The Five Heartbeats 2021 | 480p |

The music is often cited as the film's "sixth heartbeat," featuring tracks that became real-world R&B staples:

★★★★½ (Essential Viewing for Music Lovers) Runtime: 2 hours, 1 minute Director: Robert Townsend Tagline: To make it, they sold their souls. To keep it, they needed a miracle. The Five Heartbeats

The film's impact extends beyond its commercial success, however. The Five Heartbeats has been credited with helping to inspire a new generation of musicians and music lovers. The film's portrayal of the challenges faced by young African American musicians during the 1960s resonated with many viewers, and its message of perseverance and dedication continues to inspire to this day. The music is often cited as the film's

The final shot of the film—the five men, older and gray, standing in a basement, singing "Nothin’ But Love" to a room of a dozen people—is not sad. It is triumphant. Because the music never really stopped. It just changed keys. The Five Heartbeats has been credited with helping

Written and directed by Robert Townsend (who also co-stars as the group’s wild man, Duck), the film follows the rise and fall of The Heartbeats: five young Black men from Ohio who go from street-corner harmonies to national fame, only to be torn apart by ego, addiction, betrayal, and the brutal machinery of the music industry.

If you have seen it, it is time for a rewatch. Look for the nuance you missed as a teenager—the subtle racism of the white record label owner, the complexity of Duck's relationship with his wife, the quiet sacrifice of Dresser.