical consensus states, "The music is the only saving grace in this predictable and eager-to-please comedy."
The movie grossed only US$32,445,215 worldwide and thus failed to turn a profit thus canceling any plans for a second installment to go into production (though the primary actors had signed on for one).
==Soundtrack==
A soundtrack accompanied the film and was released by Music World/ Columbia on Sony Music on September 9, 2003. The soundtrack received generally positive reviews and proved to be more successful than the film itself. Only one song from the album, "Summertime", is not included in the movie. The song "Come Back Home" appears in the film, but was not included on the soundtrack album. It also noted that several other songs performed during the movie including "Church Is in Mourning (Aunt Sally's Funeral Tribute)" by Shirley Caesar, "Won't Ever Change" by Mary Mary, "Waiting" by Ramiyah, and "Soldier" by The Blind Boys of Alabama, were also not included on the soundtrack.Mathew Knowles, Executive Producer.
#"Fighting Temptation" — Beyoncé, Missy Elliott, MC Lyte and Free [3:51]
#"I Know" — Destiny's Child [3:43]
#"Rain Down" — Eddie Levert and Angie Stone [3:27]
#"To Da River" — T-Bone, Lil Zane, and Montell Jordan [4:13]
#"I'm Getting Ready" — Ann Nesby [3:15]
#"The Stone" — Shirley Caesar and Ann Nesby [1:53]
#"Heaven Knows" — Faith Evans [5:43]
#"Fever" — Beyoncé [4:32]
#"Everything I Do" — Beyoncé and Bilal [4:22]
#"Loves Me Like A Rock" — The O'Jays [2:26]
#"Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" — Beyoncé [2:05]
#"He Still Loves Me" — Walter Williams Sr. and Beyoncé [4:22]
#"Time To Come Home" — Beyoncé, Melba Moore, and Angie Stone [3:52]
#"Don't Fight The Feeling" — Solange and Papa Reu [3:07]
#"Summertime" — Beyoncé (feat. P. Diddy) [3:54]
Total Length: 54:45
==Cancelled sequel==
In a 2003 interview with the late Mickey Jones (who had a supporting role in the film), for now defunct HollywoodJesus.com, he stated that he hoped the film performed well because all of the principal actors had signed on for a sequel.
==Awards and nominations==
Ceremony 	Recipient 	Category 	Result
BET Comedy Awards 	Beyoncé Knowles 	Outstanding Actress in a Box-Office Movie 	Nominated
BET Comedy Awards 	Mike Epps 	Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Box-Office Movie	Nominated
Black Reel Awards 	Cuba Gooding Jr. 	Best Actor 	Nominated
Black Reel Awards 	Beyoncé Knowles 	Best Actress 	Nominated
Black Reel Awards 	Elizabeth Hunter
Saladin K. Patterson	Best Screenplay Original or Adapted 	Nominated
Black Reel Awards 	 	Best Film 	Nominated
Black Reel Awards 	 	Best Film Soundtrack 	Won
Black Reel Awards 	"He Still Loves Me"	Best Film Song 	Won
Golden Raspberry Awards	Cuba Gooding Jr. 	Worst Actor 	Nominated
Image Awards 	 	Outstanding Motion Picture 	Won
Image Awards 	Beyoncé Knowles 	Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture 	Nominated
Category:2000s musical comedy films
Category:2003 romantic comedy films
Category:2000s romantic musical films
Category:African-American musical comedy films
Category:African-American romantic comedy films
Category:American romantic musical films
Category:Films directed by Jonathan Lynn
Category:Films set in Georgia (U.S. state)
Category:Films set in New York City
Category:Films shot in Atlanta
Category:Films shot in New York City
Category:Gospel music media
Category:MTV Films films
Category:Paramount Pictures films
Category:Religious comedy films
Category:2000s English-language films
Category:2000s American films
Category:Films on VHS
Category:Films on DVD
Category:2:35:1 Aspect Ratio Films
Category:2:39:1 Aspect Ratio Films