The Five Heartbeats (1991)

Very best movie i ever watch

Fanciful, disturbing, and wildly original, it announces the arrival of a fresh, bold voice in American cinema.

The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.

The Five Heartbeats is about five best friends who formed a singing group in high school. The quintet participates in a local monthly talent show with hopes of being discovered. A talent scout unexpectedly sees potential in The Heartbeats and decides to offer them a deal, work with them for a month and, subsequently becomes their manager. After weeks of rehearsal the manager arranges another performance at a more competitive talent show. The group wins the contest and stumbles across a record deal the same night. With the record deal, the boys also get a chance to professionally record their original song. As their career progresses, The Heartbeats struggle with discrimination, substance abuse, and betrayal. The Five Heartbeats offers an entertaining yet didactic depiction of the untold story regarding the problems in the Black American music industry during segregated times. The first example of problems in the Black music industry is racial issues due to "separate but equal" laws and segregation in the South. After recording their first single, a record distributing company suggested that the song did not fit the group and continued to advise the song be given to an all Caucasian male group. Needless to say, The Heartbeats all but agreed and became even more enraged that the record's cover originally did not have a picture of the group but instead a picture of a Caucasian family at a beach. Because of the low budget the record company gave them while touring, The Heartbeats had to stay in the cheapest areas and survive under rural conditions. To add insult to injury, some of their touring caused The Heartbeats to have shows in the South. While driving the tour car with the group's name and title of their first single, they are unreasonably stopped by the police. The police have The Heartbeats stand outside of the vehicle, ruffle through their belongings and make them sing out of spite and ridicule. The next example of problems in the Black music industry would be drug and alcohol abuse. Lead singer, Eddie Cane Jr., begins to cope with stress and pressure by using alcohol and illegal drugs as many vocal performers have in history. Along with the owner of the record company came a cocaine dealer making drug use enticing to Eddie. Eddie's use of drugs does not alleviate his problems but instead worsens them. He loses his beloved girlfriend, his spot as lead singer, and his melodic voice which also removes his purpose in The Five Heartbeats. Eddie attempts to use Big Red, CEO of Big Red Records, to convince the manager to keep him as the lead singer which may have been Big Red's ulterior motive. However, it turns out unsuccessful and Eddie's once affluent lifestyle immediately declines. The final example of problems in the Black music industry is the motif of betrayal. By trying to persuade Eddie to go against Jimmy, Big Red has an agenda of his own to take over as manager of The Five Heartbeats. J.T. Matthews, brother of Donald Matthews, goes after Donald's fiancée, declaring their love for each other to be untrue because of his feelings for her. Because of Eddie's decline in vocal talent, The Five Heartbeats are forced to find another lead singer, Flash. After using the group to bring his name up, Flash makes an attempt to become a solo artist leaving the group without a lead singer once again. Subsequent to all of the hurt the group has been through Donald removes himself along with Flash never to be heard from again. I personally enjoy this movie because of its entertaining aspects as well as its detailed look into the music industry since that is my desired career. The minor roles and musical selections in the film are what make it entertaining. I would definitely recommend this film for anyone that loves musicals.

Some people run at the first sight of stormy weather ... But SOME people hold on and work it out together." -- Breakout lyric from the movie's soundtrack.This movie has absolutely everything.It's got comedy of all sorts, yet this movie really isn't a comedy.And it's got compelling moments that'll make you think and make you feel some kinda way about given relatable characters and life circumstances, yet I wouldn't exactly fit this movie into a mold of your typical drama."The Five Heartbeats" is the loosely autobiographical tale of the rise, fall and ultimately triumph in life of a hit five-man R&B group from the 1960s (my father and uncles have an ongoing debate about whether this group's experiences were based upon The Temptations, The Four Tops or The Dells).This movie seems like a real-enough, real life story about how money, fame and stardom can breed distrust, hate, disloyalty and an assortment of shady dealings that could undue any family relationship or close friendship.The story follows five young men who start out as close friends who share a common passion and talent: singing.Of course, they get "discovered" but as they start to and eventually make it big, they discover their moment at the top is filled with tragedy, anger, addictions and deceptions of all kinds -- realities totally different from the starry-eyed images they'd had of "making it big" once upon a time.Overall, this movie is very much uplifting because, while it takes a life time, these five friends eventually overcome the past and learn some invaluable life lessons.This is a movie for families -- the plot and various scenes will be interpreted differently by kids and adults, however, both demographics will be able to relate to this movie's overall theme and message.Fame and fortune are fleeting. Friendships -- good friendships -- are priceless. This is a movie that was out and out ignored by Hollwyood. Easily Robert Townsend's best film and deserving of Academy Award consideration. Awesome acting, brilliant writing and a blazingly inspiring soundtrack. This movie is the complete package. Guaranteed crowd-pleasing movie and one you can watch over and over and over, and not get tired of.Probably one of the best movies I've ever seen

This was one of the cleanest movies I have seen in a long time. It just goes to show you, it doesn't take boobs and exploited sex to enjoy a movie. And I just love how to DUCK forgave his brother JT for the ultimate sin. It was an outstanding movie I rate this movie 10000000000! The way the movie was portrayed you wouldn't have guessed it was fictitious. But if you think about it it's portraying a signing group from the 60's that went through so many trails and tests. One of the biggest test to me they had to go thourgh was letting their best friend Eddie go after all they been through together as a group. they thought it was no hope for Eddie it was amazing how Eddie changed his life after hitting rock bottom.

To the guy who questioned the racism in the movie.... you need to do a little homework, cause that was all truth. Although the movie was a fictionalized account, the racist elements shown were very much true.The idea that it couldn't have taken place in the "60's", of all possible timeframes, is absurd and quite ludicrous. All of the major black acts from the 60's were subject to racism where they were treated poorly when off stage. ALL used the service entrance, or kitchen, to enter the venue in which they played. I'm talking Marvin Gaye, Sam Cooke, the temptations, Diana Ross and the Supremes, Jackie Wilson, Stevie Wonder.... you name 'em.The practice of fronting songs recorded by blacks with white groups was commonplace in the 50's-60's. Unfortunately, many racist whites didn't want their music to have a black face on it.Do your homework prior to debunking historical fact.The movie is THE all time music themed rags-to-riches film ever made.