While the intent of the filmmakers was genuine in trying to depict a hard-boiled atheist transformed into a born again Christian, the results of this film were disappointing, due the shallowness of the script and an appalling set of performances that often included outright mugging for the camera.
The film's theme is to shine the light on the glory of the Lord in accordance with the Gospel of Matthew (5:16): "let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your father in heaven."
The light slowly comes to stubborn pop culture atheist Dr. Sol Harkans until a near-death experience momentarily reunites him with his beloved son Davey, who died of cancer. Dr. Harkans' conversion occurs after a meeting with Pastor Vinny, who got religion while he was doing hard time in Lompoc Prison in California. In his journey from being a "wise guy" on the streets to ministering to his faithful flock, Vinny was born again when reading the good book in the pokey.
During his conversation with Pastor Vinny, Dr. Harkans experiences his epiphany, and, in the subsequent scene, he gets dunked in a baptism in a small stream. The film then becomes melodramatic with a reunion with his wife. The born again Christian then has a born again, second wedding. Dionne Warwick sings at the ceremony. But a seizure and diagnosis of terminal cancer is in store for the angelic Mrs. Harkans. This was the woman who never blasphemed in her life and would only utter lines like "You look like heck," in order to avoid using the "h" word.
Despite the second tragic death in the Harkans family, the film manages to spin the theme of how "the Lord works in mysterious ways." An interview with Sean Hannity marks the grand finale, followed by a gala experience of lighting up the world through the use of an ap.
The strangest character of all was the evangelical son, who was overly protective of his mother and insisted that the father bring the mother home by 10pm after they went out to dinner. While supposed to be acting as his mother's protector, the character came across as a psycho.
Another incongruous theme was the puzzling counterpoint to the family drama with references to the horrors of ISIS, set against the joy and good will of Christianity. It was in lines like "You cannot defeat an ideology on the battlefield alone" that the film lost all credibility and became itself an exercise in spewing ideology and propaganda.
The film's theme is to shine the light on the glory of the Lord in accordance with the Gospel of Matthew (5:16): "let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your father in heaven."
The light slowly comes to stubborn pop culture atheist Dr. Sol Harkans until a near-death experience momentarily reunites him with his beloved son Davey, who died of cancer. Dr. Harkans' conversion occurs after a meeting with Pastor Vinny, who got religion while he was doing hard time in Lompoc Prison in California. In his journey from being a "wise guy" on the streets to ministering to his faithful flock, Vinny was born again when reading the good book in the pokey.
During his conversation with Pastor Vinny, Dr. Harkans experiences his epiphany, and, in the subsequent scene, he gets dunked in a baptism in a small stream. The film then becomes melodramatic with a reunion with his wife. The born again Christian then has a born again, second wedding. Dionne Warwick sings at the ceremony. But a seizure and diagnosis of terminal cancer is in store for the angelic Mrs. Harkans. This was the woman who never blasphemed in her life and would only utter lines like "You look like heck," in order to avoid using the "h" word.
Despite the second tragic death in the Harkans family, the film manages to spin the theme of how "the Lord works in mysterious ways." An interview with Sean Hannity marks the grand finale, followed by a gala experience of lighting up the world through the use of an ap.
The strangest character of all was the evangelical son, who was overly protective of his mother and insisted that the father bring the mother home by 10pm after they went out to dinner. While supposed to be acting as his mother's protector, the character came across as a psycho.
Another incongruous theme was the puzzling counterpoint to the family drama with references to the horrors of ISIS, set against the joy and good will of Christianity. It was in lines like "You cannot defeat an ideology on the battlefield alone" that the film lost all credibility and became itself an exercise in spewing ideology and propaganda.