• Black Nativity (2013)

    Langston (Jacob Latimore), a Baltimore teen raised by a single mother (Jennifer Hudson), travels to New York City to spend the Christmas holiday with estranged relatives, the Rev. Cornell Cobbs (Forest Whitaker) and his wife, Aretha (Angela Bassett). However, Langston soon finds that Cobbs has strict rules, and the youth is unwilling to follow them. Instead, he sets out on a return journey to his mother and finds the value of faith, healing and family along the way.

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Black Nativity
48
metacriticBased on 29 Critics
53
Based on 9 Users

Release Date: November 27th, 2013

DVD Release Date: April 15th, 2014

PG |1 hr 33 min

Plot Summary

Langston (Jacob Latimore), a Baltimore teen raised by a single mother (Jennifer Hudson), travels to New York City to spend the Christmas holiday with estranged relatives, the Rev. Cornell Cobbs (Forest Whitaker) and his wife, Aretha (Angela Bassett). However, Langston soon finds that Cobbs has strict rules, and the youth is unwilling to follow them. Instead, he sets out on a return journey to his mother and finds the value of faith, healing and family along the way.

Cast: Forest Whitaker, Angela Bassett, Jennifer Hudson, Tyrese Gibson, Jacob Latimore, Mary J. Blige, Nas , Vondie Curtis Hall

Director: Kasi Lemmons

Genres: Musical , Drama

Production Co: Wonderful Films, Maven Pictures

Distributors: 20th Century Fox

Keywords: Love, Heartwarming, Lighthearted, New York City, Family, Temptation, Mother, Melodramatic, Quest, 2010s

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Ratings & Reviews

  • 68
    Film.com

    While the film certainly targets a particular audiences, those viewers who don’t fall squarely into that demographic should nevertheless find the film pleasant enough, its pastoral ambitions compensating for its lack of finesse. show more

  • 65
    Mark JenkinsNPR

    Like "Eve's Bayou," her best-known movie, Kasi Lemmons' Black Nativity presents a child's view of a troubled family. The latter film is sweeter and slenderer, but that's only to be expected. show more

  • 50
    Stephen FarberThe Hollywood Reporter

    This holiday extravaganza with an all-star cast has a lot of failings. But it seems likely to tap into the audience’s enthusiasm for uplifting entertainment. show more

See all critic reviews on metacritic.com