Release calendarTop 250 moviesMost popular moviesBrowse movies by genreTop box officeShowtimes & ticketsMovie newsIndia movie spotlight
    What's on TV & streamingTop 250 TV showsMost popular TV showsBrowse TV shows by genreTV news
    What to watchLatest trailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb SpotlightFamily entertainment guideIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsEmmysSan Diego Comic-ConSummer Watch GuideToronto Int'l Film FestivalSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll events
    Born todayMost popular celebsCelebrity news
    Help centerContributor zonePolls
For industry professionals
  • Language
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Watchlist
Sign in
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Use app
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
IMDbPro

The Bobby DeBarge Story

  • TV Movie
  • 2019
  • 1h 27m
IMDb RATING
5.6/10
222
YOUR RATING
Lloyd Polite, Roshon Fegan, Blue Kimble, Adrian Marcel, and Bruno Rose in The Bobby DeBarge Story (2019)
BiographyDramaMusic

The movie explores the tumultuous life of Bobby DeBarge, the former lead singer of 70's R&B/Funk Band Switch, also the eldest sibling of the world-famous pop group DeBarge. Despite his succe... Read allThe movie explores the tumultuous life of Bobby DeBarge, the former lead singer of 70's R&B/Funk Band Switch, also the eldest sibling of the world-famous pop group DeBarge. Despite his success in music, the iconic falsetto found his life in peril as he struggled with fame and for... Read allThe movie explores the tumultuous life of Bobby DeBarge, the former lead singer of 70's R&B/Funk Band Switch, also the eldest sibling of the world-famous pop group DeBarge. Despite his success in music, the iconic falsetto found his life in peril as he struggled with fame and fortune while coping with the memories of his dysfunctional childhood.

  • Director
    • Russ Parr
  • Writer
    • Norman Vance Jr.
  • Stars
    • Romeo Ballantine
    • Big Boi
    • Matt Borlenghi
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • IMDb RATING
    5.6/10
    222
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Russ Parr
    • Writer
      • Norman Vance Jr.
    • Stars
      • Romeo Ballantine
      • Big Boi
      • Matt Borlenghi
    • 27User reviews
    • 2Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 nomination total

    Photos10

    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    + 4
    View Poster

    Top cast39

    Edit
    Romeo Ballantine
    • Jermaine Jackson
    Big Boi
    Big Boi
    • Berry Gordy
    Matt Borlenghi
    Matt Borlenghi
    • Bernd
    Maiya Boyd
    • Carol 'Peaches' DeBarge
    Kristopherr Brown Jr.
    • DEA Agent
    Marie Burke
    • Bunny DeBarge
    Miko DeFoor
    Miko DeFoor
    • Don Cornelius
    Jette Duncan
    • Young James DeBarge
    Estabon
    • Randy DeBarge
    Roshon Fegan
    Roshon Fegan
    • Bobby DeBarge
    Tyra Ferrell
    • Etterlene DeBarge
    Blue Kimble
    Blue Kimble
    • Tommy DeBarge
    Brittney Level
    • Background Vocalist
    • (voice)
    Ivana J. Lewis
    Ivana J. Lewis
    • Bunny Age 13
    Echefulam Madubuike
    • Eddie Fluellen
    Adrian Marcel
    • James DeBarge
    Brittany Mayti
    Brittany Mayti
    • Sexy Woman
    Ethan McDowell
    Ethan McDowell
    • Robert DeBarge
    • Director
      • Russ Parr
    • Writer
      • Norman Vance Jr.
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews27

    5.6222
    1
    2
    3
    4
    5
    6
    7
    8
    9
    10

    Featured reviews

    3teaguem2005

    All Over The Place

    This telling of the story of Bobby DeBarge was literally all over the place. Even when I hit rewind on a couple of scenes I was left saying, "wait, did I miss...". The sequencing was absolutely awful. If you didn't know the story of Bobby Debarge you still wouldn't clearly understand based off of this movie. In their defense, I think they tried to squeeze too much information into the tiny time slot that then got further reduced by numerous commercials. I would like to see it retold in the same way the New Edition story was told over a series of days. This movie did not provide a clear overall picture of the family. Why not do a DeBarge story in its entirety; a mini-series?

    I'm going to skip over whoever is responsible for the wigs in this movie because that would be an entire paragraph on its own.
    4Trauts81

    Could have been better

    I feel that this movie was a bit short for my liking. Perhaps it could have been 2 hours long. For one thing, it fails to give the viewer a glimpse of Bobby DeBarge's relationship with his band mates Switch. It came across as a DeBarge film more than simply the life of Bobby DeBarge. However, this is not to state that one ought to have removed family members entirely considering that DeBarge would not have existed without Bobby DeBarge's input. Still, I feel that it could have been better.
    2mawashington-06430

    Talented Bobby DeBarge Deserved Better

    The Positive: I am glad that some Black actors had the opportunity to work

    The Negative: (1) hideous wigs (they have a life of their own); (2) a disjointed story with more holes than a piece of swiss cheese; (3) Poor editing...the story was all over the place (4) Poor script -- I don't think the actors had much of a story to work with.

    I was a huge Switch fan in the 1970s. After I watched the movie, I was left asking "What did I just watch"? May Mr. DeBarge rest in peace, because he didn't seem to have any during his life.
    5smooth_op_85

    I wanted to like this

    I gave it a 5 because it's not good, but it's not terrible.

    I did learn alot about the family, but it seemed that all Bobby's character did was argue about his Dad, and then when he went to see his siblings all that existed was arguments.

    I'm sure there were a lot of movies about families that have had good relationships go down the drain but this one just seemed like I was watching more than one movie.

    I do agree with the wigs criticism...what is it about these movie with bad wigs...who is he Tyler Perry?!

    Anyway, the actor who played Bobby was pretty good. I feel like this was a late draft that was rushed into production and maybe they rewrote it more while filming.

    I think the great Bobby Debarge needs a better deal. This movie seemed straighforward but still lacking.
    4c_cuaron

    Horrible

    The acting was terrible. Even the continuity in this film was all off. The actual Bobby DeBarge story is a sad and beautiful story, But this film makes it look like a joke. My four star rating was being very generous.

    More like this

    Love Under New Management: The Miki Howard Story
    7.4
    Love Under New Management: The Miki Howard Story
    Bobbi Kristina
    5.3
    Bobbi Kristina
    Unsung
    9.0
    Unsung
    The Stepdaughter
    5.3
    The Stepdaughter
    Tears of a Hustler
    8.5
    Tears of a Hustler
    Salt-N-Pepa
    6.2
    Salt-N-Pepa
    Girl You Know It's True
    7.1
    Girl You Know It's True
    Menendez: Blood Brothers
    5.8
    Menendez: Blood Brothers
    I Got a Story to Tell
    6.4
    I Got a Story to Tell
    Beyond the Lights
    6.8
    Beyond the Lights
    Greenleaf
    7.5
    Greenleaf
    The Piano Lesson
    6.2
    The Piano Lesson

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Connections
      Referenced in Great Day Washington: Episode dated 19 June 2019 (2019)
    • Soundtracks
      Be The One (Acoustic Version)
      Written by Bruno Rose
      Performed by Bruno Rose
      Produced by Dante Wyatt
      Courtesy of BRose Petals Publishing
      [Sung live by Bruno Rose at the piano during Bobby Debarge's mansion party scene]

    Top picks

    Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
    Sign in

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • June 29, 2019 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • tvone
    • Language
      • English
    • Production companies
      • Re'Shaun Frear Productions
      • Swirl Films
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 27 minutes
    • Color
      • Color

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    Follow IMDb on social
    Get the IMDb App
    For Android and iOS
    Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • License IMDb Data
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2025 by IMDb.com, Inc.