FIND MOVIES
Movie List
Loading ...
or
Find Theaters and Movie Times
or
Search Movies

Review: Joyful Noise

Rafter-rocking gospel singing
By TOM MEEK  |  January 10, 2012
2.0 2.0 Stars



There's not much joy but there's plenty of noise of the rafter-rocking gospel singing variety in Tony Graff's musical dramedy. A church choir from Georgia is competing for the national championship, and two matriarchs in the group, G.G. (Dolly Parton), a rich belle, and Vi Rose (Queen Latifah), a struggling mother, come to blows when the latter is chosen to succeed G.G.'s recently deceased husband (Kris Kristofferson in a cameo) as the new director. Things get even cattier when G.G.'s wayward grandson (Jeremy Jordan) shows up wanting to join the choir and also starts chasing Vi Rose's daughter (Keke Palmer). As in a Tyler Perry movie, the obvious issues of race get buried under a litany of life-affirming platitudes. The performers, especially Latifah and Palmer, have their moments, if only when they're singing.

  Topics: Reviews , Boston, Music, in theaters,  More more >
| More


Most Popular
ARTICLES BY TOM MEEK
Share this entry with Delicious
  •   REVIEW: FUN SIZE  |  October 31, 2012
    Nickelodeon star Victoria Justice ventures onto the big screen in this hokey Halloween misadventure.
  •   REVIEW: TAI CHI ZERO  |  October 24, 2012
    Mashup, hodgepodge, or remix — call it what you will, this kung fu odyssey from former action star Stephen Fung offers intermittent pleasures and freaky twists.
  •   REVIEW: ESCAPE FIRE: THE FIGHT TO RESCUE AMERICAN HEALTHCARE  |  October 02, 2012
    Matthew Heineman and Susan Frömke's documentary tackles a familiar topic but doesn't weigh in on the Obamacare issue so contentious in the upcoming election.
  •   REVIEW: DIARY OF A WIMPY KID: DOG DAYS  |  August 07, 2012
    Maybe the Kid is going through a rough adolescent patch — but he was no great shakes to begin with.
  •   MADAGASCAR 3: EUROPE'S MOST WANTED  |  June 07, 2012
    The franchise that began as a tame kiddie pleaser about four pampered zoo animals lost in the wild has matured and sharpened its teeth, perhaps thanks to Noah Baumbach ( The Squid and the Whale ) collaborating on the script.

 See all articles by: TOM MEEK