Cuba Gooding Jr. romancing Beyoncè? Of course it's a movie.
Darrin: If I can get you all to sing as well as you fight, you'd be the baddest choir in all of Georgia
The Fighting Temptations is a 2003 musical comedy-drama film starring Cuba Gooding Jr. as Darrin Hill, a dishonest but well-meaning advertising executive whose lies catch up to him and cost him his job. He soon learns that his beloved aunt has died and left him in charge of her small-town church choir. Initially disinterested, Darrin only accepts the position upon learning that there's a huge cash reward shall the choir win an annual gospel competition. Hilarity Ensues as Darrin struggles to whip the choir into shape while keeping up the ruse that he's a successful music producer as a means to charm the locals. In the meantime, he forges a friendship with Lucious (Mike Epps), a motormouth cabbie and works to strike up a romance with Lilly (Beyoncè Knowles-Carter), a lounge singer whom he once admired in their childhood years.
A sequel was planned but was ultimately scrapped due to the film performing well below expectations.
The film provides examples of:
- Abhorrent Admirer: A gender-flipped example as Darrin is this to Lilly. She eventually returns his affection.
- Advertised Extra: Comedian Steve Harvey, who has a small role as the local radio host, was heavily featured in the film's marketing campaign at the time of release. Overall, he has roughly five minutes of screentime.
- All Men Are Perverts: Downplayed; Darrin's attraction to Lilly appears to be strictly physical at first, but over the course of the film, it becomes apparent that he truly values her as a person. However, nearly all of the male choir members are attracted to Lilly. This is hilariously proven by their mini-fight for a seat next to her in the choir stand.
- And Starring: Steve Harvey who has a small supporting role in the finished film, receives a special "And" billing in the promo material only.
- Answer Cut: This is how Darrin learns whether or not he can get a ride back to the boarding house he's staying in. Said house belongs to Paulina, the wicked church treasurer who feels he's stealing the church choir from under her. Needless to say, he's forced to walk in the pouring rain.
- Armor-Piercing Response: When the choir learns the truth about Darrin, Lilly claims to have only helped Darrin hoping to score a record deal, not out of genuine interest in him or the choir. When he asks her is it true, she only gives him a cold glare. Whether or not she meant it is never made clear, but it's safe to assume she didn't.Lilly: I don't care what you do. I was just using you to get a record deal. Just like you were using me.Darrin: Is that true?
- Babies Ever After: Darrin and Lilly get married and have a child together.
- Becoming the Mask: Darrin grows to enjoy his role as choir director, and learns that honesty is truly the best policy. Unfortunately, Paulina finds out about Darrin's real identity, so she exposes him in front of everyone a week before the big competition. Humiliated, Darrin takes his old job back and leaves the town behind. Once he returns to New York, he has a change of heart and returns in time for the competition.
- Big Bad: Paulina, the Reverend's sister and church treasurer. She is an extremely hateful, hypocritical woman who gets a thrill out of judging and exposing people she thinks are living sinfully. The Reverend eventually turns the tables on her, and outs her as a fraud. She's spent years lying about her husband being dead when in truth, he got tired of her hypocritical ways and left her for a better woman.
- Blatant Lies: Pretty much anything that comes out of Darrin's mouth. It's his first adulthood encounter with Lilly, however, that takes the cake.Lilly: (in a dry tone) And Aunt Sally's dying wish was for us to hook-up?Darrin: (nods slowly) God love her.
- The Cameo: Many of the supporting characters are played by music artists and television actors who were popular at the time the film was made.
- Casanova Wannabe: Darrin is rather awkward in his romantic pursuit of Lilly.
- Character Development:
- Darrin learns how to be honest with both himself and others.
- The choir members learn to get along and to be more accepting of those who are different.
- Reverend Lewis finally gains the courage to stand up to Paulina.
- Childhood Friend Romance: Subverted; Darrin had a crush on Lilly as kids, but she'd always reject him. They reconnect as adults and eventually marry.
- Disappeared Dad: At Aunt Sally’s funeral, Darrin reveals that his father was killed in action during the Vietnam War.
- Dean(Lily’s son)‘s father is never mentioned, so it’s safe to assume he bailed on them.
- Even Evil Has Standards: Paulina is just as offended as the rest of the church when Darrin takes a phone call in the middle of Aunt Sally's funeral.
- Everyone Has Standards: No one seems to agree with Paulina's hypocritical nature.
- Gilligan Cut: When the convicts are getting baptized, Paulina points out that Darrin wasn't baptized himself...and he refuses. A LOT. Over and over. Cut to Darrin being lifted out of the river, now baptized.Darrin: I am not getting that water.Pastor Paul: Uh-huh.Darrin: I am not getting in there.Pastor Paul: Uh-huh.Darrin: Shit...must be crazy.Darrin: [newly baptized, being brought out of the water] Praise the Lord.
- God-Is-Love Songs: Subverted; though most of the gospel tunes talk about praising and worshiping God.
- Gospel Choirs Are Just Better: The whole point of the film.
- Heterosexual Life-Partners: Darrin and Lucious quickly become the best of pals.
- Informed Attractiveness: Lilly's beauty is explicitly mentioned on a few occasions...then again, she IS played by Beyoncé.
- Jerkass Has a Point: After Darrin’s ruse about being a music producer is exposed, he points out the fact that while his lying was bad - the church’s mistreatment of his late mother was far worse.
- Nice Guy: Reverend Lewis, though he’s somewhat of a pushover.
- Plain Jane: When she's not performing at the lounge, Lilly is a bit homely.
- Struggling Single Mother: Lilly. She has an eight year old son born out of wedlock, hence the reason why she was shunned by the church.
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech: In response to his lies being exposed, Darrin fires back with a particularly seething example:Darrin: (after being asked if him leading the choir was only so he could get money out of it) Hell yes. That's the reason half of you joined the choir. Why shouldn't I go? What loyalty should I have? Sure, I've been lying, but that's nothing compared to what this church did to me and mom.
- The Reveal: Right before the Gospel Explosion, Paul reveals that James, Paulina’s supposedly dead husband, is not only still alive, but also is remarried to a better woman.
- Title Drop: Darrin names the choir "The Fighting Temptations", inspired by a conversation he had with Lilly.Lilly: Experience has taught me that fighting temptation makes you strong.Darrin: Yes, but the trouble with fighting temptation is that you may not get another chance.Lilly: O ye of little faith.
- Took a Level in Kindness: Downplayed; Darrin's character arc is essentially this, though he was never a mean guy to begin with, just a dishonest opportunist at worst. Paulina changes her ways by the end of the film.
- Vow of Celibacy: Played with. Lilly declines any further advancements from Darrin, after their first kiss. This is what leads to the conversation about "fighting temptation".
- What the Hell, Hero?: Lilly and the choir members all have this reaction when Darrin is outed.
- You Have GOT to Be Kidding Me!: Darrin's reaction when he first meets the choir. At the time, there were only six people who appeared to have no musical talent. Darrin later shouts a variant of this phrase at a horrible singer who won’t shut up.Darrin: You gotta be kiddin’ me!!
