The Preacher’s Wife (1996)

Directed by: Penny Marshall

Starring: Denzel Washington, Whitney Houston, and Loretta Devine

There’s a good reason they say that clergymen are married to the church.  The only thing they really have time to do is the work of the Lord.  When Reverend Henry Biggs (Courtney B. Vance), the pastor of a struggling Baptist church in a poverty-stricken community in New York City, realizes that his marriage to his wife Julia (Whitney Houston) is on the rocks, he does what any man of the cloth would do.  He prays to the good Lord for some help for both his church and his family.  God answers his call and sends him an angel named Dudley (Denzel Washington) to assist him.  The reverend, however, does not see Dudley’s services as divine intervention in his life.  He thinks Dudley is just some nice guy.  As Dudley fulfills his mission to help the reverend out in all aspects of his life, he encounters one problem.  He is falling in love with Henry’s wife Julia. 

If you are looking for a Christmas film with plenty of heart and plenty of good music, you need to look no further than The Preacher’s Wife.  You get the one-two punch of acting heavyweight Denzel Washington and singing heavyweight Whitney Houston (when she could sing) in this fun, romantic Christmas film.  With these two, you will undoubtedly get that warm, fuzzy feeling that you should get from watching any Christmas movie.  In addition, you’ll get some phenomenal music along the way.  The Preacher’s Wife gets a 0.03% rating.  Don’t you dare open up a bottle of something other than a wine cooler during this churchy holiday movie!