TV One Movie: REVIEW ONLY 

I learned more about Bobby Debarge from the Switch and Debarge episodes of Unsung.

I learned more about their story from the Debarge Unsung episode. I expected so much more from the movie because they were promoting it so much. And OMG who approved the wig budget. Smh😊

I was born in 1967, so all of this brings back memories. Switch and DeBarge were some of my favorite groups in the 80s. The music is timeless! As for the movie, it was all over the place, but I guess the producers felt the audience already knew some of these facts. I would have rather watched multiple parts, too, like the BB Story. The whole family deserves a full telling of their story. Thanks for reviewing the movie!

Being a fan of both and also being older, I know this is one story that should've been split over several parts. Their story is so big from their horrific family background to how the music started that one two hour biopic isn't going to cut it. I hope the family gets the funding to tell the full story.

I was born in 1982 and I am a HUGE switch fan and have family members that know them personally, so you're absolutely right. They didn't talk about Bobby! They slick made it a DeBarge movie they didn't go into any of the details of him being kicked out, being strung out trying to get sober and getting back in the group. So many details were not told about his time in Switch!!! My own husband didn't know Bobby Debarge so they should have made it a DeBarge movie. To be honest alot of people who are not from the Midwest area are not aware of Bobby as an individual so they missed the mark on this one!!!! The actors and the acting was spot on. They focused alot on James whom Bobby supposed to have molested as well. Sad but true story 💔, due to the abise they were all tortured souls and very hood.

Yassssssssssssssss Jaylee...let's talk about the units (in Alex Rodger's voice)🤦🏻😱

I remember watching the Unsung of Switch and The Debarge while back. Both stories in all are so tragic. I agree with you that they did miss a lot in this movie.

The family didn't won't this movie out , they have a go fund me to raise money to tell their side of the story. Your right they need to tell more about him ,and his musical talents . They missed it . They should have asked the family there side of it , have a blessed day

This seemed like it could have been part 2 of a 3 part biopic of the DeBarge family.

You’ll enjoy Unsung better because it’s more detailed! That daddy is rotting in hell! Who treats their kids like that? I’m a huge El Debarge fan!

I wished BET would have done the Bobby Debarge and Debarge story like New Edition over 2 nights or 3. It would have been really good with the right writing. Their Unsung episodes were very well done. Alot of jump scenes between adult and childhood lives of the family, then their is the Jackson elements with Janet, Latoya, and Jermaine, plus Berry Gordy, is a whole separate side.

Maaaannn. Do all of the large families from the 80s have the same/similar story 🤦🏿‍♂️☹️😓😞

I never heard about Bobby being bi-sexual. The story I heard is Bobby got aids from a shared drug needles.

Chico is not the baby of the family. The twins: Darryl and Carol are the youngest of the DeBarge children. I believe Carol’s nickname is, “Peaches.” I know that there are a lot of DeBarge’s and that it can be difficult to keep their birth order straight. Good job on breaking the movie down. I agree that the scene with Bobby and James was one of the very best acting scenes in the entire movie! It was incredibly intense and very heartfelt!! You could not help but tear up.

I liked the movie but who was the guy that had the kabuki brush hair style? But they did not have to jump Bobby like that in the prison scene. The father was a complete ass. And I just didn’t understand why the mother kept making excuses for that father

The actress who potrayed the mother (Tyra Ferrell) was also in Poetic Justice.

What's wrong with the way they looked in real life...I'm confused.Bobby's wife was one of the producers and did not come into his life until after Switch. This is based on her recollection and information already known to the public. I'm thinking this movie was the alternative to the "DeBarge" biopic that was initially suppose to be produced but wasn't due to the family infighting.

It was a pretty good movie and yeah it was quite a bit missing. I was born in 75 but I didn't know about Switch till years later. I knew about the other Debarges in the 80's cause when I heard one of Switchs songs, I thought it was El Debarge singing as well. The Unsung episodes on Switch and the Debarges was better. The guy playing Bobby is the guy that plays in Greenleaf on OWN and yes he did a great job but that wig .😒😂😂😂😂

That intro music is so soothing. I wish it was on spotify. 💖

I agree the movie had a lot of gaps in the story but overall the acting was excellent. I cried during some scenes. Great review

Back in the day Jackson 5 TV biopic was the best, now adays the best TV biopic is new edition.

Jay Lee....I was born July 1979....And I always thought that the 2 popular songs by Switch("I call your name" " They'll never be") was older El Debarge songs.....I didn't know about Switch until the 90's from when i was watching music choice one day and saw the name of their group.....

Bobby was always so smooth💝💝💝💝 I was a fan wayyyyy before this bs movie📼. I wanted more ...

I love your reviews. I was a teen back then, and nooooooooooo the DeBarges looked better than what was portrayed in this lil movie. I agree with you totally about the wigs. I disagree about LaToya though. That pic you showed was the LaToya I liked pre nose surgery. The actress you showed nose looked slimmer for the era. I respect your review, but had decided to not watch this movie. I want to keep my memories real/pure just like the way it went down. They had a hard childhood. Bobby was my DeBarge crush. It sounds like the story didn't flow. I am a Jaybird.

The wigs of it all😳 who approved those units😬 I’m a huge DeBarge and Switch fan and was extremely disappointed... why didn’t TV One go ahead and make a 2-3 part full DeBarge movie??? I loved their Unsung episode

Movie look like it was based more on the debarge group than bobby

I agree completely. That family got so much drama... even until today so this story really needed a 3 part series. Starting with how Mom and Dad meet on down to the end.

I think it started with him being famous & being on drugs because that's how it happened. In the Debarge Unsung his bandmate from switch said he knew Bobby had a drug addiction and that's why he was hesitant to ask him to sing lead.

I agree Jay Lee..The acting was adequate but the movie was just okay. It should have been about the entire DeBarge family. It was all over the place. And those wigs... OMG. It should have been at least 3-4 hours. I didn’t learn anything more about Bobby from this rushed mess. There were a lot of missed opportunities here.

The actors did a good job. Thanks so much for the review. 🧡🐦💛

It was very rushed and was a tossed together mess. The story need to done like the Jackson American Dream.

Heyy lady Jqy.... This story was some what interesting but I learn a few thing's # you b bless # 🐦🐦🐦🐦

Chico is not the baby of the family. The twins: Darryl and Carol are the youngest. They are number nine and number 10 of the kids. I believe Carol’s nickname Is, “peaches.” I know that there are a lot of DeBarges, so it can be hard to keep them straight as far as their birth order.

Chile, my momma had a wig like on the actor, back in the 90s.

No ma'am that is not what the debarges look like in the 80s at all

He,was,the,best,singer,in,switch in,the,late,seventies,rip,robert,bobby,debarge,jr,gone,but,not,forgotten,there,never,be i,call,your,name,and,i,got,you,babe,classics.

Bobby was in the dress

The movie was low budget but it was still good

The actors may have favored the DeBarges, but the unbrushed wigs, plot gaps and overall production was terrible. There were so many scenes that didn’t make sense. Like how did Chico go from getting a record deal to selling drugs? El’s mustache changed from scene to scene...it was just a mess! It’s such a sad story and I think that they did the family and their story a disservice. 😒

I'm sorry, I thought the movie was TERRIBLE.....The acting, the signing, and most definitely the wigs....At one point, the guy playing Bobby sounded like Anthony Michael Hall's character in "Weird Science" when he got drunk.....Also, That is how Jermaine looked back then.....

I love your commentary you make me laugh 😂

WAYYYYYYY TOO MANY COMMERCIALS!!

It's funny, as your intro scrolls "... be blessed," a picture of you with your middle finger up appears. This movie was very short and I'm not sure we learned anything new. The Switch and DeBarge Unsungs told us a lot more. I totally agree with your review.

Hair and makeup got it WRONG! I'm calling it functional movie with bad acting...

Hey Jay Lee, Happy Sunday!!

I remember switch very well I am 53

Lol she said bohemian body wave

It was Bobby that the Daddy put the dress on not Tommy.

I never knew a Jackson discovered them. I’m like you how did he get discovered. It never showed him or alluded to him using heroine. The only thing I got was he was more like his daddy then he wanted to be. I love TVone but they missed the mark with this one.

The charactor that lloyd played never did drugs.

Read the books instead

I saw the movie. It was okay. Those wigs were terrible. The Debarge's Dad was evil trash. I learned that from the Debarge's Unsung. I caught the last part of Switch Unsung. So sad that because of their childhood all of them became addicted to drugs. So sad! Yes, there were way too many commercials. The acting was great. They have another sister she is younger. Bunny is the oldest. The dad molested his daughter and beat the wife and kids.

Idk I kind of was not here for the acting . Bobby talked like the dude from the Marlon Wayne’s movie Don’t be a menace . Who said “take me to jail , lock me up “ 😂😂🥴 it didn’t look natural to me. I didn’t have a problem with the actors or the wigs it was the story line . Very rushed . I could have found all that out on Wikipedia

I think they could've gotten a better looking El. And don't get me started on the wigs, especially Bobby's. Someone else should make a movie about the FAMILY with multiple parts. This movie was a let down. Didn't explain much about Bobby at all.

You said that James was the oldest and was abused by his dad. That’s incorrect. Bobby was the oldest and was put in a dress and abused by his dad. Bobby is named after his dad Robert. Bobby is Robert Junior. James was his father‘s favorite of all the children.

My mother watched this and I was like listening or taking glimpses etc... 1st the 80s was weird af...2nd that family was weird af and 3rd they sounded like trash. 4th their songs were trash too. I feel like Motown records was the Atlantic records of that era...they sign any and everything and yes I said thing. In regards of the family I felt a creepy vibe watching their depictions. They came off as like pedophilic ghosts or something idfk... but the acting was great, the people that played them did well as far as making me believe they were a creepy ass family lol. The brothers always seemed like they molested each other or something idfk it was just so strange... like that Michael Jackson strange but you try to ignore it. But I'm an only child so take my opinion on brotherly interactions with a grain and salt.

The guy who played james was a bigger guy

Tv Ones Biopics have terrible budgets when it comes to making biopics, leave the Tv Biopics To BET

Why would their father marry a black woman and have all those kids then abuse them?

Please stop saying "Bi-opic" its Bi-ooo-pick" Ugh! Also Bunny also has a sister Carol so she's not the only girl.

I didn't care for Lloyd acting