( EW.com ) -- `` Joyful Noise , '' a squeaky-clean pop-gospel fairy tale featuring Dolly Parton and Queen Latifah in canned catfights , reflects the inspiration of `` Glee '' and God , in that order . The `` Glee '' side , at least in my book , does n't exactly amount to a recommendation , but it does mean that the movie 's musical numbers are catchy and rollicking and , in their bright sunshiny way , rather soulful . In the small town of Pacashau , Georgia , times are hard -- every other storefront is empty -- but the Divinity Church choir has lifted local spirits by rising to become a semifinalist in the National Joyful Noise Competition . Can these spunky vocalists go the distance ? Not until they learn to work together in harmony . Which means that Vi Rose Hill ( Latifah ) , the choir 's new director , has to stop feuding with G.G . Sparrow ( Parton ) , widow of the former choir leader , over the direction of the group 's music . Vi Rose , feisty and smart-mouthed , favors tradition , while G.G. , whose grandson Randy ( Jeremy Jordan ) is the new songbird on the block , is out to shake things up . Parton now looks like a `` Spitting Image '' puppet ( the film makes plastic-surgery jokes about her so that we do n't have to ) , but she still has a way with lines like `` I 'd call you stubborn , but that 'd be an insult to mules ! '' `` Joyful Noise '' also finds room for a teenager with Asperger 's syndrome ( Dexter Darden ) who loves one-hit-wonder songs ( but can he learn to love himself ? ) , as well as a romance between Randy and Vi Rose 's daughter Olivia ( Keke Palmer ) . These two are pretty -- and as bland as balsa wood . But each time the innocuousness starts to get to you , you 're woken up by Randy and Olivia 's swooning `` Maybe I 'm Amazed '' duet , or a kid-choir rendition of Billy Preston 's `` That 's the Way God Planned It , '' or the final `` I Want to Take You Higher '' blowout . These numbers create a deep river of feeling , even when stuck in the shallow banks of a movie like this one . B- . See the full article at EW.com . CLICK HERE to Try 2 RISK FREE issues of Entertainment Weekly . © 2011 Entertainment Weekly and Time Inc. All rights reserved .
`` Joyful Noise 's '' musical numbers are catchy and rollicking and rather soulful . The Divinity Church choir has lifted local spirits by becoming a semifinalist in a competition . `` Joyful Noise '' also finds room for a romance between Randy and Olivia .