I almost skipped God Bless The Broken Road while it was at the theater. IMDb had the film listed in the four range, which has now crept up to 5.3. But then I remembered something I discovered a while back about IMDb. There are quite a few atheists and God-haters on IMDb that rate everything with a Christian message low. I don't know why people spread their hatred on a movie website when there are literally hundreds of atheist and anti-Christian websites on the internet. I drilled down to see if this was the case, and sure enough, THIRTY PERCENT of the ratings are fake. The current chart of the ratings is below. In any event, armed with that information, I went to see the film anyway. And yes, I know that there are also quite a few ten ratings on this chart. This film is certainly not worth ten stars objectively. But I can definitely see people giving this film that rating subjectively, and have often seen the same from fanboys on the graphic comic films. The over-rating is generally baked in. But the sheer hatred of people who obviously did not watch the film, taking time to trash it, is where are world is today. It is unfortunate. This review will take the middle road and discuss the film objectively and offer an objective rating as well.
Source on 9/9/2018
Amber Hill (Lindsay Pulsipher) and her daughter Bree (Makenzie Moss) must rebuild their lives when news arrives in their small Kentucky town that father and husband Darren (Liam Matthews) has been killed in Afghanistan. Amber's faith is shaken as her world collapses around her. The former choir director stops going to church, working seven days a week to try and save her house from foreclosure. The debt and stress increase as Amber tries to handle everything herself. Her poor decisions eventually begin to catch up with her. A Nascar driver, Cody Jackson (Andrew W. Walker) is sent to Amber's small town to work on his technique, as both are forced to learn hard lessons. Faith is a central theme as Amber's anger at God is slowly reconciled as she finally confronts her own deep-seated feelings regarding her husband's death.
I have to admit that it is a bit surprising to me that this film had four writers (to include Director Harold Cronk). First, more isn't always better. Also, none of the four have extensive experience writing. Cronk has worked as Director on a couple of faith-based films I have enjoyed, to include God's Not Dead. What makes this surprising is the light touch used in this film. This film explores a range of emotions without feeling forced. It seems to me that many newer writers use a heavy hand to deliver emotive elements of a film. This film navigates those elements with a natural feel, to include some interesting laugh lines and situational humor. While the film felt contrived at times, the characters were engaging and real. They were a bit flat in some areas, as was the broader story, but the delivery was engaging. The story was predictable, but rewarding. The subject matter hits home for me, with a child in Afghanistan as I write this. Objectively, this film is as good as anything Hollywood puts out today. The story better than quite a bit of tripe Hollywood produces, but not exceptional. The real value is in the idea that you can produce a quality film without CGI, big action sequences, massive budgets, and A-list actors.
In terms of actors, this film has some familiar faces. I was trying to place Pastor Williams, who I later learned is LaDainian Tomlinson who was once a premiere running back for the San Diego Chargers. Jordan Sparks makes an appearance as Amber's friend Bridgette (we are also treated to a solo from Sparks early on in the film). Robin Givens appears as Amber's friend Karena. Pulsipher has been in quite a bit of television, to include True Blood and Fear the Walking Dead which are both favorites of mine. The casting was decent. There are familiar faces, but no major stars to draw an audience. Yet the theater I was in for a weekend matinee was packed. Unlike Peppermint which I saw later in the afternoon. The actors did not take anything away from the script. They were engaging. Films like this can get by without star power. This one manages fine.
I was surprised that God Bless The Broken Road had close to a two hour run time (one hour, 51 minutes). It didn't feel that long. The pacing was pretty solid. My theater was packed with families that included children of all ages. The PG rating is family friendly. While there is one intense battle sequence in Afghanistan and a death, there is not much more than that to find objectionable. The thematic material was tame enough for any audience. And rewarding enough for every audience. Wholesome film and television seem to be anachronistic in today's world. But it's not. There is still an appetite for this type of film, which is likely why we are experiencing a resurgence of faith-based films over the past couple of years. People hunger for feel-good stories and faith-based plots. I'm glad these films are getting bankrolled. As long as they are, I will continue spending my money on them. The haters are going to hate. But families will turn out for this type of film, and based on my experience yesterday (and on several previous films), they turn out in droves.
God Bless The Broken road is a film of struggle and redemption. It is a story that isn't far from the hearts of many Americans. Those who have sent loved ones overseas, and those who have lost loved ones to war. But that is just one element of this film. The struggles of losing a provider are faced every day by many who have never been touched by war in a distant land. This film can communicate to a broader audience than just the military family. The story has a heartbeat. It could have been better, but it worked just fine. While a bit flat, the characters were engaging. I cared about how things turned out. I wanted to scream at the screen when the lead character made bad choices. I laughed without feeling manipulated to laugh. It was wholesome fun that I would feel comfortable enjoying with any age or demographic. I would recommend this one in the theater merely to support the good work of films like this. My objective rating is 7/10. But we can use more films like this, so go see it in the theater so they will make more.
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