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The Fighting Temptations

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The Fighting Temptations
Theatrical release poster
Directed byJonathan Lynn
Written byElizabeth Hunter
Saladin K. Patterson
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyAffonso Beato
Edited byPaul Hirsch
Music byJimmy Jam
Terry Lewis
James Wright
Production
companies
MTV Films
Handprint Films
Distributed byParamount Pictures
Release date
  • September 19, 2003 (2003-09-19)
Running time
123 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$30 million
Box office$32.7 million

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. Cuba Gooding Jr. plays a man who returns to his hometown in a Georgia and attempts to revive a church choir in order to enter a gospel competition, with the help of his childhood friend, played by Beyoncé Knowles.

The film is notable for its soundtrack and ensemble cast. The film received mixed reviews upon release.

Plot

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In 1980, a young Darrin Hill and his mother, Mary Ann, are run out of Monte Carlo, Georgia, after Mary Ann was found to be singing secular R&B music even as she is in the local church choir. After being confronted by the self-righteous and domineering Paulina Pritchett, Mary Ann is forced to choose between singing professionally or remaining in the choir. Choosing the former, she and Darrin leave on a bus, sadly waving goodbye to their beloved Aunt Sally.

In 2003, Darrin is a successful advertising executive in New York City with a bad habit of lying; Mary Ann was killed in a hit-and-run accident when he was a teenager. His secretary and only loving, true friend, Rosa Lopez, controls his credit problems. However, Darrin has achieved so much under false pretenses, having faked his high school and college diplomas, and lied about being the son of a congressman. Eventually, his lies get him in trouble with his paranoid boss, resulting in Darrin‘s termination. After being tracked down by a private investigator, Darrin learns that Aunt Sally has died.

Darrin returns to Monte Carlo and finds new friends 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 pastor and Paulina's brother, that Aunt Sally’s will says he must direct the church choir and enter the annual "Gospel Explosion" competition to win $10,000, and in doing so, inherit Aunt Sally's stock in the company that produces the show worth $150,000. This does not sit well with Paulina, as she had been next in line.

Upon taking charge of the once-powerful choir, Darrin finds only a few members remain. After several setbacks, Darrin eventually recruits many new members, mostly by promising them half the prize money to them (though he has no intention of doing so). He also reconnects with his childhood friend and crush Lilly, who was also ostracized for being a nightclub singer, and having a son out of wedlock, Dean. Lilly initially refuses to join the choir, but with some assurance from Darrin, she ultimately becomes the new lead singer, with Paulina quitting in retaliation.

Several weeks later, Paulina reveals Darrin had not entered the choir into the auditions on time. Luckily, the audition judge, Luther Washington, who is also the town's prison warden, lets them perform for his prisoners when another act cancels. Thanks to Lilly's beautiful looks and voice, the choir performs well. Washington lets them into the competition and lets Darrin borrow three convicts: Bee-Z Briggs, Lightfoot, and Mr. Johnson, who can sing and rap.

After weeks of success, the choir and church have become more popular. Lilly starts to trust Darrin and returns his romantic feelings. However, Paulina takes a message for Darrin in a phone call from Rosa, and learns of his past. The next afternoon, Paulina deliberately exposes Darrin to make herself look innocent. Lilly, furious and heartbroken that Darrin had been using her, coldly tells him that she does not care, and the choir members begin to panic and become angry at him for his lies. Darrin, however, rebukes them for their hypocrisy in joining the choir to get paid, and the other churchgoers for running him and his mother out of town simply over her decision to pursue her singing dreams.

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 realizes these mean nothing without Lilly and the choir. Darrin returns to Monte Carlo to reconcile with Lilly. Afterwards, they recruit Lucious and Reverend Lewis, and they all rush to the Gospel Explosion to join the choir.

When Darrin and Lilly arrive, Paulina, having taken over as director, tries to exclude, citing that Darrin forfeited his inheritance when he quit. However, Reverend Lewis finally stands up to Paulina and calls her out. He then reveals her husband, whom she had claimed was dead, is alive and remarried to a better woman. Lilly scolds Paulina for insulting Sally’s will and wishes, which gave Darrin the choir. They convince the rest to oust Paulina, giving Darrin back his position.

Before their performance, Darrin tells Lilly she inspired him to name the choir “The Fighting Temptations”. They win the competition, but before ending his acceptance speech, Darrin surprises Lilly with a marriage proposal, which she accepts. Eighteen months later, the two are happily married with a baby of their own. In addition, the church is to undergo expansion, and Paulina has returned to the choir after seemingly changing her ways.

Cast

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Cameos

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Production

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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

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Critical response

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On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 42% of 111 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 5.3/10. The website's consensus reads: "The music is the only saving grace in this predictable and eager-to-please comedy."[1] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 53 out of 100, based on 32 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.[2]

The music of the film received acclaim, most notably, Beyoncé's cover of "Fever",[3][4] while the film itself was criticized for its screenplay, rehashed premise and lack of chemistry between actors Gooding and Knowles. Ebert & Roeper reviewed the film and Roger Ebert gave it thumbs up.[5]

Box office

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The Fighting Temptations grossed $30.3 million domestically (United States and Canada), and $3.7 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $34 million, against a budget of $30 million.[6] It opened at No. 3 in the weekend domestic box office, and spent its first four weeks in the Top 10.[7]

Soundtrack

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The Fighting Temptations (Music From The Motion Picture)
Soundtrack album by
Various Artists
ReleasedSeptember 9, 2003
Recorded2002–2003
Studio
Genre
Length54:44
Label
Producer
Singles from The Fighting Temptations (Music From The Motion Picture)
  1. "Fighting Temptation"
    Released: August 18, 2003
  2. "Summertime"
    Released: October 28, 2003

A soundtrack accompanied the film and was released by Music World / Columbia / Sony Music on September 9, 2003.[8] 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. 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.

Standard edition
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Fighting Temptation" (Beyoncé, Missy Elliott, MC Lyte & Free)
  • Melissa Elliott
  • LaShaun Owens
  • Karriem Mack
  • Lana Moorer
  • Marie Wright
  • Jonathan Burks
  • Walter Murphy
  • Gene Pistilli
3:51
2."I Know" (Destiny's Child)
3:43
3."Rain Down" (Eddie Levert & Angie Stone)
  • Rex Rideout
  • David Harper
  • Terri Harper
  • Rex Rideout
  • Loretha Jones
3:27
4."To Da River" (T-Bone, Lil Zane, & Montell Jordan)
  • Louis Brown
  • Scott Parker
Buster & Shavoni4:12
5."I'm Getting Ready" (Ann Nesby)Shirley CaesarBubba Smith3:15
6."The Stone" (Ann Nesby & Shirley Caesar)CaesarBubba Smith1:53
7."Heaven Knows" (Faith Evans)
5:43
8."Fever" (Beyoncé)
  • John Davenport
  • Eddie Cooley
  • Peggy Lee (uncredited)
4:32
9."Everything I Do" (Beyoncé & Bilal)
  • James Harris III
  • Terry Lewis
  • Wright
  • Jam and Lewis
  • Wright
4:22
10."Loves Me Like A Rock" (The O'Jays)Paul SimonBubba Smith2:26
11."Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" (Beyoncé)Wallace Willis
  • B. Knowles
  • Jones
2:05
12."He Still Loves Me" (Beyoncé & Walter Williams Sr.)
  • Harris III
  • Lewis
  • Wright
  • Jam and Lewis
  • Wright
4:22
13."Time To Come Home" (Beyoncé, Angie Stone & Melba Moore)
  • B. Knowles
  • Harris III
  • Lewis
  • Wright
  • Jam and Lewis
  • Wright
3:52
14."Don't Fight The Feeling" (Solange Knowles & Papa Reu)
  • Solange
  • Derek "Grizz" Edwards
3:07
15."Summertime" (Beyoncé & Diddy)
  • Diddy
  • Mario Winans
  • Steven Jordan
3:54
Total length:54:44

Personnel

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Credits adapted from Apple Music, Discogs, and Spotify.[9]

  • Mathew Knowles - Executive Producer
  • Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis - Executive Producer
  • James "Big Jim" Wright - Executive Producer
  • Spring Aspers - Co-executive Music Producer
  • Dave Pensado - Mixing Engineer (2,8)
  • Jim Caruana - Recording Engineer (2)
  • Manny Marroquin - Mixing Engineer (3-6,8,10-11)
  • Ken Fambro - DJ (4)
  • Faith Evans - Background Vocals (7)
  • James "Big Jim" Wright - Keyboards (7,9), Background Vocals (7)
  • Beyoncé - Background Vocals (9)
  • Debra Killings - Background Vocals (9)
  • Issiah "Iz" Avila - Drums (7,9,12), Percussion (9,12)
  • Bobby Ross Avila - Keyboards (7,12), Bass (12)
  • Jimmy "Z" Zavala - Saxophone (7)
  • Alex "Godson" Richbourg - Programming (7,9)
  • Matt Marrin - Engineer (7,9)
  • Jeff Penn - Assistant Engineer (7,9)
  • Neal Pogue - Mixing Engineer (7,9,13)
  • Jeff Robinette - Mixing Engineer (7), Assistant Engineer (9)
  • Blake Eiseman - Recording Engineer (7,9,12-13)
  • Weyburn Dean - Arranger (11)
  • Keith Lancaster - Arranger (11)
  • Steven Jordan - Guitar (15)
  • Paul Logus - Guitar (15), Mixing Engineer (15)
  • Lynn Montrose - Assistant Engineer (15)
  • Alexis Seaton - Assistant Engineer (15)
  • Roger Che - Recording Engineer (15)
  • Teresa LaBarbera Whites - A&R Direction
  • Alvin Williams - A&R Direction
  • Kim Burse - A&R Direction
  • Huy Nguyen - A&R Co-ordination For Music World
  • Michael Lau-Robles - Design
  • Hooshik Bayliss - Art Direction

Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[10] Gold 500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Cancelled sequel

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In a 2003 interview, Mickey Jones – who had a supporting role in the film – stated that he hoped the film performed well because all of the principal actors had signed on for a sequel.[11]

Awards and nominations

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Ceremony Recipient Category Result
BET Comedy Awards Beyoncé Knowles Outstanding Actress in a Box-Office Movie Nominated
Mike Epps Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Box-Office Movie Nominated
Black Reel Awards Cuba Gooding Jr. Best Actor Nominated
Beyoncé Knowles Best Actress Nominated
Elizabeth Hunter
Saladin K. Patterson 		Best Screenplay Original or Adapted Nominated
Best Film Nominated
Best Film Soundtrack Won
"He Still Loves Me" Best Film Song Won
Golden Raspberry Awards Cuba Gooding Jr. Worst Actor Nominated
Image Awards Outstanding Motion Picture Won
Beyoncé Knowles Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture Nominated

References

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  1. ^ "The Fighting Temptations". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved September 20, 2024. Edit this at Wikidata
  2. ^ "The Fighting Temptations". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved 2024-09-21.
  3. ^ Archive-Jon-Wiederhorn. "Damon Elliott Gives Beyonce 'Fever,' Writes Lame Raps". MTV News. Archived from the original on September 7, 2014. Retrieved 2020-07-06.
  4. ^ "Beyonce fever". Evening Standard. 2003-12-11. Retrieved 2020-07-06.
  5. ^ Ebert, Roger. "The Fighting Temptations movie review (2003)". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved 2020-07-06 – via RogerEbert.com.
  6. ^ "The Fighting Temptations". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved 2023-12-08.Edit this at Wikidata
  7. ^ "The Fighting Temptations | Domestic Weekly". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved 2024-09-21.
  8. ^ Fighting Temptations. "Fighting Temptations: Music". Amazon. Retrieved 2012-12-12.
  9. ^ "The Fighting Temptations (Music From The Motion Picture) by Various Artists on Apple Music". September 9, 2003 – via music.apple.com.
  10. ^ "American album certifications – Soundtrack – The Fighting Temptations". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
  11. ^ Jones, Mickey (2003-10-12). "Special Interview with Mickey Jones". hollywoodjesus.com (Interview). Interviewed by Mike Furches. Archived from the original on 2020-02-17. Retrieved 2021-01-25.
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