Post by Rob W. Case on Mar 25, 2020 0:18:59 GMT -6
John Harrison (Alex Kendrick) is a high school basketball coach whose team is just about to win their state championship. In the last few seconds of the game, however, his son Ethan misses the shot that would have sealed the deal, and the team loses narrowly. If that isn’t bad enough, it is announced that a major steel plant in the town (and thus its largest employer) is closing, and dispersing to other areas in the country. Because of this, many of the town’s residents will have to relocate. This causes major, transformational changes for the school. The school’s principal, Olivia Brooks (Priscilla Shirer) calls John in, and tells him that she is now down three coaches and two teachers, which means that John won’t be a basketball coach in the new schoolyear. She proposes that he lead cross-country, which he has a real sour attitude about, especially since he has no interest in running, nor does he consider it a real sport. On top of all these things, he finds out his cross-country team consists of one girl, Hannah Scott (Aryn Wright-Thompson) and she has asthma.
One night, after his wife Amy (Shari Rigby) volunteers him to visit patients at the local hospital with the pastor of his church, John accidentally stumbles in the room of a man named Thomas Hill (Cameron Arnett). Hill suffers from diabetes, and has lost his eyesight. What’s interesting about this meeting is that Thomas happens to be lonely and needs companionship, and John needs advice to coach cross-country, and Thomas happens to be a former cross-country champion. As the two become acquainted with each other, and learn more about each other, John finds out that Thomas is the father of a daughter he never met. As John gets closer to both Hannah and Thomas, he realizes that both of them carry a sort of “compatibility factor” that leads John to think that they could be related. And so, John arranges a meeting between the two of them. When Hannah realizes that Thomas is indeed her father, things really get interesting as Hannah is faced with the heavy decision on whether or not she wants her Dad in her life, as she tries to understand where forgiveness can come into the picture. While Hannah is in a state of uncertainty, and her father is in a state of brokenness, Olivia explains to Hannah about the perfect Father who went through great lengths to express His love for humanity by sending His son to pay the price (a painful price) to get us back, and to open a door of opportunity to make things right again, in any given situation, if we simply trust Him.
When Hannah’s grandmother, who is also her caretaker, gets word of all of this, she gets very upset, reprimands John and his wife for setting up Hannah and Tom’s meetings, and confronts Tom in the hospital. While everyone reaches the limits of themselves, everything is left in God’s hands, as He has to take control of things from there, and from that standpoint, we see a reality of how things can work together for good (Romans 8:28).
My Take:
I enjoyed this movie on several fronts. For one, it starts out with a setback. And when we forge ahead with our own plans, things don’t necessarily go as we planned. In that, other dynamics are at work to bring you to a point where you have never been so that you can do things you’ve never done. Secondly, there is a factor of “unusual linkage” or “timing,” where God starts setting the stage to bring certain people in your life at certain times in order to bring a purpose that would have never been possible unless He orchestrated it by design. I have experienced this firsthand, in some amazing and profound ways. Thirdly, God starts doing a work in people’s hearts to melt away the setbacks that we ourselves place on the progress God is doing due either to pride, bitterness, or any other attribute that is connected to our fallible and sinful nature. And fourthly, I liked how it was conveyed that through His working in us and through us, we can overcome situations and circumstances to “win the race”, and generate constructive order out of chaotic disorder. That said, it is a film that is both powerful and inspirational, and a story that is refreshing to see in the times in which we live.
Out of 4 stars, I give Overcomer 3.
The film is rated PG and runs 1 hour and 59 minutes.
To view a trailer for the movie, please click on the “play” button below.
“Overcomer” is available on Blu-ray and DVD, as well as various streaming services. The movie is also available to rent at Redbox kiosk machines everywhere.
One night, after his wife Amy (Shari Rigby) volunteers him to visit patients at the local hospital with the pastor of his church, John accidentally stumbles in the room of a man named Thomas Hill (Cameron Arnett). Hill suffers from diabetes, and has lost his eyesight. What’s interesting about this meeting is that Thomas happens to be lonely and needs companionship, and John needs advice to coach cross-country, and Thomas happens to be a former cross-country champion. As the two become acquainted with each other, and learn more about each other, John finds out that Thomas is the father of a daughter he never met. As John gets closer to both Hannah and Thomas, he realizes that both of them carry a sort of “compatibility factor” that leads John to think that they could be related. And so, John arranges a meeting between the two of them. When Hannah realizes that Thomas is indeed her father, things really get interesting as Hannah is faced with the heavy decision on whether or not she wants her Dad in her life, as she tries to understand where forgiveness can come into the picture. While Hannah is in a state of uncertainty, and her father is in a state of brokenness, Olivia explains to Hannah about the perfect Father who went through great lengths to express His love for humanity by sending His son to pay the price (a painful price) to get us back, and to open a door of opportunity to make things right again, in any given situation, if we simply trust Him.
When Hannah’s grandmother, who is also her caretaker, gets word of all of this, she gets very upset, reprimands John and his wife for setting up Hannah and Tom’s meetings, and confronts Tom in the hospital. While everyone reaches the limits of themselves, everything is left in God’s hands, as He has to take control of things from there, and from that standpoint, we see a reality of how things can work together for good (Romans 8:28).
My Take:
I enjoyed this movie on several fronts. For one, it starts out with a setback. And when we forge ahead with our own plans, things don’t necessarily go as we planned. In that, other dynamics are at work to bring you to a point where you have never been so that you can do things you’ve never done. Secondly, there is a factor of “unusual linkage” or “timing,” where God starts setting the stage to bring certain people in your life at certain times in order to bring a purpose that would have never been possible unless He orchestrated it by design. I have experienced this firsthand, in some amazing and profound ways. Thirdly, God starts doing a work in people’s hearts to melt away the setbacks that we ourselves place on the progress God is doing due either to pride, bitterness, or any other attribute that is connected to our fallible and sinful nature. And fourthly, I liked how it was conveyed that through His working in us and through us, we can overcome situations and circumstances to “win the race”, and generate constructive order out of chaotic disorder. That said, it is a film that is both powerful and inspirational, and a story that is refreshing to see in the times in which we live.
Out of 4 stars, I give Overcomer 3.
The film is rated PG and runs 1 hour and 59 minutes.
To view a trailer for the movie, please click on the “play” button below.
“Overcomer” is available on Blu-ray and DVD, as well as various streaming services. The movie is also available to rent at Redbox kiosk machines everywhere.