The Temptations

I was delighted by this movie. Not only is it largely educational and offers very introspective looks into the lives of all members of the group, but the acting is fantastic. The film truly captures the soul music scene of early 1960's Detroit, and further on as the Temptations rise to fame, and fall to ruin. It offers breathtaking and somewhat disturbing scenes which make the film seem almost too real. The soundtrack is amazing, and you will truly sympathize with this group of real-life legends who sang their hearts out in Motown's heyday.

"The Temptations" mini-series was an excellent film!! Terron Brooks(Eddie Kendricks), DB Woodside(Melvin Franklin), Charles Malik Whitfield(Otis Williams), Christian Payton(Paul Williams), and Leon(David Ruffin) do a fantastic job of portraying the fabulous five! This movie is based on Otis Williams' book and the storyline is incredible. Once I saw it for the first time, I was definitely hooked on it. Now I watch it at least once a week. I can't get the songs out of my head, and I am now an even bigger fan of The Temptations. The cool thing about it is that Brooks, Payton, and Woodside are actually singing the parts! I would recommend this movie to any music lover!!

The camera work has the usual claustrophobic box look of most television films. The editing is incredibly choppy, and the continuity is really awful sometimes. There are also clichés in abundance - David Ruffin getting tossed out of a car is pure detective-show melodrama, but doesn't really resolve the whole Ruffin problem in the film. And there's plenty of lag-time, especially in the second half.

All that said, the story is surprisingly very strong, the characters fascinating, the performances energetic, and the music is very well presented. The sense of the historical change of context surrounding the characters is also accurate and convincing, although played quietly (actually works better that way).

The first half especially is a treat. A strong effort to do the group, its music, and its history justice.

The Temptations is clearly one of the finest music miniseries ever made.The casting is great all of the men(some of whom were unknowns) are great in the film, but the scene stealers is Leon as the group's lead singer David Ruffin. The songs and script are very good and the film is very heartbreaking in some moments. But all in all a great music movie.

I have not been so emotionally involved in a television film in a long time,but along comes this charming,insightful,and wonderful film. The cast does a superb job. I never knew much about the temps, one of the greatest groups of all time, had so much strife and personal pain.This movie is an instant classic. I have a much better appreciation for their impact on rock and roll history after seeing this movie.