Synopsis: Praise This follows aspiring musical superstar Sam (Chloe Bailey), a young woman driven, at almost any cost, to break into the music business. So, when her father (Philip Fornah; Richard Jewel, Better Call Saul), worried that Sam is associating with a dangerous crowd, moves them from Los Angeles to Atlanta to live with Sam’s sunny cousin, Jess (Anjelika Washington; Stargirl, Tall Girl franchise), Sam is …not happy. But when Sam is forced to join her cousin’s struggling, underdog praise team in the lead-up to a national championship competition, she sees an opportunity to finally make her dreams come true. What she discovers, though, is that ambition can command a high price and that praise is not about glory, but gratitude.
In all industries and every facet of life, there comes a time when someone or something new comes along that may threaten your position, or purpose, or make you feel unsafe and insecure. However, if you believe in yourself and your abilities, and trust the process, everything will work out as it should. And if nothing else, it will motivate you to reach new levels of potential. Change is constant and regularly necessary when in the right direction. All you can do is adapt and thrive or fight back when it’s wrong.
“When my mom died, I stopped talking to God.”
When you feel it in your spirit, sometimes you just have to sing. Written and directed by Tina Gordon, Praise This is an entertaining and uplifting spiritual invitation to Gen Z. Highlighted by comedic and heartfelt moments, amazing voices, and that pettiness that you can only find at church, even those of us who avoid religion at all cost will have a great time. This collection plate comprised of prominent aspects of The Fresh Prince of Bel-air, The Fighting Temptations, and Pitch Perfect, it’s an incredibly enjoyable music-infused journey from beginning to end. Led by the strong performance of Chloe Bailey, the film focuses on finding your way back to faith after feeling that there is nothing left to believe in. Additionally, the acceptance of those who may have been searching for guidance as they venture down the wrong path is another priority. It’s not overly preachy or condemning suggesting that you must go to church or burn for eternity, but rather that the church and god’s grace are here for you when you are ready. With the praise competition as its vehicle, the messaging is mostly subtle while the vibrancy and enjoyment are first and foremost. For those that feel unsure, Praise This may have made Christianity cool again.
“When you don’t believe in yourself, you’ll do some desperate shit.”
This film may be for the culture with its references, lingo, and music, but as always, there’s a welcome mat laid out for anyone that wants to take a peek, gain understanding, and laugh with us. This isn’t your typical clean-cut dismissive Christian story that rejects non-believers, instead, it brings everyone along to the singing competition. Moreover, the film can be simply viewed through the lens of said competition. As a humble team with an unconventional Pastor continues to lose annually to a team of snobs who love to let everyone know that they are superior, you want not more than to see our protagonists sit them down. However, when a reluctant and selfish newcomer named Sam shows up with a voice that can move mountains, she may be the key to winning this year’s national championship. The only downside is that gospel music is nowhere near what she wants to sing as she intends to be signed to a record label. Featuring plenty of familiar faces such as Druski, Quavo, Mack Wilds, Koryn Hawthorne, Cocoa Brown, and of course its star, this can and should be a family affair. With positive themes like redemption, forgiveness, and confidence, the message is universal. The soundtrack is bumpin’, the performances are pleasing, and the musical scenes are what keep you in your seat. You might just end up with new songs that you’ll want to download. After the 2022s hilarious comedy, Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul, also on Peacock, it seems that these types of films just work. As someone who isn’t traditionally religious, I enjoyed this film and I believe that you will as well. Its rewatchability is high.
Pacing & Pop
To much delight, the pacing of this film is increasingly more lively than anticipated. It starts quickly and maintains that same speed throughout, ensuring there are no dull moments. What popped for me were the fantastic voices on display. Even if you didn’t like the film, you’d love the voices. Their melodic, powerful, and soulful voices paired with popular beats from well-known songs, it’s hard not to feel it in your spirit.
Characters & Chemistry
Starring: Chloe Bailey, Druski, Anjelika Washington, Quavo, Tristan Mack Wilds, Birgundi Baker, Crystal Hayslett, Loren Lott, Jekalyn Carr, Koryn Hawthorne
The performances are fun and light. Chloe Bailey is continuing to grow her acting ability and is getting substantially better with each outing. In this role as Sam, she does a great job as the rebellious angsty young woman. The biggest surprise for me was the performance of Druski as Aaron. He proved that he is not just a funny influencer but is taking acting seriously. And I loved seeing him represent for the big guys as a heartthrob. Anjelika Washington also put on a great and hilarious performance. Their chemistry was pretty effortless. Also, for what I believe is his first substantial role, Quavo did a decent job,
Praise This premieres exclusively on Peacock on April 7, 2023. Remain safe and RIP Takeoff.
Rated: TV-14 L
Runtime: 1h 53m
Director: Tina Gordon
Writers: Tina Gordon and Brandon Broussard & Hudson Obayuwana and Jana Salvage
Producers: Will Packer, Tim Story, Sharla Sumpter Bridgett, James Lopez
Executive Producers: Preston Holmes, Johanna Byer
Praise This is an entertaining and uplifting spiritual invitation to Gen Z
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GVN Rating 7
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User Ratings (1 Votes)
6.3