She is gonna play Serena and Venus' mother in Will Smith's biopic about their father. Aunjanue is an amazing actress. She just doesn't get the recognition. She is very slept on.
@@myeshanealon I thought it was her watching the preview but watching the movie I could tell that it wasn't her but, my God, the resemblance is uncanny.
The sisters said that Dr. Mattie couldnt afford a tape recorder so when she got a melody on her head she used the girls as her tape recorder so when she would teach the choir the songs and she couldnt remember the girls would sing it at rehearsal for everybody
Twinkie was the most sheltered. All she got to do was go to church, play, pray, and go home. Had her barely at school. She never got to experience enough of the world to know about men like John. She lowkey picked a man like her dad bc that was what was familiar to her.
Honey, to be honest that was the life of MANY of us COGIC/holiness/ pentecostal kids growing up in that era! My sisters and I couldn't wear pants, makeup, sleeveless clothes, couldn't go to movies, games, NOTHING! etc. Mothers were just strict like that; not only your own mama but you could get it from the church mothers too. The Pastors and elders were super strict back then! There were many a Monday and Wednesday mornings of being super sleepy in school from being in church all night long. I had the privilege of seeing Dr Clark in action at the Holy Convocations in Memphis and when she came to our home churches for workshops (which were popular back then) and must say that the young lady that played her really embodied Dr Clark! I hope she wins every award the movie is eligible for!
@@michellelove34 are you still with the church? A lot of COGIC and ex-COGIC members are on Twitter telling their traumatic stories. Sounds like the perfect environment to cultivate abuse and everything else we saw in the movie. Smh.
Jai Joseph Yes very true also them beefing with each other was sad. At the same time why was they treated like they were 13 year old little girls not like grown women ? that part confused me
Shenice Says I think Twinkie sold that catalog on purpose the poor child just wanted out from under the pressure I felt real bad for her you could actually see some of her pain in the actress’s eyes who portrayed her
Aunjanue Ellis played the mess out of Dr. Mattie Moss Clark. She needs a Primetime Emmy Award for her performance. She always been a good actress. She should be on the same level as Angela Bassett and Viola Davis.
Absolutely!!!!! I have a feeling this is going to set all of these LADIES up for many MORE acting and SINGING roles. I would LOVE for Ki Ki to play Effie in a Broadway revival of DREAM GIRLS!!! We would forget about both Jennifer's!!!! Trust and Believe. She would make Effie her OWN. She is actually a fine actress.
He and Twinkie are divorced but still close. He says that they got heated and yelled and carried on but he never touched her. Pastor Clark was there with Mattie. Twinkie was not there. The only person alive that was there is him. He went by the house to get their mail and Mattie had opened it all and he told her she was wrong and she went off on him.
Roy james yea I kinda wanted to stomp a mud hole in him myself but I may not be true you know they embellished it a little she may have slipped when he pulled Twinkie away from her it’s just TV in real life you don’t roll up in somebody’s house and do something like that without repercussions I don’t believe dude was that stupid
The movie was good but I wish it was at least 2 parts or 3 it's a lot they didn't cover the end felt rushed. We didn't get neither version of Balm in Gilead or Jesus Is a Love Song. Would have loved for them to recreate Finally Karen.
@omega Owens it was 2 hours and 30 mins. Ashley was saying an hour in error. They really could have done a part 2 bc it would be nice to see the "after"
they really breezed right on through Karen's whole coma...i said the same, they rushed through everything post Dr. Moss and its not like there wasn't content.
The actress that portrayed Dorinda Clark, for those that aren’t familiar, her name is Sheléa. Beautiful singer. If anybody watches the Terrell Show, she was featured in an episode last year.
@@joshuamcdowell5782 That Girl can SING or say SANG as well as the lady that played Twinkie!!! She is a DEAD ringer for Jill Scott!!! Can you say Jill Scott Bio. I saw both of them on the Terrell SHOW!!! Phenomenal BEASTS!!!
Mom did not teach them to be independent thinkers. That is why she was not able to be a critical thinker. They were mentally handicapped in some ways. She treated them like children.
@@mspinkytee Quiet as kept, just because you have a lot of STUFF, doesn't mean you have it all together. The bible says what is it worth to gain the world and lose your soul
Aunjennue Ellis, the actress who played Dr. Mattie, my God!! She needs all the awards. I just, this was a great movie. My mom's friend who knew them said Dr. Mattie was a cold piece. Their music is totally on the soundtrack to my childhood, such talents.
Denise did a interview last year with larry Reid and she said 1 of her sisters was very nasty, rude and down right mean to her when she was pregnant and even would not acknowledge her. But in the interview she(denise) would not name which sister it was out of fear the sister would be ridiculed now. All this time i was thinking it was karen or jackie because she(denise) still got beef with jackie, but to find out that the sister Denise was talking about was Dorinda is so mind blowing. Its sad that they are 70 years old and still fighting. Unfortunately this type of treat happened with my mothers siblings. They were raised very strict Pentecostal/holiness and it was 8 boys 7 girls and my mom got pregnant at 15 and she had 1 sister that gave her a very hard time and they would make her feel like she brought such shame upon the family. Now that there older most of them ditched the "Religion" aspect of the church and get along now.. I would never treat anyone like that let alone family..
They showed Do' being that during the biopic... I'm glad that they acknowledged Denise throughout the movie and at the end when the final scene changed from the actors to the actual three sisters. Praying healing for them all.
LIFETIME DID THAT!! The casting was SPOT ON (especially with Kierra playing her mom, Karen)💖💖 Aunjanue Ellis needs an Emmy, Golden Globe, NAACP, BET Award, etc... cause she was PHENOMENAL as Dr. Mattie Moss Clark👏👏👏 The Clark Sisters movie was🔥🔥🔥, but the ending felt very rushed to stay within the 2 1/2 hour time frame. I wish Lifetime would've done with this film what BET did with The Bobby Brown Story, & made it a TWO NIGHT EVENT cause 2 1/2 hours wasn't enough!! Dr. Mattie Moss Clark was a strong woman who endured a lot, & poured all she had into her girls. Some of these pastors behind closed doors are TRASH, & their dad was the EPITOME OF TRASH! Every family has that ONE child that goes astray, & Denise was that ONE child😒☕ Twinkie wanted a life of her own so bad she settled, BUT, what pissed me off was that she allowed that TRASH push her mom down & STILL left with him!! Dr. Mattie Moss Clark died in 1994 of diabetes & I believe one of her legs were amputated! Jacky recently lost her husband after like 47 years of marriage😢 Denice was DISRESPECTFUL AF turning up at her mom's funeral, YES, they could've been more welcoming, BUT, that doesn't justify how she acted. In spite of it all, Jacky, Twinkie, Dorinda, & Karen are strong dynamic women with an UNMATCHED vocal range!!
Precious Williams the crazy part about Denise is the movie depicted her as the villain of the family. They didn’t even consult Denise about her role or scenes in the movie. Tbh Denise speaks about how all of the sisters except Twinkie leaves her out of stuff. When the Clark sisters dad died they left her out and when their mom died they tried to leave her out, but Denise speaks nothing of a turn up at the funeral. Then the way that Denise was depicted in leaving the group, that was so untrue. Denise peacefully left the group due to wanting to be a mom and not wanting to get an abortion like the rest of her sisters. She speaks on this as well, but overall the movie was good in making every Clark sister except Denise look good. But, they did Denise WRONG!!!!!!
Denise was definitely the black sheep of the family. But I loved the bond that she had with Twinkie. Twinkie was the only one of her sisters who didn't judge her or treated her differently.
They mentioned him briefly but it was about the daughters and mom.. and they probably had chose what to keep. Couldnt everything in 2.5 hrs. They def could give us a part 2
The Clark Sisters did an interview and said that when their mom woke them up, it was because God would give their mom a song when she was sleep. She would wake them up because they didn't have recorders to break down every part. The girls were practically her recorder. She also taught many churches to sing in soprano, alto, and tenor. Dr. Mattie Moss was the truth and added so much to the gospel world. She had gold records under the bed, and that was before the girls were singing for real!
@Candace candace Denise's son said that Dorinda was the one that had a mental breakdown and she has done interviews addressing that and failed suicide attempt.
Arletha Lewis she obviously went to school and studied basic music theory it’s very hard to effectively teach without it but she wouldn’t allow Twinkie to go I don’t think she actually invented 3 part harmony just probably the first to use it in traditional gospel
The scene where Denise told them she doesn’t find it difficult to love them was great. That’s born out of the fact that the sisters put conditions on love. Denise and the other sisters don’t really have a relationship to this day. There is a vid on RU-vid of Denise discussing the rift about a year ago. You can tell they judged Denise harshly with that funeral scene when they didn’t want her to ride with them.
Keegan Thorpe yes i felt really bad for her. They vilified her so bad. For having a baby That wasn’t good or right if anything they need to apologize to her. If they ever want this to be resolved.
Candace candace yes because to me it seemed like dorinda and jacks were the fast ones ...Denise was just tied of hiding it ...plus Denise had a baby by the bishop of the church..
Unfortunately Glynn Chisholm, Jacky's husband recently passed away in November 2019. The Clark sisters was on Terrell's RU-vid channel, and Jacky talked about her husband recently passed away. Jacky was married to her husband 46 years.
It’s sad for Dorinda to still have something in her heart for Denise. That’s her blood sister. I don’t know what’s goin on today with them, but for Dorinda to have God in her life and go around preaching she she check herself. Denise came back at her saying I still love you because you my sister. That was BIG!!!!!
Actually, they still don’t have the best relationship to this day. (Check out her recent interviews on Larry Reid Live channel) That’s part of the reason Ms. Denise chose not to be apart of this production. The producers did reach out to her (for legal reasons namely, I’m sure) but she never returned their calls. I wouldn’t have either, it should’ve been her sisters reaching out. Not a stranger asking to share the most intimate moments of your life. But hey, that’s what families go thru. Especially the “holy rollers”.
I think the overbearing nature of her mother and always being under her mother's thumb caused Twinkie to latch on the first person that showed her some affection. In the words of Sommore "Dick is a powerful thing". She never had a chance to be a teenager like the others, she was always working and this was her chance.
I said the same thing. She made some bad decisions because her mom had her following her around and not allowing her to have her on experiences. Then constantly telling her she was a child in grown women's body was so sad.
Andra And Twinkie never recovered from her mothers overbearing nature. They didn’t really go into much. But Twinkie had a mental breakdown back in the day. The actual documentary about them goes into more.
@@candaces2449 Yeah, I guess she did call her a child because that's what she wanted her to be instead of an independent person that God meant for her to be onced she became legal.
Does anyone wish that the movie touched on the ‘Finally Karen’ era? Seeing Karen (Kierra) reenact Balm in the Gilead and singing with her sisters! Pure gold! Jesus is a love song! Even Karen and her child going back and forth! Ugh I wish they did it!
Sooo I found Denise Clarks instagram today. Sis wasn’t apart of the movie AT ALL. She shared a post in April thanking the young lady that played her and stated that she wish they had met in person to get her full story. Seems as if the Dr Clark tried to pressure her into having abortions. She stressed that although the sisters have not spoken to her for years, she still love her sisters. I truly hope they come together at some point as a family. BUT as we know at times it best to live your own life. Denise wasn’t going to be a puppet for anyone, including her mother. The Bio was excellent!!!!
Lifetime finally got it right for once👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾. I was hooked immediately and didn’t even look at my phone-except for during commercials. I wish that it was a two day event.
Aunjanue NEEDS her flowers asap, this woman kills every role!!! Karen being played by her daughter was brilliant! I just wish it was longer like the Jackson 5 movie. AMAZING JOB!!
Larry Clark Denise’s son post the picture of his mom on IG walking into the funeral and he said in his live the funeral was worse than what the movie showed us. I grew up on The Clark sisters and it’s always been gossip about them in the 80s like them having abortions and being forced to get married because of unplanned pregnancy. Denise wasn’t the only fast one.
Yep! She said that she was the first one to have a baby. Noticed that she didn't say the first to get pregnant...Ooooo, chile the shade and the tea! LOL
I thought it was very messed up that the sisters we’re giving her dirty looks when she went up. I hope that was added on as a creative liberty. That was her mom too and she deserved to speak.
Some of their best singles are: You Brought The Sunshine Blessed and Highly Favored My Redeemer Liveth Looking to Get There Livin Is My Living In Vain Masterpiece Name It Claim It SN: Denise did an interview with Larry Reid Live and spilled a lot of tea
This is the second review of this movie I’ve seen so far...Ashley gurrrl you did a fantastic job with your review - the best one yet! The real funeral scene with Denise is on RU-vid and Twitter. Denise had the first three boys with different men - one is actually by a man who later became a Bishop in the church. Her younger four children were with her husband. The movie didn’t speak of Dr. Mattie’s eldest child - a son at all.
Lifetime also did a pretty good job on the movie about the friendship between Martin Luther Kings wife and Malcom X’s wife and the friendships of their children. That movie is called Betty and Coretta. That is a good movie too.
I agree! I think they got it right because the Clark Sisters were involved! Also having Missy, Mary, and Queen behind it gives it genuine and positive vibes! It makes a difference.
omega Owens They have expressed her unwillingness to participate in their recent projects and she has expressed not wanting to deal with Clark Sister business after her mothers passing. I think having 4/5 sisters involved is better than any of the previous lifetime biopics where the families are totally not involved, against it and hate it and say it’s all wrong. 🤷🏽♀️
omega Owens I totally respect your opinion. That was her decision just like it was her decision to not sign the contract and her decision to not continue being apart of the group and continued to have babies with a bishop out of wedlock. She made the decision to get up on stage at her mothers funeral and speak like she was there during her last days but admits to not having contact with her family many many years before the passing of her mother. Those sisters had to be hurt and every right to be upset with her but dont have to exaggerate it like they did in the movie. Im glad we have actual clips
Twinkie was sick around the time of the shoot for the end of the movie that’s why you didn’t see her at the end. She goes through health problems. Also dorinda was on live a yesterday with dr holly carter who had the vision to put this movie together and Missy Mary and Queen was all on the live chat and dorinda said that Twinkie is getting discouraged that she is unneeded and feels like she can write no more and that nobody wants to hear her anymore. But missy said that she went through the same thing and to hold on believe in yourself and tell God where your hurting and that she is needed people need to hear God through her pen 🖊 She’ll be alright
And it was TRUE! Selling her publishing for a car is one thing, but there is NO way in the world I'd have left town with a man that just pushed my "ailing" mother down. She could have still left the group, but that relationship should have been a "no go" at that point...
Girl this movie was good this was the only time lifetime network got a movie right perfectly cast the fact the actress was actually singing the Clarke sisters music I wasn’t surprised when the pastor was beating on the wife and his step daughter also I was upset at how they were estranged from their sister Denise
It was PHENOMENAL!! Latifah, Missy and Mary did it absolute justice and it was STELLAR!! Loved every minute of it and Aujanue Ellis deserves an award for that performance!!
Ashley I love you soooo much!! Cussing and all. The Clark Sisters are literally Black Church royalty. You better come on board!! LOL Have a super blessed Easter!!!
The movie should've been a miniseries because I needed more... I didn't like how they portrayed Denise because form my understanding she wasn't the only one jumping on that D she just didn't try to cover it up like the others
I forgot it was even coming on, but I'm watching now. This movie is great. I don't understand why people are acting all surprised that Aunjanue Ellis did a great job. She's always doing a great job in whatever she's in. I love how they casted people who can actually SANG!!!!
The comment Denise made to Jacky about not being a real Clark is/was shady. It was uncalled for, if that was a recurring thing I wouldn’t care for my sister like that either smh.
I loved the movie so much. I cried a few times. Some of the tears were from how beautiful the music was, memories of my childhood and a few sad scenes. All the actresses did well. Great review Ashley!!💕💕
Great review Ashley! Yes, Aunjanue is a true thespian! An ACTRESS! If you look up Dr. Moss Clark, man... Aunjanue has her down. Karen was in the hospital for “hernia “ surgery.
Funeral scene is inaccurate. Denise was actually on the program to speak at her moms funeral, she probably cut a rug then, but everyone knew she was going to be there. She was married before, and her first husband died... so she still had his last name at that time of her mothers death.
I was glued to the TV also! Awesome movie! I'm glad to know that on the end they said Denise is a Pastor and doing well. Although she didn't come back to the group. She missed a lot of that GOOD Money.
Actually during the 4 years they were on hiatus due to Twinkie's leaving and Dr, Clark's illness the 4 sisters and Dr. Clark DID Spent alot of time together. Twinkie and Dr Clark Continued to work Together in the COGIC Music Department
I grew up in the Church of God in Christ and sang in the international choir. I also have family members who have lived in Detroit for their entire lives and grew up around the Clark sisters and in the Church of God in Christ. I have been an admirer of the Clark sisters for most of my life, so while the movie was entertaining, it had a number of inaccuracies in it, especially in the portrayals of Twinkie and Denise. Twinkie didn’t abandon Dr. Clark in sickness but actually helped to take care of her mother while the other sisters were on the road, and Twinkie’s sisters loved and admired her for that. It would take too long to discuss the more accurate story about Denise, but the Clark sisters are a phenomenal singing group, and even with the movie’s inaccuracies, at least the sisters are finally being more widely exposed for their talent.
Bertchel Hardin I didn’t think Twinkie Abandon her mom either, wonder why the movie portrayed it like it did. When Twinkie man pushed the mom I lost it....😤😤😤😠😠
holyrocker I was very unhappy myself. Unfortunately, certain facts are completely removed or manipulated to sensationalize in order to increase viewership of fact-based movies. It all comes down to the almighty dollar. There was even a minor inaccuracy where Dr. Clark actually bought the pants for Karen as a gift and not Jackie. I know this as a fact because Karen shared the incident in an interview. The Clark Sisters are a beloved group, so I’m a bit surprised and disappointed that they allowed a substantial amount of misrepresentation about themselves. I am also disappointed that ALL of,these saved and sanctified sisters will not make peace. The movie portrayed Denise to be so rebellious and resentful, but the situation with Denise is deeper including the misrepresentation of her in the movie at Dr. Clark’s funeral. There are more recently uploaded interviews on RU-vid where Denise is sharing her side. There is not only one side of a story, and since Denise was not able to express her side in the movie, I don’t believe that she remained silent for decades to only suddenly begin spewing out a bunch of lies.
Nikel Wilson It’s refreshing that that there are some people like yourself in the faith who know about some inaccuracies in the movie. I deeply regret that so many people who are not a part of the Church of God in Christ or a part the body of Christ in general are walking away believing everything that they saw in the movie as facts. Even minor inaccuracies bothered me, as Dr. Clark bought a pantsuit for Karen, not Jackie, and Karen shared that story in an interview. In addition, Karen herself expressed in an Unsung episode that all of the sisters wanted to have more of a social life and were all interested in dating and in young men. The movie comes off to make Denise man crazy and rebellious as if the other sisters had no interest in a social life or men until they met their eventual husbands. I usually re-watch good movies multiple times after they are newly released on cable, and although the movie was interesting, I feel hurt and disappointed about the inaccuracies and have no desire to re-watch the movie. I know all too well about different secrets that are in the church, even in the grand old Church of God in Christ, and there are more open secrets about the Clark sisters including one about an in-law who was more interested in one sister but was steered to marry another one. I’m just saying. That certainly wasn’t in the movie.
Toni Braxton was first discovered solo but was convinced later to be in a group with her sisters after the producer heard them sing background for her. Toni was trying be solo from the start once she left home and went to college. Big difference.
@@tcg1972 that's partially correct. Toni was signed on her own and her mother told her she couldn't sign without her sisters. She convinced the label to sign them with her after having them sing background for her.
Not that any of the ladies that portrayed the sisters were ugly. With that said, the woman who played Denise looked nothing like her. She is the same complexion as her sisters. The hypocrisy of the sisters as they judge Denise is why I don’t listen to these tv preachers and gospel artist.
@Candace candace I'd say pretty colorists because the darkest sister was the outcast and portrayed the most negatively in the movie, but overall I liked the movie.
Everyone was saying Twinkie was wrong for selling the catalog for that Lincoln but she deserves something to all her other sisters getting engaged and whatever
They need to be mad at Twinkie and not Denise.... They got this thing straight backwards!!!! Y Dorinda not judging her and the other girls. It’s CRAZY for them to treat Denise like they do. And then tell the world about this. I wish somebody would touch my mama..... It’s ON!!!!!!!
I strongly feel you but Twinkie is the one who made them famous, so it was much easier to use Denise as a scapegoat and especially since the church shamed Denise for having a baby for a married bishop and then 2more out of wedlock
terricas1 you can youtube the funeral or if you have ig I can send it to you there to see she was literally on the program to speak and she wasn’t being negative like that.
Poetic Justice KPD I didn’t say it didn’t happen. I said it didn’t happen like that. They made it seem like she just popped up uninvited in the middle of service and started talking shit when she was literally on the program
Loved it !!! I know they had crazy ratings for lifetime I can’t wait to see those numbers !!! They did really good job!!! The First Ladies of gospel EVEN Denise Lol I f***** with Denise 👏🏽😂 also they had perfect casting you cannot tell me that wasn’t Jacky up there 😭 wow everyone fit exactly who they were supposed to be ! Especially the lady who played mother Mattie Clark
Let the truth be told, All of the sisters has skeletons in their closets...They just didn’t tell it. But they put Denise and Twinkie out there to make the movie stand out more. Nobody is perfect and we all make mistakes that we do learn from. But somethings should be left unsaid.
I'm a Christian.... Non-denomination believer. I watch you all the time Ashley. Your real. But the part that made me want to jump thru the t.v. was she sitting in a room with ALL MEN being judged because she singing for the world to see. Stupid sanctified, self righteous men......man made rules......because Jesus went out into the world. I'm still hot because some churches still have that lower intelligence thinking. I can go on....but I'm GOIN stop right here.🙄😠
After watching the movie.... My thoughts: Mattie Moss was an abusive mom. Denise was the only one strong enough to stand up against the abuse, but the Clark family tries to paint her as 'crazy' Jackie + Dorinda cold-hearted af. They were only nice to Twinkie cause they need her talent. Chick who played the momma and chick who played Denise were the strongest performers
PREEEEEEAAAAAAAAACCHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! They needed Twinkie. Their mom said Niecy could run. They always said Niecy voice was closest to Karen. I wonder why she never got to lead any songs.
Ashley. Great review. I LOVED this movie so much I watched it again immediately, too. Lifetime definitely DID THE DANG THING last night. Props to Latifah, Mary J. and Missy. You made so many great points in this review. The actresses who portrayed these women deserve all the accolades coming their way. It was a gripping, emotional and a REAL portrayal of what can go on behind the scenes and away from the stages and records. I wish it was longer. Just wow. 🤯😬🤣😁👍🏽
It’s sad that til this day the prob don’t even still speak to Denise. No Denise was not perfect but the other sisters aren’t either, and that funeral scene was inaccurate. Crazy how when the dad died they buried him before Denise got to the funeral
I absolutely love that you did this review Ashley because I wasn't expecting this at all from you so thank you ☺ However, just so you know, Karen didn't have weight loss surgery, she had hernia surgery and there were complications and she went into a coma. Thankfully, she came through 🙌🙏
Also in Beyonce's video "Ha Ya" that's a sample of the Clark Sisters song. On RU-vid Clark Sisters video "Ha Ya" Karen explains the origin of the song. Karen explains it's a Hebrew tongue. But when you watch Beyonce and JayZ video, Family Feud you will hear the sample. Go to Terrell RU-vid page where Terrell interviews the Clark Sisters they will explain the song.
Marilyn Logan I played the heck out of that song when Jay Zs album came out. That sample is insane and the way Beyoncé’s voice meshes with the sisters is out of control.
the funeral scene was real, part of it is on youtube, and the sisters really tried to keep her from the funeral, and the outside fight between karen and denise was true also, but twinkie wasnt the one who had the breakdown after matties funeral it was dorinda
