The Music in Me - La voce dell'amore

Pay attention to the story and the melody, great songs in this movie just like in the movie, The One I Wrote For You! Most Christian movies don't have ANY academy award winners, who cares?

The movie isn't bad but it's far from good. I really tried to like it but the acting is bad, the music is bad and also the storyline even though it's core is beautiful is also not complete. And the romantic story was sooo disappointing.. I was at least hoping for a good romance but not even that. Cringe all the way.

Likeable story of former musician (Gibson) who's reluctantly enlisted to become choir director for 100th year celebrations of the local church. Complicating matters is the health of her father (Smith) who runs a small hardware business, the inflexible Deaconess (Reuben) who needs things done according to tradition, and a moody teenager (Forsyth) who's hiding a sad secret. Not to mention a general lack of interest from the local media in promoting the celebration, which threatens the viability of the congregation.

Former teen idol Gibson has her hands full taming natural talent - and rank amateurs who couldn't project via a megaphone - into a chorus that will sound befitting a church choir celebrating its most momentous milestone. It's a well-worn plot scenario, but delivered with sincerity and good humour.

Gibson is natural and appears comfortable in a role which should suit her skills, similarly Reuben is assured in both her vocal and acting abilities, performing the more demanding role of the misunderstood villain with her own cross to bear.

Forsyth is an unknown quantity who almost outshines her better established co-stars at times, her role isn't perhaps all that realistic in terms of plot (there's some obvious logistical issues with her situation), but she gives the character a hard edge-soft centre for whom it's difficult not to feel immense sympathy.

Obviously there's a few singalongs, and one song in particular which garners plenty of attention ('Promises'), but aside from the musical elements, the film is technically well-made, acted (on-screen chemistry between Gibson and her co-stars always looks genuine) and contains enough material to sustain its familiar storyline.

I was disappointed in this film in the beginning as 1980s icon Debbie Gibson takes the reigns as the main character Jessica, who plays a woman that sacrificed her singing career for her family and gets to relive her dream by becoming the new choir director of a church, but Gibson has absolutely no acting ability and I've seen better acting with Madonna in 'Suddenly Seeking Susan', but Gibson certainly has a beautiful voice. I loved the tension that was created in one scene between her and a character named Gloria (Gloria Reuben), as she tries so hard to be accepted. In one scene, Jessica relentlessly tries to break down a wall of a typical teen runaway named Alice (Amy Forsyth). I would've given this movie a 7 if Gibson wasn't in it. Sorry, but she shouldn't give up her day job.