Guy D'alema Above: Boris Kodjoe plays David Taylor in "The Gospel." Below: Nona Gaye and Boris Kodjoe are both involved in "The Gospel's" prodigal son tale. Click photos for larger image. "The Gospel" Rating: PG for thematic elements, including suggestive material and mild language. Starring: Boris Kodjoe, Idris Elba, Clifton Powell. Director: Rob Hardy. "The Gospel" Web site

This year's runaway hit "Diary of a Mad Black Woman" made Hollywood studios realize that movies aimed at a black audience didn't have to include profanity and violence.

"The Gospel," which opens today, shows studios that you also don't necessarily have to have a comic foil like "Diary's" Madea to maintain interest. This drama has no sassy neighbors, no effeminate men used for comic relief and no overdone solos.

The movie does use the well-worn story of the prodigal son to show how God's love can transform lives, a recurring theme in gospel movies and plays.

Boris Kodjoe, one of the resident hunks of the Showtime series "Soul Food," plays David Taylor, a young man with a golden voice who's been raised in the church where his father, portrayed by Clifton Powell, is the pastor. When David is hit by a family tragedy, he moves to Lost Angeles and turns to secular music.

His childhood friend (Idris Elba of HBO's "The Wire") becomes an associate pastor, the Rev. Charles Frank. He, like David, is a prodigal son of sorts, forgetting about God's will and trying to impose his own vision for the church.

Rounding out the cast are Nona Gaye; Tamyra Gray of "American Idol" fame; gospel music great Donnie McClurkin, who doesn't sing a note; Aloma Wright; Omar Gooding; and former "Cosby" kid Keshia Knight Pulliam.

Kodjoe is much more believable in the acting scenes than as a musical performer. A native of Germany, he was not brought up with the African-American church, and he cannot quite register the emotion and physical gestures of a gospel singer being moved by the Holy Spirit.

It is Elba who brings the requisite intensity and passion of a man with a dream, albeit the wrong one. His wife, played by Gaye, tells her insensitive lout of a husband that despite his detailed knowledge of the Bible, he still needs Jesus.

Since you can't have a movie called "The Gospel" without some soul-stirring, foot-stomping music, gospel superstars Yolanda Adams, Fred Hammonds and Hezekiah Walker are on hand, even getting a line or two.

Kirk Franklin, the Burt Bacharach of gospel, contributes six original songs to the film. Note to director: Gospel music is so vibrant and energetic, there's no need for music video-like editing. It was starting to make me dizzy.

There are no surprises in "The Gospel." Everything comes to its logical movie conclusion, but the personal journey of the prodigal son is an interesting one, and everyone feels good at the end.