Technically "The Preacher's Wife" starring Denzel Washington and Whitney Houston is a remake of Henry Koster's "The Bishop's Wife" from 1947, although I would say it takes the ideas which fill the original and then builds a slightly different storyline around them rather than being a scene for scene remake. In doing so it's not bad, it's got all those uplifting fantasy elements you would want from a movie set leading up to Christmas and tips its hat at the likes of "It's a Wonderful Life". But whilst it's not bad it does lack one very important element, it doesn't really deliver that warm magical feeling that a movie set over Christmas should.

Reverend Henry Biggs (Courtney B. Vance - Dangerous Minds) is a good man, maybe a little too good because whilst he struggles to keep his church running and out of the hands of a land developer he fails to dedicate enough time to his wife Julia (Whitney Houston). With the stresses of his job getting too much for him and starting to doubt his own ability he asks God for help and all of a sudden Dudley (Denzel Washington - Virtuosity) appears, an angel sent from above to help him. But whilst Dudley does manage to help the Reverend he also starts to fall for his attractive wife, something which ends up causing trouble rather than good.

The storyline to "The Preacher's Wife" is one which many people will recognize, it has a familiar feel as an angel comes down to help the tired and stressed out Reverend who not only is struggling with keeping his church going whilst fighting off the clutches of a business developer but also the knock on effect that he is failing to devote time to his family. It does feel like it's inspired by the classic "It's a Wonderful Life" but manages to make a storyline which doesn't feel like a pale imitation. Which is all good and so is the way the storyline develops as the Angel Dudley ends up falling for the Reverends wife, it's a nice twist on the tale making it more than just about a man who has become stressed out.

Like with many movies that focus on the Christmas period it delivers a blend of warmth, a little romance and some comedy. It's a pleasant enough blend with plenty of moments which will make you smile although never reaching the point of laughing which it does feel like it's striving to do. When Dudley suddenly crashes down to earth and starts to enjoy being physical again, eating food from a street vendor there is something amusing about it, but the actual jokes it tries to deliver just fall slightly flat. It works well enough and with several musical interludes provided by Whitney Houston "The Preacher's Wife" manages to keep you interested in what is going on.

But then there is something missing. As it tries to deliver that uplifting message about hope and belief it never reaches that peak of really being truly uplifting. It sort of lacks that magical quality which makes you believe in hope. It's a shame because it is otherwise a nice take on a story which has plenty of potential.

Alongside Houston, who excels when singing but slightly struggles when she needs to show her acting capabilities, there is the always impressive Denzel Washington and as Dudley the angel he is as entertaining as ever. It's thanks to Denzel's performance that "The Preacher's Wife" does make you smile and does keep you interested. He delivers a performance so full of life that he oozes charisma through out. It's a good job too because whilst Courtney B. Vance is good as Reverend Henry Biggs and Gregory Hines does his best to be slightly villainous as Joe Hamilton the realtor looking to demolish the church their performances are a little flat.

What this all boils down to is that "The Preacher's Wife" is a nice enough movie. It keeps you entertained with some comedy, a little emotion, probably more musical moments that were necessary and a performance from Denzel Washington which brings it all together. But it lack that little bit of magic which makes you believe that if you Hope things will happen.