Post by Rob W. Case on Dec 30, 2020 0:00:00 GMT -6
The Story:
The film begins in Lafayette Indiana, where a young man by the name of Jeremy Camp (KJ Apa) heads to Calvary Chapel College in Murrieta, California. The first night he gets settled in, Jeremy goes to a Christian concert to see a Canadian band called “The Kry”, and meets its lead singer, Jean-Luc Lagoie (Nathan Parsons). Jeremy asks Jean-Luc how to make it. Jean-Luc tells Camp that “it’s not about making it. It’s about what our songs give people.” Then he asks Camp, “So what do you want to give people?” This question forces Camp to see where his priorities lie and who he intends on serving. The two strike up a conversation about music and not long after become friends.
After the concert, Jeremy meets Melissa Henning (Brit Robertson), a girl he was eyeing during the concert. They slowly but surely get to know each other, but eventually Jeremy finds out that Jean-Luc has feelings for Melissa, but Melissa doesn’t exactly feel the same way about him. Scared about what this could turn into, she stops the growing relationship cold. During Christmas break, Jeremy makes his way back home in Indiana, but is called back to California by Jean-Luc because Melissa is very sick. Jeremy makes his way to the hospital that she is staying at, and comes to discover that Melissa has been diagnosed with Stage 3C cancer of the liver. Jeremy and Melissa come to discover that they love one another, and Jeremy proposes to her.
Meanwhile, Jeremy is trying to make a name for himself as a Christian singer and songwriter. As the cancer spreads to her ovaries, surgery is required to take care of the cancer. Yet during a concert where Jeremy is singing one of his songs, he asks for everyone in the audience to pray for healing for Melissa. They do. Jeremy and Melissa come to discover that the cancer is gone, and that she does not need the surgery after all. Months pass by, and Jeremy and Melissa get married. As everything seems to be going well for the couple, Melissa wakes up in pain after their honeymoon to find out that the cancer has returned and has spread with a vengeance. While the doctors tell them that there is no hope for recovery, Jeremy holds out for faith that she will be healed, and she begins sharing unusual perspectives about her condition, like “the death of a single star outshines everything else in the galaxy.” Melissa prepares to die, but Jeremy holds out hope for another miracle.
As Melissa’s health slips away from her, Jeremy questions his faith, his career choices, and is angry at God. Jeremy finds a very deep note written by Melissa about suffering, which encourages him to try to see past the moment and his deep pitted depression. It is a moment that brings him to a turning point in his life, using her story to show how God uses suffering and loss to change people’s lives in unforeseen ways.
My Take:
This is one of the most fascinating movies, which carries one of the most unique perspectives I have ever seen in regards to suffering and loss, and how we handle it. Although we do not always handle suffering very well, and we are likeliest to get bitter, give up hope, or live life in despair and depression, this film not only tells a powerfully emotional and moving story about a couple who goes through an array of immense challenges, but it also gives the audience a message that transcends and rises above the detrimentally subjective thoughts and feelings that stir people up and cause them to give up hope, or worse, faith. It is a movie that conveys the fact that what may be perceived as the end of one thing, is actually the beginning of a new thing. If you’re looking for a raw, honest, and unique film about suffering, loss, and disappointment, this film is for you. It is one that deeply moved me, and one that I enthusiastically give 4 stars to.
The Irony of this Dynamic In the Distribution of this film:
When the movie was released in movie theaters in March of 2020, it was quickly gaining in momentum and popularity, until the COVID-19 pandemic hit and the mass closings of movie theaters cut its box office run short in theaters. However, the film was made available OnDemand, and eventually on DVD and Blu-Ray, where it gained new life and a new audience.
I Still Believe is rated PG and runs 1 hour and 56 minutes.
To view a trailer for a film, please click on the “Play” button below.
Trailer 1:
Trailer 2:
For more about this movie, visit: www.lionsgate.com/movies/i-still-believe
I Still Believe is available on DVD, Blu-Ray, and on various streaming sites.
The film begins in Lafayette Indiana, where a young man by the name of Jeremy Camp (KJ Apa) heads to Calvary Chapel College in Murrieta, California. The first night he gets settled in, Jeremy goes to a Christian concert to see a Canadian band called “The Kry”, and meets its lead singer, Jean-Luc Lagoie (Nathan Parsons). Jeremy asks Jean-Luc how to make it. Jean-Luc tells Camp that “it’s not about making it. It’s about what our songs give people.” Then he asks Camp, “So what do you want to give people?” This question forces Camp to see where his priorities lie and who he intends on serving. The two strike up a conversation about music and not long after become friends.
After the concert, Jeremy meets Melissa Henning (Brit Robertson), a girl he was eyeing during the concert. They slowly but surely get to know each other, but eventually Jeremy finds out that Jean-Luc has feelings for Melissa, but Melissa doesn’t exactly feel the same way about him. Scared about what this could turn into, she stops the growing relationship cold. During Christmas break, Jeremy makes his way back home in Indiana, but is called back to California by Jean-Luc because Melissa is very sick. Jeremy makes his way to the hospital that she is staying at, and comes to discover that Melissa has been diagnosed with Stage 3C cancer of the liver. Jeremy and Melissa come to discover that they love one another, and Jeremy proposes to her.
Meanwhile, Jeremy is trying to make a name for himself as a Christian singer and songwriter. As the cancer spreads to her ovaries, surgery is required to take care of the cancer. Yet during a concert where Jeremy is singing one of his songs, he asks for everyone in the audience to pray for healing for Melissa. They do. Jeremy and Melissa come to discover that the cancer is gone, and that she does not need the surgery after all. Months pass by, and Jeremy and Melissa get married. As everything seems to be going well for the couple, Melissa wakes up in pain after their honeymoon to find out that the cancer has returned and has spread with a vengeance. While the doctors tell them that there is no hope for recovery, Jeremy holds out for faith that she will be healed, and she begins sharing unusual perspectives about her condition, like “the death of a single star outshines everything else in the galaxy.” Melissa prepares to die, but Jeremy holds out hope for another miracle.
As Melissa’s health slips away from her, Jeremy questions his faith, his career choices, and is angry at God. Jeremy finds a very deep note written by Melissa about suffering, which encourages him to try to see past the moment and his deep pitted depression. It is a moment that brings him to a turning point in his life, using her story to show how God uses suffering and loss to change people’s lives in unforeseen ways.
My Take:
This is one of the most fascinating movies, which carries one of the most unique perspectives I have ever seen in regards to suffering and loss, and how we handle it. Although we do not always handle suffering very well, and we are likeliest to get bitter, give up hope, or live life in despair and depression, this film not only tells a powerfully emotional and moving story about a couple who goes through an array of immense challenges, but it also gives the audience a message that transcends and rises above the detrimentally subjective thoughts and feelings that stir people up and cause them to give up hope, or worse, faith. It is a movie that conveys the fact that what may be perceived as the end of one thing, is actually the beginning of a new thing. If you’re looking for a raw, honest, and unique film about suffering, loss, and disappointment, this film is for you. It is one that deeply moved me, and one that I enthusiastically give 4 stars to.
The Irony of this Dynamic In the Distribution of this film:
When the movie was released in movie theaters in March of 2020, it was quickly gaining in momentum and popularity, until the COVID-19 pandemic hit and the mass closings of movie theaters cut its box office run short in theaters. However, the film was made available OnDemand, and eventually on DVD and Blu-Ray, where it gained new life and a new audience.
I Still Believe is rated PG and runs 1 hour and 56 minutes.
To view a trailer for a film, please click on the “Play” button below.
Trailer 1:
Trailer 2:
For more about this movie, visit: www.lionsgate.com/movies/i-still-believe
I Still Believe is available on DVD, Blu-Ray, and on various streaming sites.