Reviews

I confess, I've been doing Kairos prison ministry for 17 years. I have a large number of very good friends I hope I'll never meet on the street. I truly love them... right where they are.

I've been disappointed in almost every "Christian" movie I've seen in the last 10-15 years, including Mel Gibson's. Frankly, the acting and the production values don't meet my standards. This movie is different. It looks like a very good Indy.

Yes, the crowds in the stands are clearly only 2-3 rows deep, but hey it's not a "42." Is the plot predictable? Not really, it more about how life really works. People come from bad situations and some manage to throw away more than most of us ever achieve. This movie was made by and about a recovery group. That group has a religious base... and the movie says it works!

As I said I've been involved in a Prison ministry. We don't do alter calls and we're interdenominational. Do you wonder why the states and countries around the world are begging for ministries like ours to come to their units? It's because study after study has shown that the ONLY thing that works in reducing recidivism is a life changing experience and that is almost always centered around a religious experience. Disclaimer... it doesn't matter that much what the religion is as long as the inmate sticks with it.

That's part of what made this movie for me. It had real people telling real stories about how they fixed their real problems. The baseball player reached the bottom when he admitted he couldn't fix his problems. If you've ever had an addict in your life you've seen him/her in the star of this film.

It could be because of where I am spiritually, but unlike so many "Christian" films this one didn't seem heavy on preaching Christ. Rather it took a view that you can reach a point where you can't fix yourself and you need help. Churches are in the business of helping... and if there was a sermon scene I missed it. Rather I would put it on the level of 1989 movie "My Name is Bill W."

I guess the folks I would want to see this movie aren't the addicts, but those who have an addict in their life. There a story told about my favorite coach Darrell Royal. He hated TCU, said they were like a bunch of cockroaches it wasn't what they ate it's what they messed up. That's what a addict in your life is like... and this movie might give you some ideas about how to deal with them.

It's a heavy message movie that only a member of the Occupy movement could believe or love. Is there corporate corruption? Sure, and if you can find some that isn't being prosecuted let me know, I've got some great lawyers and we'll all make a bunch of money! Oh wait these folks don't care about making money so just tell me and I'll make the money.

What's the difference in vigilantes and activist? Just a Hollywood POV. I'm sorry, I was sick of the movie when I found she was listening to the top Christian radio station in D.C. It was one leftist cliché too much and I should have quit then. Will anyone give me my time back? I wasted my time... they wasted their investors money and no one was happy.

I put a spoiler alert to let you know that you MUST watch the credits to fully understand the message that they tried to beat you to death with the rest of the movie. It was the best part of the film for me... which tells you how glad I was it was over.