“The Golden Voice” is the most sentimental movie treatment of living on the streets since “The Pursuit of Happyness.” Cliched, cute and cloying, its very engaging cast is never able to overcome the weight of Hallmark Movie homelessness this script and this production wrap them in.

For the film formerly titled “Rittenhouse Square” writer director Brandon Eric Kamin paired up Nick Nolte and singer and big screen newcomer Darren Jones for a story of a talented runaway who meets a homeless man in a Philly park who stops the kid from hanging himself.

“Your KNOT’S all jacked-up” is all it takes to talk the teen down from that tree where he’s chosen a limb that won’t even support his weight, according to the grizzled, street-wise Vietnam vet Barry.

In an instant, Barry’s sharing a story about war crimes he was ordered to commit in ‘Nam as he takes a shaky swig from the bottle in the paper bag.

In another instant, KJ lets us and Barry know he’s a preacher’s son, and he picks up his guitar for a killer cover of the Lumineers “Ho Hey.” The kid’s voice is “golden,” the old “bum” declares. “Like HELL you’re gonna off that voice on my watch!”

The tone is set and the die is cast. No, Barry never will ride that skateboard he’s always got under his arm. No, his reasons for running away and wanting to kill himself aren’t remotely compelling. Yes, the old man will insist the kid do something with that voice. There’s no point expecting anything surprising as even the unpleasantries to come are cliches.

Nolte’s worn-out growl suits the role and the circumstances to a T. Barry’s hard luck story will be woven into insights about everybody we’ve loved greeting us in heaven with a concert of kazoos and timeworn rules to live by.

“You gotta be nice to people,” is one. “Die with memories, not dreams” is another.

Carmen Ruby Floyd plays the preacher who gave birth to KJ and whom he’s fled. Haniq Best plays the fashion show runway ready reporter who publicizes KJ’s talent.

Jones, with just a couple of single episode TV credits and a Broadway turn in the recent “West Side Story” revival on his resume, sings like an angel with the voice of “Luther Vandross,” not that “Michael Bubbles” fellow, as Barry puts it.

But like Nolte, Jones is better than the cutesie character and pablum-packed script he’s performing.

The road to Rittenhouse Square may be paved with good intentions. But if homelessness was this cozy, everybody’d try it.

Rating: TV-PG, some violence, profanity, alcohol abuse

Cast: Nick Nolte, Dharon Jones, Carmen Ruby Floyd and Haniq Best.

Credits: Scripted and directed by Brandon Eric Kamin. A Vertical release on Amazon Prime.

Running time: 1:25