December 23, 2014

If all this modest Penny Marshall-directed movie had to offer was Whitney Houston's voice, that would be enough. But it's charming without being too saccharine, and Denzel Washingon is utterly beguiling as Dudley, the angel sent to save Rev. Henry Biggs (Courtney B. Vance) as he's losing his faith -- and possibly his wife and son.

To top things off, slimy real estate developer Joe Hamilton (Gregory Hines) has bought the antiquated church's mortgage and plans to raze the place to build luxury condos. But as you might guess, it all works out in the end.

And there is that voice.

Listen to Whitney's quiet voice as she fills in at the last minute for a child with stage fright, singing "Who Would Imagine A King" (above).

There's the scene where Dudley takes her to the jazz club where she used to perform when she and Henry first fell in love. Coaxed up onstage, she burns the house down with "I Believe In You and Me."

And then Whitney gets her church on with the big finale, "Joy To The World."

Skip church, watch this instead.

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