The Five Heartbeats

Name: The Five Heartbeats
Genre: Drama, Music
Released: 1991-03-29
Cast: Robert Townsend, Michael Wright, Leon, Harry Lennix, Tico Wells

1991 | 121 min | Drama, Music

Monday Morning Maybeearly rating

Why it’s a Monday Morning Maybe

With just 39% on Rotten Tomatoes and soft box office, this one could be a tough watch. Keep your phone handy.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Is it for you?

Who'll love it: Made for anyone who loves a strong drama.
The mood: Thoughtful and character-driven.
The pace: Takes its time with its characters, at 2 hr 1 min.
What might put you off: Rated R: meant for adults.

In the early 1960s, a quintet of hopeful, young African-American men form an amateur vocal group called The Five Heartbeats. After an initially rocky start, the group improves, turns pro, and rises to become a top flight music sensation. Along the way, however, the guys learn many hard lessons about the reality of the music industry.

How it earned its rating

CriticsWeak
39% on Rotten Tomatoes
AudiencesNot counted
Not measured yet: not enough ratings
AwardsNot counted
Awards data unavailable, so this isn't counted
Reach & staying powerBelow par
Streaming release that reached a small audience so far; still draws a steady audience long after release
Buzz & cultural impactSolid
About 127K people sought it out in the past year