My wife read the book maybe 10 or 11 years ago when it was first out and now we were able to watch the movie on DVD from our public library.
It is an excellent human interest story of faith and perseverance. Of course it has a strong Christian theme, he is a minister and prayer plays a big role throughout the movie. But a viewer doesn't need to believe in Christianity or the power of prayer to enjoy the story of the trials of a man and his family recovering from a tragic traffic accident.
Don Piper was a minister in the smaller town of Alvin, Texas, just south of Houston. It was 1989, he was returning home in the rain when a truck, driven by a prison system inmate, crossed over to the opposite lane on a 2-lane bridge and caused the wreck. Don was injured so badly that he was declared dead by a medic and the coroner, he had no pulse and he was bent in all kinds of ways a person shouldn't be.
But another minister arrived on the scene and asked if he could pray for the dead man, and when he did and started singing, Don, the man declared dead, began to sing softly. He was rushed to a hospital in Huntsville, then later to a better hospital in Houston. He faced many months of hospitalization and numerous surgeries, it was feared he would lose one leg, he became despondent, but his family and friends kept him going.
So what is the message here? Many will doubt that he was really dead for 90 minutes, just with a heartbeat so faint that it seemed he was dead. Others will believe he was really dead, he really went to heaven for 90 minutes, and it was a miracle that he came back to life. Regardless which side of that point a viewer is on the movie is worthwhile for the human survival side of it.
It is a bit long at 2 hours, the time shown with Don in the hospital perhaps could have been shortened a bit, but overall my wife and I were glad we spent the time. Don and his family are now in Atlanta Georgia, and the movie was filmed in that area. One of the DVD extras features the real Piper family.
Don is played very well by Hayden Christensen, and his wife Eva is played well by Kate Bosworth, whose husband incidentally was the director. She commented that making the movie has actually strengthened their marriage.
It is an excellent human interest story of faith and perseverance. Of course it has a strong Christian theme, he is a minister and prayer plays a big role throughout the movie. But a viewer doesn't need to believe in Christianity or the power of prayer to enjoy the story of the trials of a man and his family recovering from a tragic traffic accident.
Don Piper was a minister in the smaller town of Alvin, Texas, just south of Houston. It was 1989, he was returning home in the rain when a truck, driven by a prison system inmate, crossed over to the opposite lane on a 2-lane bridge and caused the wreck. Don was injured so badly that he was declared dead by a medic and the coroner, he had no pulse and he was bent in all kinds of ways a person shouldn't be.
But another minister arrived on the scene and asked if he could pray for the dead man, and when he did and started singing, Don, the man declared dead, began to sing softly. He was rushed to a hospital in Huntsville, then later to a better hospital in Houston. He faced many months of hospitalization and numerous surgeries, it was feared he would lose one leg, he became despondent, but his family and friends kept him going.
So what is the message here? Many will doubt that he was really dead for 90 minutes, just with a heartbeat so faint that it seemed he was dead. Others will believe he was really dead, he really went to heaven for 90 minutes, and it was a miracle that he came back to life. Regardless which side of that point a viewer is on the movie is worthwhile for the human survival side of it.
It is a bit long at 2 hours, the time shown with Don in the hospital perhaps could have been shortened a bit, but overall my wife and I were glad we spent the time. Don and his family are now in Atlanta Georgia, and the movie was filmed in that area. One of the DVD extras features the real Piper family.
Don is played very well by Hayden Christensen, and his wife Eva is played well by Kate Bosworth, whose husband incidentally was the director. She commented that making the movie has actually strengthened their marriage.