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Black Nativity

  • 2013
  • Tous publics
  • 1h 33m
IMDb RATING
4.8/10
2.5K
YOUR RATING
Black Nativity (2013)
A street-wise teen from Baltimore who has been raised by a single mother travels to New York City to spend the Christmas holiday with his estranged relatives, where he embarks on a surprising and inspirational journey.
Play trailer1:57
26 Videos
26 Photos
DramaFamilyMusicMusical

A street-wise teen from Baltimore who has been raised by a single mother travels to New York City to spend the Christmas holiday with his estranged relatives, where he embarks on a surprisin... Read allA street-wise teen from Baltimore who has been raised by a single mother travels to New York City to spend the Christmas holiday with his estranged relatives, where he embarks on a surprising and inspirational journey.A street-wise teen from Baltimore who has been raised by a single mother travels to New York City to spend the Christmas holiday with his estranged relatives, where he embarks on a surprising and inspirational journey.

  • Director
    • Kasi Lemmons
  • Writers
    • Langston Hughes
    • Kasi Lemmons
  • Stars
    • Forest Whitaker
    • Angela Bassett
    • Jennifer Hudson
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    4.8/10
    2.5K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Kasi Lemmons
    • Writers
      • Langston Hughes
      • Kasi Lemmons
    • Stars
      • Forest Whitaker
      • Angela Bassett
      • Jennifer Hudson
    • 23User reviews
    • 38Critic reviews
    • 48Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 2 wins & 5 nominations total

    Videos26

    Trailer #2
    Trailer 1:57
    Trailer #2
    Trailer #1
    Trailer 1:41
    Trailer #1
    Trailer #1
    Trailer 1:41
    Trailer #1
    Black Nativity: Do You Know My Dad?
    Clip 1:00
    Black Nativity: Do You Know My Dad?
    Black Nativity: Evicted
    Clip 0:48
    Black Nativity: Evicted
    Black Nativity: Church
    Clip 0:55
    Black Nativity: Church
    Black Nativity: Manager
    Clip 1:38
    Black Nativity: Manager

    Photos26

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    Top cast92

    Edit
    Forest Whitaker
    Forest Whitaker
    • Reverend Cornell Cobbs
    Angela Bassett
    Angela Bassett
    • Aretha Cobbs
    Jennifer Hudson
    Jennifer Hudson
    • Naima
    Mary J. Blige
    Mary J. Blige
    • Angel
    Tyrese Gibson
    Tyrese Gibson
    • Loot…
    Jacob Latimore
    Jacob Latimore
    • Langston
    Nas
    Nas
    • Street Prophet (Isaiah)
    • (as Nasir Jones)
    Vondie Curtis-Hall
    Vondie Curtis-Hall
    • Pawnbroker
    • (as Vondie Curtis Hall)
    Luke James
    Luke James
    • Jo-Jo…
    Grace Gibson
    • Maria…
    Rotimi
    Rotimi
    • Officer Butch McDaniels
    J. Mallory McCree
    J. Mallory McCree
    • Kyle
    Henry Hunter Hall
    Henry Hunter Hall
    • Snoopy
    • (as H. Hunter Hall)
    Michael Dale
    Michael Dale
    • Innkeeper
    Doug Willen
    Doug Willen
    • Chic Man
    Sorika Wolf
    Sorika Wolf
    • Chic Man's Mistress
    • (as Sorika Horng)
    Jason Samuels Smith
    Jason Samuels Smith
    • Hotel Security Guard
    C. Kelly Wright
    • Desperate Pawnshop Woman
    • Director
      • Kasi Lemmons
    • Writers
      • Langston Hughes
      • Kasi Lemmons
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews23

    4.82.4K
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    Featured reviews

    6r96sk

    Just average

    I was, for the most part, feeling pleasant enough about this... until that ending.

    It's not that 'Black Nativity' ends badly, it's just so incredibly forced and cringeworthy. It's a Christmas film so I guess I could cut it some slack, but I feel it could've concluded things much better. Some of the character decisions felt odd at times, also.

    One of the reasons as to why I was actually finding this satisfactory throughout is the cast - loads of recognisable and likeable faces. Forest Whitaker (Cornell) is honestly great, his performance is the only one I'd class as anything over 'good'. Jacob Latimore (Langston) and Angela Bassett (Aretha) are the best of the rest, though I always like watching 'Fast & Furious' star Tyrese Gibson act too.

    All in all, nothing positive or negative... just average.
    8hisnamillion

    Very Happy With This Production

    I really would have given it a higher rating but I wasn't 100% crazy about all of the singing. I loved the story line and the cast was phenomenal. Overall everyone did a really good job with the acting and singing. So many of my favorites in one film is really a treat. I will be telling everyone I know about this movie.It should be watched by all who value family and faith. This situation plagues many minority homes. Holding on to the anger, hurt of misunderstandings for years when it can be fixed with communication, respect, honesty and forgiveness.I wasn't sure about whether it would be good in the beginning but very pleased I stuck it out and even got my hubby-to-be to watch it with me and he liked it also.
    5kevin_robbins

    This is a fairly average Christmas picture that doesn't live up to its potential

    Black Nativity (2013) is a movie I recently watched on Tubi. The storyline follows a young man whose mom recently came on financial hardships right before Christmas. She sends the boy to live with grandparents he's never met. The grandparents try to teach him values and explain why they and his mother had a falling out. Meanwhile, the boy is trying to find money any way he can to save his mother's circumstances and return to her.

    This movie is directed by Kasi Lemmons (Eve's Bayou and Harriett) and stars Forest Whitaker (Jingle Jangle), Angela Bassett (Strange Days), Jennifer Hudson (Dream Girls), Tyrese Gibson (Fast and Furious), Jacob Latimore (Detroit) and Vondie Curtis-Hall (Broken Arrow).

    The storyline for this is just okay and has numerous cliché elements but is still worth following. There's some good songs and cameos sprinkled in throughout the movie. The movie unfolds well and I really enjoyed the conclusion.

    Overall this is a fairly average Christmas picture that doesn't live up to its potential. I would score this a 5/10 and recommend seeing it once.
    wutzmycosecant2

    Blacktastic!

    What can I say of this wonderful piece of cinematic gold? I was hooked from the inaugural bundle of photons emitted from that silver screen which darted across the darkened theater, striking my rods and cones, stimulating my visual cortex into effervescent fits of orgiastic black biblical entertainment.

    Not since Tyler Perry's latest classic have I witness such an incredible ensemble of all black Christian-rivisionism, which adheres in no way to Christian theological scholarship.

    This film, I'm convinced, along with Tyler Perry's eschatological works, will forever be remembered as the uniting impetus which was portended in the great words of Malcolm X, "There can be no black-white unity until there is first some black unity."

    TL;DR - Black science, black "christian" folk customs, tyler perry, malcolm x, fist.
    5jordondave-28085

    Like something one might find in the Hallmark channel

    (2013) Black Navity FAMILY MUSICAL DRAMA

    Langston(Jacob Latimore) finds out that both him and his single mother, Naimi (Jennifer Hudson) are going to be evicted from their apartment in Baltimore. She then orders him to stay with her estranged grandparents, Cornell Cobbs (Forest Whittaker) and his wife Aretha (Angela Bassett) he never knew he had living in the Bronx. Misunderstandings, misconceptions as well as revelations arise as movie progresses.

    If you like Hallmark family films then this film is for you, but for the rest of us, i like something that is more challenging than listening to life lessons.

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      This film is one of the rare occasions when Forest Whitaker lends his tenor voice for a film.
    • Quotes

      Aretha Cobbs: The Lord's greatest gift must be to live a life without regrets. But we're so human.

    • Connections
      Featured in Chelsea Lately: Episode #7.179 (2013)
    • Soundtracks
      Coldest Town
      Written by Raphael Saadiq, Taura Stinson and Kasi Lemmons

      Performed by Jacob Latimore

      Arranged by Raphael Saadiq, Taura Stinson and Dylan Wiggins

      Additional Vocal Production Taura Stinson

      Additional Programming Joseph "Bedrock" Epperson

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    FAQ20

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • August 27, 2014 (France)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Official site
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Чорне Різдво
    • Filming locations
      • New York City, New York, USA
    • Production companies
      • Bob Industries
      • Maven Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $17,500,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $7,018,189
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $3,669,530
      • Dec 1, 2013
    • Gross worldwide
      • $7,454,185
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 33m(93 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
      • SDDS
      • Datasat
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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