Do You Believe? Movie Review

Do You Believe takes 12 lives on separate paths that all converge at the foot of the cross.

Pure Flix films has once again made a movie to make Christians and non-Christians alike, evaluate and ask themselves the question “Do you Believe?” Undaunted by the reviews that came out earlier this week from the mainstream media, I took my family to see the movie. The theater as many are with Christian films these days was not that full. Disappointed but not surprised as many people would rather wait until these movies come out on DVD to watch them in the comfort of their own homes. Therefore they can believe in private.

Nonetheless, the movie began with a series of events that took the lives of 12 people and converged them toward the cross. There was the pastor (played by Ted McGinley) who is the thread that seems to bring all the lives together. He encounters a gentlemen Malachi(Delroy Lindo) in the street dragging a wooden cross, who challenges him in his belief in the cross. This chance encounter sets the story into motion, as the pastor encounters lives of those that are struggling to believe.

The film is full of stars of years past that have performances that may bring them back to theatrical relevance. Brian Bosworth, known for his football career and movies like Stone Cold, plays a character my the name of Joe. A convict that is out on compassion leave as he is dying. His role intertwines with others in the movie, bringing others to decide if they believe along the way. Lee Majors and Cybill Shephard play an older married couple, whose faith has been challenged since the loss of their daughter. Yet they don’t allow their personal heartbreak turn their backs on those in need.

Dr. Farrell, played by Sean Astin is your typical judgmental doctor with a God-complex. He is married to Andrea (Andrea Logan White) who also has her own God-complex as an attorney. She throughout the film is hellbent on making Christians that express their views in the workplace pay. Her target is an EMT Bobby (Liam Mathews) who shared the love of Jesus with a dying man, who happened to belong to an atheist group. The deceased wife in turn was suing the EMT, the department and the city to make him pay for pushing his views on her dying husband. All too often this can happen to any of us today that are unashamed to declare that we believe in the cross of Christ.

Without telling too much of the story as I really encourage you to see it for yourself. The film creates threads through these lives and others that weave together into the fabric that creates the backside of the veil. We all have moments in our lives where we must decide what we believe in. I found it interesting when I asked the ticket taker at the theater what he had heard about the film. His response was classic and typical “ My friend that believes in all that Christian stuff said it was a great film.” Unfortunately that is the view many people will take on this and other Christian films.

As someone who has been a fan of Christian films over the past couple of years. I have come to expect that many of them are low-budget, the acting may not be the best and they may be predictable. I watch the movies to support the message and because low-budget of not they generally have strong messages to share.  Do You Believe may contain some of those elements as did God’s Not Dead by the same writers. I still thoroughly enjoyed the movie. As with God’s Not Dead, I will buy this one when it comes out and you are more than welcome to come over and watch it and decide for yourself … Do You Believe? .. I know I do.

Now its your turn: Have you seen the movie? If so feel free to share your thoughts. If not are you willing to take a stand? The media would like us to be silent. I believe … Do you believe?