6.2 | / 10 |
Users | 3.5 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
A charming angel named Dudley is sent to Earth to help a young minister and his wife revive their marriage.
Starring: Denzel Washington, Whitney Houston, Courtney B. Vance, Gregory Hines, Jenifer LewisComedy | 100% |
Family | 94% |
Romance | 73% |
Holiday | 37% |
Drama | Insignificant |
Fantasy | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
English SDH, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A, B (C untested)
Movie | 2.5 | |
Video | 3.0 | |
Audio | 3.5 | |
Extras | 1.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
All the good intentions in the world can’t help make 1996’s “The Preacher’s Wife” anything more than a mediocre movie. It’s a shame, since there’s some incredible talent working to bring the picture to life, to gift it wings of soaring gospel and cheery do-goodery, yet all the production can muster are a few smiles and an admittedly euphoric soundtrack. It’s a remake, drawing inspiration from the darling 1947 picture, “The Bishop’s Wife” (starring Cary Grant, Loretta Young, and David Niven), which is a fairly strong launch pad for the feature. However, the miracle doesn’t carry for a second cinematic round, finding director Penny Marshall struggling to locate the pixie dust that should rightfully blanket every frame of the film, while stars Denzel Washington, Whitney Houston, and Courtney B. Vance fight to maintain a semblance of personality as the material gradually, and rather peacefully, falls asleep. Kindly to a fault, “The Preacher’s Wife” has a big heart, but no sense of pace and conflict to sustain the viewing experience for an unnerving two hours.
The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation isn't exactly a thorough upgrade to HD excitement, but the basics are satisfactory. There's softness here to contend with, with the overall viewing experience lacking a rich crispness that occasionally arrives with a few of the tighter close-ups. Fine detail only really makes an impression during these intimate moments, providing an adequate read of skin textures and costuming artistry. Colors are adequate, emphasized in winter jackets and church robes, and the image receives a boost of memorable hues with the pleasing Christmas feel of the effort, emerging from decorations and lights. Skintones remain quite natural and inviting. Shadow detail isn't clearly defined with weak blacks, and there's a little overt solidification to ruin frame dimension. Pockets of noise are detected. The print is clean, without noticeable damage.
The 5.1 DTS-HD MA sound mix doesn't provide the full force of life typically inherent to a movie about the healing power of music, with much of the track holding to the front stage for maximum verbal articulation. Dialogue exchanges are satisfactory, with textured voices and a clean understanding of emotions and emphasis, while group interactions are stable and understood. Scoring provides tasteful support, along with the twinkly power of angel magic, but the real energy of the listening event is found in the gospel numbers. Dialing up Houston's pipes and her choral assistance, the soundtrack sounds big and full, feeling out the surrounds for additional immersion, while the low-end comes alive during these performances. The tunes sound terrific, with precise instrumentation and vocal placement. Atmospherics are generally muted, sustaining the movie's lack of enthusiasm. No distortion was detected.
There's an oppressive quality to "The Preacher's Wife" that no cute kids, Christmas cheer, and angelic salvation can lift. The gospel-drenched soundtrack helps, allowing Houston to play to her strengths (acting was not one of them), and Marshall understands the importance of the music, handing over a good chunk of screentime to church rehearsals and club performances, allowing the picture to reach a sense of euphoria the script is too snoozy to achieve on its own. It's certainly not a film to actively dislike, but with all these inspirational elements competing for screen time, it's strange to walk away from the effort completely unmoved.
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