Do You Believe?
By Jodi Decker
“Do You Believe?” is an action-packed PG-13 Christian movie (IMBD, 2015). The plot : “When a pastor is shaken by the visible faith of a street-corner preacher, he is reminded that true belief always requires action. His response ignites a journey that impacts everyone it touches in ways that only God could orchestrate.” The movie stars mainstream actors including Sean Astin, Mira Sorvino, Ted McGinley, and Lee Majors. With the success of such features such as “Heaven Can Wait,” independent Christian film makers are feeling confident that there’s a market out there, for an interested and supportive audience.
As the plot interweaves and intersects the lives of several people, both Christians and non-Christians, we observe these people lead messy lives! You will see contemporary topics such as single parenting, unwed mothers, death in the family, past incarceration, infertility, and yes, some scenes of violence. These are not picture perfect Christians, making the movie more realistic and more relatable. Are there some predictable plot points? Of course. Does everything end in a happy ending? Not necessarily. However, there are surprising twists, as well.
The caliber of the acting is highly credible. We’re thankfully moving past the days of corny actors with stilted lines. While a few moments might still seem a bit “preachy,” they’re not so heavy-handed as to slow down the action or diminish from the heartfelt moments. The non-believers aren’t all portrayed as evil and corrupt. While some are immoral or outright anti-Christian crusaders, some fall into the non-committed category, and some are seekers….just like real life. Do they all get saved in the end? Unfortunately, no.
The essential question of the film’s title, “Do You Believe?” is answered by “then what are you going to do about it?” This theme challenges believers to serve others through compassionate acts. This theme is uplifting and encouraging, yet it always causes me to truly evaluate if I could be doing more in my life. Am I praying for those who don’t believe? Am I “tolerating” and loving those who mistreat or malign us? Whoops. One practical idea I came up with is to start Hats for Homeless people…I want to pass out hats to people standing out in the sun and rain.
By the time this blog gets published, the movie will likely be out of local theaters…but this would definitely make for a good summer movie rental for the family. Perhaps preview the movie first to decide who gets to see it.
A movie review might be an unusual women’s blog topic, but we all like movies, right? Make it a family movie night, a small group activity, or use it as a tool for evangelism. If we vote with our dollars at the box office (or rental stores), we send a powerful message that this type of entertainment is something we want.
Save the date: On Wednesday, June 3rd, the WE women’s group will be attending the movie “Tomorrowland” as a night out.
I’ll have to check into it!