Based on the popular play by Langston Hughes, Kasi Lemmons' Black Nativity is a story powered by religion, spirituality, and music. Thanks to a strong cast that features three Oscar winners, the film is able to power through its cliché moments and gives audiences just enough uplifting moments to end on a high note"”even if it does take a rough and curvy road to get there.
Starring Oscar winners Forest Whitaker, Angela Bassett, and Jennifer Hudson, as well as Jacob Latimore, Mary J. Blige and Tyrese Gibson, Black Nativity leans on its skillful cast more than it should. As a result, an unhealthy balance is created, skewing the film downward as it quickly gets lost within the fantasy of the holiday, losing its realistic tone and becoming all too convenient to really be taken seriously.
Conflicts are brought up out of necessity, not story progression. And while the holiday film is meant to have all its loose ends tied up nicely with a red bow within the ninety-five minute timeframe, the ease in which everything is resolved is a bit much. I do credit Lemmons for her ability to intertwine religion into the story; however, she is unable to fully understand the big picture, losing her focus within the sappy dialogue and over-the-top personalities that aren't as trivial as they are on stage.
It seems like ages before we are introduced to Naima's financial troubles, and her decision to send her son to New York City to live with his grandparents seems simple enough. But their past disagreements hover over the story for much of the film. While the tease is fine in the beginning, it quickly begins to wear on you as there appears to be no big payoff in the end. The final twist is extremely melodramatic (a feat in and of itself given the film), and you can't help but leave the theater feeling disappointed.
That being said, Black Nativity does boast a strong soundtrack. Staying away from the traditional carols, the film opts to venture into original tracks, utilizing Hudson's incredible vocals, having her sing to the church rafters and create some of the film's most powerful moments. Whitaker and Bassett hold their own as well, singing with immense soul and spirit as they depict a heavenly couple who longs to right the wrong that has broken their relationship with their daughter.
Black Nativity isn't a great movie (and many will consider this a Scrooge-like stance). But it is hard to deny the power of the soul, and this film does have that. Add in a strong moral story, a heavy dosage of drama and a few powerful notes and the film, though not perfect, is a good escape for the upcoming holiday season. It just would make for a better fit had it dropped the A-list names and been satisfied with its rightful place as a Sunday night movie event.
