Black Nativity

Name: Black Nativity
Genre: Drama, Musical
Released: November 27, 2013
Duration: 93 min
Rating: 48
Cast: Angela Bassett, Forest Whitaker, Jacob Latimore, Jennifer Hudson, Mary J. Blige

2013

METASCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 29 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 11 Ratings

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4.9

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4.9	User Score Mixed or average reviews based on 11 Ratings

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Black Nativity

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Movie Details & Credits

Fox Searchlight Pictures | Release Date: November 27, 2013 | PG

Starring: Angela Bassett, Forest Whitaker, Jacob Latimore, Jennifer Hudson, Mary J. Blige, Nas, Rotimi, Vondie Curtis-Hall

Summary: Langston, a street-wise teen from Baltimore raised by a single mother, travels to New York City to spend the Christmas holiday with his estranged relatives Reverend Cornell and Aretha Cobbs. Unwilling to live by the imposing Reverend Cobbs' rules, a frustrated Langston is determined to return home to his mother, Naima. Langston embarks on aLangston, a street-wise teen from Baltimore raised by a single mother, travels to New York City to spend the Christmas holiday with his estranged relatives Reverend Cornell and Aretha Cobbs. Unwilling to live by the imposing Reverend Cobbs' rules, a frustrated Langston is determined to return home to his mother, Naima. Langston embarks on a surprising and inspirational journey and along with his new friends, and a little divine intervention, he discovers the true meaning of faith, healing, and family.… Expand

Director: Kasi Lemmons

Genre(s): Drama, Musical

Rating: PG

Runtime: 93 min

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Critic Reviews

Mary Houlihan

Nov 26, 2013

Lemmons and her cast, aided by some great music, have created an interlude sure to lift the spirit during the holiday season. Read full review

Michael Phillips

Nov 26, 2013

Whitaker's performance is the rock here. Even when the confrontations and evasions get a little ridiculous, he's neither wholly saint nor sinner, but something like a human being. Read full review

Steven Rea

Nov 27, 2013

Black Nativity offers a whopping serving of Yuletide emotion. And it's a musical - with plenty of wailing and rapping on the side. Read full review

Justin Chang

Nov 25, 2013

Lemmons advances this story with straight-faced conviction, orchestrating narrative and spectacle with a grandiosity that proves easier to admire from a distance than it is to engage with onscreen. Read full review

Kevin C. Johnson

Nov 26, 2013

Count Black Nativity as a more noble than notable effort. Read full review

Eric Henderson

Nov 25, 2013

For anyone who prefers their assertive homilies to crust over like a syrupy sweet, this loose adaptation of Langston Hughes's beloved holiday tradition will come on like a dream fulfilled. Read full review

The Telegraph Tim Robey

Dec 5, 2013

It’s a misguided enterprise all round, and while it’s perfectly possible to applaud everything the film wants to say, you find yourself cringing at the ways it’s saying it. Read full review

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User Reviews

Thegodfatherson

Nov 27, 2013

That sentiment pretty much sums up Black Nativity: ungainly in execution, yet still infused with enough passion and reverence for Hughes’ original work to be more success than failure. Moviegoers looking for seasonal entertainment that is accessible and family-friendly (without also beingThat sentiment pretty much sums up Black Nativity: ungainly in execution, yet still infused with enough passion and reverence for Hughes’ original work to be more success than failure. Moviegoers looking for seasonal entertainment that is accessible and family-friendly (without also being treacly and/or bland) this is a Christmas show that you might want to check out.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

r96sk

May 1, 2021

I was, for the most part, feeling pleasant enough about this... until that ending.

It's not that 'Black Nativity' ends badly, it's just so incredibly forced and cringeworthy. It's a Christmas film so I guess I could cut it some slack, but I feel it could've concluded things much better.I was, for the most part, feeling pleasant enough about this... until that ending.

It's not that 'Black Nativity' ends badly, it's just so incredibly forced and cringeworthy. It's a Christmas film so I guess I could cut it some slack, but I feel it could've concluded things much better. Some of the character decisions felt odd at times, also.

One of the reasons as to why I was actually finding this satisfactory throughout is the cast - loads of recognisable and likeable faces. Forest Whitaker (Cornell) is honestly great, his performance is the only one I'd class as anything over 'good'. Jacob Latimore (Langston) and Angela Bassett (Aretha) are the best of the rest, though I always like watching 'Fast & Furious' star Tyrese Gibson act too.

All in all, nothing positive or negative... just average.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

SomeChickOnline

Dec 9, 2013

This was low B grade movie. There were stellar performances from Vondie Curtis Hall, Tyrese Gibson, Luke James, Grace Gibson and Mary J. Blige. Otherwise the sentimentality at times became so cloying and contrived. Jennifer Hudson made merely cameo appearances in the movie and howledThis was low B grade movie. There were stellar performances from Vondie Curtis Hall, Tyrese Gibson, Luke James, Grace Gibson and Mary J. Blige. Otherwise the sentimentality at times became so cloying and contrived. Jennifer Hudson made merely cameo appearances in the movie and howled violently through all her singing lines. Some guys down in the front row began to openly mock her which caused other movie goers to let out a few chuckles they had been holding in. The kids I took with me were enjoying it so I stayed for the whole movie but wanted to leave. I was curious how they would weave Langston Hughes's Black Nativity story into the movie itself but it was barely spoken about except for a brief showing mid movie. Overall I got the impression that this movie was merely a vehicle for Jacob Latimore who sang his parts very well. I found it hard to empathise with his character though. I kept hoping that he'd get caught, shot or arrested so that we could finally get past his dredged up problems to the Nativity.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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