The Temptations (1998)

Memorable, crazy movie

Tells a fascinating and unsettling true story, and does so well, without pretending to have all the answers.

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

This film is so real. It treats its characters with so much care and sensitivity.

Since i've been knocking on the door of the music industry for years, I've become a voracious watcher of music biopics. Anything from bix Beiderbecke to Glenn miller to Mozart to little Richard i've seen and enjoyed while trying to take something away from those movies that will help me in my quest. In fact, at this very minute i'm watching Beyond the Sea for the umpteenth time.I had actually forgotten about the temps. My deepest memory of them was the mistake i thought they had made when they recorded, Ball of Confusion. I thought they had lost their crossover appeal with the song, because it seemed a bit too bitter, unlike Marvin Gaye's album, Inner City Blues which was more of a cry for help, than Ball of Confusion's complaints and accusations. And I still think that that song along with the departure of David Ruffin ruined their 'pop' appeal and afterwards they were consigned to their base... 'soul', category.Although I am quite positive that much of information in the movie contained facts that I had long forgotten. One of the revelations to me were the number of things that I had never known. The main problems with biopics is that a life or should I say, lives, rarely conform to the plot points we have become used to when watching movies. This movie does. And does it with a twist. And does it with humour and tragedy and spirit and drama and most of all, humanity. I was mesmerized by this movie. It seemed to me that a big part of my childhood was being explained to me for the first time as an adult. And for the first time I understood it.Extraordinary talented performers, being able to both act and sing at such a high professional level. I did remember the temps songs enough to tell when the actors were singing and when they were lip singing. My only disappointment being that it was a TV movie as opposed to a real movie. All in all, though, it was a first rate movie, a must see for ANY music lover and a should see for anyone who likes good movies.

I'm a 28 year old who happens to have an old soul; and LOVE the classic R&B of the 60s, 70s & 80s. Therefore, it was only a matter of time before I watched The Temptations. After watching it, however, I must say that it left a bad taste in my mouth. Obviously, I wasn't around during this time so I don't even have a story/rumor of my own to compare to what's portrayed here. But seeing that Otis Williams is the only surviving original member, that it's based on the book that he wrote, and that he's one of the executive producers of this film...there's a HUGE slant in his favor; making this film very disingenuous.The other people involved in this story, including Eddie Kendricks, David Ruffin, and Paul Williams, obviously can't defend themselves or tell their side of the story; so anything shown here has to be taken with a grain of salt. Otis comes off as a complete saint. Oh, okay.....so he cheated on his wife; compared to everybody else's problems that's nothing. Not to trivialize adultery one bit, the image being portrayed here about him being the glue that kept the group together, and him being the level head throughout....I could not help but be VERY skeptical about what I was seeing. I must say that it left a pretty bad taste in my mouth. I know everything about "artistic license" and whatnot, but this is too much. How did Otis know that Paul drove by Hitsville before killing himself? Or that David was at a crack-house, therefore missing the reunion show? His character narrates some of these scenes as if he was a fly on the wall while they were happening. There are a few scenes like this, which just SCREAMS 'bulls_*t'.I find it basically deplorable that he would slant everything in his favor like this. I find a lot of what's portrayed here hard to believe. As far as him being the anchor of the group; he never sang lead in a song, he was always backup singing and wasn't even that great a dancer. Yet HE calls ALL of the shots and doesn't fall victim to ANY of the pressures of show business (minus adultery)?? Insanity. With all of that said, the acting was brilliant; Leon and Christian Payton especially.The Temptations' influence on music and inner turmoil alone makes for an intriguing story for a film. Unfortunately for us, we can only get one side of the story, and I for one refuse to swallow this pill; as it just reeks of inaccuracies and self-serving fluff by Otis Williams.5/10

I love, love, love this movie. It's awesome and the actors who played the Temptations were incredible! I loved Christian Payton and Terron Brooks, and the others were great too. It's a sad movie, and also a funny one too. I know every single line of that movie, and every time I watch it, the part almost at the end when Paul kills himself makes me cry every freaking time. I just love that movie, it's my favorite. The director did a great job. I would definitely recommend this movie to everybody who loves The Temptations. I have two copies of this movie, so I have a backup if the other one gets scratched up. This movie is so good that i watch it almost every night and I still don't get bored by it, it's that good.

I loved this movie, I have seen it 3 times. At the end when Smokey Robinson sings "goodbye my buddy, goodbye my friend"..........oh my gosh the tears just roll!!!! I would watch it again. To see these men work so hard to get where they got was so satisfying. ANd the characters looked so much like the real people. I just loved the whole thing....and you could just see the bond that they had. They loved each other, even through the bad times. When David Ruffin fell on hard times, they still loved him. Otis was only looking out for the group, you could see in his face he hated sending him away. SO to the Temptations, may you always be in our hearts..........