Black Nativity (film)
| Black Nativity | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Kasi Lemmons |
| Produced by |
William Horberg T. D. Jakes Galt Niederhoffer Celine Rattray Trudie Styler |
| Screenplay by | Kasi Lemmons |
| Based on |
Black Nativity by Langston Hughes |
| Starring |
Forest Whitaker Angela Bassett Tyrese Gibson Jennifer Hudson Mary J. Blige Vondie Curtis-Hall Nas Jacob Latimore |
| Cinematography | Anastas N. Michos |
| Editing by | Terilyn A. Shropshire |
| Studio | Maven Pictures |
| Distributed by | Fox Searchlight Pictures |
| Release dates |
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| Running time | 93 minutes[1] |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $17.5 million[2] |
| Box office | $7,454,185 |
Black Nativity is a 2013 American musical drama film directed by Kasi Lemmons. The script, written by Lemmons, is based on Langston Hughes' play of the same name and released on November 27, 2013. The film stars an African American ensemble cast featuring Forest Whitaker, Angela Bassett, Tyrese Gibson, Jennifer Hudson, Mary J. Blige, Jacob Latimore, Vondie Curtis-Hall, and Nas.
Plot
After his mother, Naima, is evicted from their Baltimore apartment, teenage Langston is sent to spend the holidays with his estranged relatives in New York City, where he 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.
Cast
- Forest Whitaker as Reverend Cornell Cobbs
- Angela Bassett as Aretha Cobbs
- Tyrese Gibson as Tyson
- Jennifer Hudson as Naima Cobbs
- Mary J. Blige as Platinum Fro
- Vondie Curtis-Hall as Pawnbroker
- Nas as Prophet Isaiah
- Jacob Latimore as Langston Cobbs
- Rotimi as Officer McDaniels
- Luke James as Singer
Reception
Black Nativity received mixed reviews from critics, as it currently holds a 48% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 79 reviews.
Film critic Steve Pulaski of Influx Magazine gave the film a D+, saying, "I was buying most of what Kasi Lemmons’ adaptation of Langston Hughes’ poem Black Nativity was selling, admiring its inclusion of common problems facing the black community and the treacherous circumstances many face, until it basically solves the most unprecedented conflict by basically saying the words “forgiveness” and “be grateful” over and over again."
References
- ↑ "BLACK NATIVITY (PG)". British Board of Film Classification. November 7, 2013. Retrieved November 8, 2013.
- ↑ http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=blacknativity.htm
External links
- Black Nativity at the Internet Movie Database
- Black Nativity at Box Office Mojo
- Black Nativity at Rotten Tomatoes
- Black Nativity at Metacritic
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