THE PREACHER'S WIFE
A film review by Andrew Hicks
Copyright 1996 Andrew Hicks / Fatboy Productions
(1996) *** (out of four)
THE PREACHER'S WIFE is a two-hour Hallmark card -- sappy and unoriginal yet uplifting and touching. Yes, I'm a sarcastic cynic, but even I can put that aside when a decent feel-good movie comes along, especially these morally-sound musical comedies with a black female lead (SISTER ACT, anybody?). THE PREACHER'S WIFE is a positive movie about the comraderie of a black community like only a white woman could tell it... I didn't say I was going to set the sarcasm _completely_ aside.
Denzel Washington plays an angel sent to lend assistance to a preacher (Courtney B. Vance) and his family. Whitney Houston, of course, plays the preacher's wife, a gospel-singing woman who finds her husband has less and less time for her as troubles mount in the church and community. Their son's best friend is being sent away to a foster family, a local kid is charged with armed robbery, the church boiler is shot and a greedy local businessman (Gregory Hines) is buying up all the property in sight. Predictably, these problems only exist to be solved by Denzel the Anzel... excuse me, the Angel...
Courtney is hard to convince at first, even after Denzel pops up three consecutive times when Courtney prays for divine help. And all Denzel's talk of an angel handbook and the three rules he has to abide by (don't expose him to sunlight, don't get him wet, don't feed him after midnight) seems more than a little odd, but the preacher's family easily accepts him as Courtney's new assistant.
Two of THE PREACHER'S WIFE's best comic performances are from Whitney's WAITING TO EXHALE compatriot Loretta Devine, as Courtney's secretary, and Jenifer Lewis in the role of Whitney's mother. In a movie that asks us to believe angels are among us, the fact that Whitney's mom looks young enough to be her sister is infinitely less believable.
Denzel almost assumes Courtney's roles for awhile, serving as father-figure for their son, doing church paperwork and even taking Whitney dancing at Jazzie's, a club frequented by Lionel Richie. (Actually, I think Lionel works there as part-time bartender to supplement his paltry "All Night Long" and "We Are the World" royalties.) This causes a little heavenly strife and even prompts Courtney to say the h-word, but rest assured all will end happily.
As always, the soundtrack comes courtesy of Whitney Houston herself and, just like the last two times, is billed as "the soundtrack event of the year." She doesn't even make albums anymore, just soundtracks. Unlike THE BODYGUARD or WAITING TO EXHALE, though, her musical contributions to THE PREACHER'S WIFE give the movie its identity. Songs like "I Love the Lord" and "The Lord Is My Shepherd," most of which feature the Georgia Mass Choir, could singlehandedly make gospel music radio-friendly. Lyrics saying God is "bigger than a Shaq attack," though, probably won't go over big with the kids. Trust me.
Penny Marshall, who directed this remake of Cary Grant's THE BISHOP'S WIFE, did an admirable job making this movie attractive holiday fluff that elevates itself above the mediocre mush you'd expect. She followed the recipe for a feel-good Christmas movie and came up with something tasty, not just the usual PRANCER fruitcake. Remaking it with a black cast was her best idea -- it's the appeal of Denzel, Whitney and the supporting cast that make the movie fun to watch. THE PREACHER'S WIFE is a safe movie for all ages, and I imagine more than a few church youth groups will be taking trips to the movie theater this Christmas season.
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