Right from the get go, you need to know this is a religious movie. You'll know that yourself after the first five minutes. In fact, I disappointedly thought this was going to be another one of those corny, hyper-spiritual movies that lays the preaching on a bit too thickly for anyone except the most ardent church-goer to tolerate. I'm happy to say that this isn't one of those movies. Not quite. Stick with it and you will be rewarded, because this movie goes down another path and I wanted to see where we were going. This movie makes a valiant attempt to examine the struggles people have with their faith when life suddenly throws hardship and difficulties at them. It's not afraid to ask the questions that people have at these times when they start to ask if God is really there. Trouble is, it doesn't do this in a really coherent manner and keeps wandering off in other directions and then sort of coming back to the main theme. I don't think it will come as a spoiler to anyone when I say that by the end of the movie everyone, including the young protagonist, has come to the conclusion that God really is there, all the time. We just don't always see Him. The trouble is, the movie fails to properly explain how we actually came to that point. This is a big failing. The young boy, Wesley, says he has had an epiphany and takes the time to explain what it was. We just don't see how he came to that epiphany. I thought I must have lost focus for a few minutes and missed something. so I watched the final 10 minutes again. Sorry, I still didn't see how we got where we ended up. It's like we had a happy ending that we didn't deserve. We hadn't done enough work to get there. I can only think that some important scenes ended up on the cutting room floor. What a pity. The movie doesn't answer any of the questions it asks. It just tries to make you think it did.
I did enjoy this movie though and a big part of that is because of the acting of the young star, Grant Davidson. What a great little actor he is. He does a brilliant job in conveying so much of the emotion that his character feels and the issues he is struggling with. He gave a performance well past his years. He did struggle with some of the more emotional scenes, but hey, this is his first movie and he is only going to get better. I hope some other director or producer sees this movie and puts this young man in something more befitting his skills. I look forward to seeing that. Sadly, young Mr Davidson was one of the few good actors in this film. Many of the others were pretty cringe worthy - adults and kids.
In summary would I recommend this flick? Yes, I think I would. I liked it. It wasn't great, but it was tolerable and I've seen lots worse. The credit for all that is good about it lies, mostly, at the feet of the young star.
Plot summary
The Prayer Box is a beautifully tragic story about what happens when God doesn't intervene the way people want him to. Following the story of a young boy who sets off on a mission to get God's attention in hopes that God will heal his sister from terminal cancer, the young boy begins answering the prayers left by church members in the pastor's prayer box after the pastor throws them away, jaded by his own suffering. It tackles the heavy issues of unanswered prayer and if God even hears/answers prayer with a message that is heartbreaking in its raw portrayal of human pain and suffering in this world. Not a conventional inspirational faith film, this film is undeniably powerful in the fact that it challenges preconceived notions of whitewashed happy-go-lucky faith. This film does not hide the fact that life is full of pain, suffering, loss, and betrayal, yet it somehow manages to take these themes and find God in the midst of it all. There is a childlike innocence and naivety to the young boy who finds a confidant in an elderly man who takes him under wing, providing both mentorship and comic relief amid the pain the young boy faces with his dying sister and his mother who has distanced herself from the rest of the world. The most interesting character, however, is that of the Pastor who shocks the audience with his dumping of the prayer requests into the trashcan. Initially painted as a hypocritical and unfeeling spiritual leader to a group of blind followers, his character evolves into one of particular interest as it is revealed how he became so jaded at his calling, and how the young boy's faith brings a personal revival to the Pastor's life and his congregation as a whole. This is a phenomenally complex, challenging, and thought-provoking film, powerfully presented with an expertly delicate hand.
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Tolerable but puzzling.
Great thought provoking message
This is not your typical God comes to the rescue at the end and they all live happily ever after. Nope, in fact, I anticipated that ending so I was prepared to be disappointed, but not in God. One thing I do know is that God is good and definitely compassionate. What I don't know is the criteria to get prayer answered as you request it. That seems to be a mystery for most believers, me included. We are encouraged to pray and trust God for the results. I know "He knows best" is a cliche but I have nothing new to add. Sorry. The main actor was phenomenal as was the pastor. The ending really surprised me, but it was the best one, in my opinion. Lastly, the negative reviews again are probably from people who either didn't watch the movie or just hate anything Christian for whatever reason. If you especially are a believer, give this a try. Cheers.
This film was designed for a narrow audience and follow this design to its detrimnet
I watch this film as someone that wasn't a part of the narrow audience it was designed. The timing of the music in the heartwarming scenes was spot on and the early character building was done well. The story told from about the halfway mark seems to go against the character development earlier of the protagonists and others, it is clear that this was was done to tell a certain narrative as it was done poorly.
All in all this film has been weighed; it has been measured; and has been found wanting.