Quick synopsis: A football coach at a little Christian school struggles with common life issues and with football. His faith and the faith of others play a huge role in the outcome.
Now, the good stuff. From time to time I found myself deeply moved, moved to weeping, by this film. Why? I wondered. I don't know.
- I watched with my two daughters, and I deeply desire that they participate in the kinds of profound faith experiences that sustained me in high school.
- The movie took me back to tender places in my high school years, especially in integrating faith with football and the rest of life. I could quickly relate to how renewed (or new) faith could change a kid's whole outlook on life. My Christian peers played a huge role in my life then, and I could strongly relate to how faith actually contributed to my finding the best in myself as an athlete. We shouldn't mock that part of the movie.
- Some of the plot devices, including kids and their parents, were genuinely moving.
Theologically, the movie maintains that faith makes an impact on your life in positive ways. You see your relationships differently. You find a different meaning in your ordinary responsibilities. You find spiritual empowerment for the most important things you face. You see the good things that come to you as blessings. Prayer matters -- and so do people who pray. In many ways, this film hit those topics at just the right note.
With this movie, my evangelical piety shares a longing for revival. I really long for and pray for spiritual awakening.
I'll add that I wish mainline Christian kids had the same language I had as an evangelical youth for understanding how faith relates to our identity and our lifestyles. We're working on that in Lancaster Seminary's Leadership Now program, but I wish that. (For a critical reflection on that same ethos, see below.)
Technically, I generally dislike football films because the football action is so unrealistic. The football action in this cheaply produced movie is fairly impressive.
The movie also has significant theological shortcomings, and they need reflection.
- The main thing is that the movie suggests that faith solves all of life's problems. Money, personal matters, football, you name it. Loving Jesus might help a football player (or team) play with passion and courage. It won't take a cruddy team and turn them into all-stars. The movie nods toward the outlook that living faithfully might not lead to success, but the whole plot undermines a healthier outlook.
- Faith in this movie is still too small. Our little Christian academy has one black coach, complete with weak racial humor. It apparently includes an African American player -- we know this not because he ever speaks but because he appears in a game scene. In other words, faith is all about personal issues and one to one relationships. It doesn't bear on the social realities that so shape our lives. Why is it, by the way, that Southern Christian schools are so white? (And why were so many of them founded just when public schools integrated?)
- The movie is socially conservative to a fault. The coach and his wife have money problems and no kids. So why does this talented woman keep just a part-time job that makes almost no difference in their financial picture? (I have a sneaking hunch.) Several times the movie insists that following Jesus means submitting to authority. I'm all for that, but you know what? Sometimes authorities, even parents, are unjust and abusive. It's not sufficient to tell somebody to obey authority and leave it at that.
- I just don't share the theology that God determines everything that happens. This movie assumes that theology. If I win a football game, I thank God for the experience and the ability -- but I would never interpret the win as God's will. Even back in the day, we knew better than that.
Bottom line? I was genuinely touched by this movie. My daughter was inspired. It raises important questions. I just have some serious reservations too.
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11 comments:
I thought it was a sweet, if naive and simplistic, movie as well. What a great opportunity to talk about the good and flawed parts of the movie with your daughter and other young people. Those kinds of discussions can help them develope the kind of God-talk or Christian language that will help them articulate their faith among themselves and to others.
I appreciate your review, Greg. I watched this film with my college students, who adore it. I didn't grow up in that kind of faith environment, nor did I play football, and your comments make me curious. I wonder if you miss and long for the simplicity that isn't there for you anymore?
That'll be 25 cents, and you can call my Lucy.
I thought Lucy charged a nickel.
No, it's not simplicity I miss. I don't remember ever feeling like faith was simple. What I miss the language that naturally integrates faith with day to day living. I especially sense the lack of that among youth in mainline churches.
Greg,
This movie has opened opportunites with unchurched youth to show how God can work in your life if you let him. The movie is a great way to evangelize them in a non-threating way.
i watched it with my teens as well... they were really struck by the parental obedience piece and all were ready to admit that they disregarded their parents in so many ways. i was surprised that they didn't find it hokey at all, but instead were super inspired. I think we all long for a sense of confirmation that our actions are godly but this film did make it seem rather formulaic.
Overall, I think the "christian" film industry is trying to break into the mainstream viewing audience and i think there are some really positives to this. wonder what you thought about fireproof....
Greg - Yeah, it used to be a nickel but inflation, you know. I agree with you that it's missing for mainline youth (and adults). We're very unsure of how to teach our children to talk about faith. I remember a little girl in one of my sunday school classes telling us, "My mom says you shouldn't talk about Jesus too much."
Steph, I liked Fireproof a lot and I was surprised that I did!
Haven't seen Fireproof, so I'm ignorant.
Fireproof and Facing the Giants were both done by the same two brothers who are co-pastors at a church in Georgia. They also did another little independent flick called Flywheel. The youth from my church enjoyed Facing the Giants very much, and it led to some great discussions about their personal faith journeys. I would be glad to help the seminary with incorporating more evangelical fervor and language into their youth curriculum. I was very active in an evangelical youth movement during my teens. (YES, I was a 70's Jesus Freak! LOL) There are some great youth resources that I have used from evangelical sources that have been well received in my church. I am also comfortable with them theologically as a UCC Pastor.
many of the leadership NOW kids talked about this movie and they liked it but felt uncomfortable with it for reasons they couldn't quite articulate. i'll send them your review and see if it fits.
i am skeptical of the whole christian movie scene... esp. Fireproof which is corny and crazed to a fault. they have nice surface messages but don't go deeper... at least the ones i've seen.. i should be more open-minded and give this one a try. thanks for the review!
Sterling and Luke, this is the kind of conversation we need to be having.... Something that's not all-this or all-that, but honest and engaging, critical and self-critical.
Hey Greg,
Good Review, I saw this movie about a year ago maybe more, shortly after it came out. I really like the movie, I defiantly agree with you that most people in the mainline church seem to lack the integration of faith into their every day lives. I wonder what we can do as the mainline church to change that. Maybe I misunderstood your comment, but I don't think that the movie was trying to say that the winning or loosing of the football games had anything to do with Gods will, but rather to praise God for giving them the chance to play "If we win we praise him, if we loose we praise him" I think I agree with all your positives, not sure if I would go as far as you have with the negatives but overall good review. It got me thinking about the movie again and my own ability or lack there of to express my faith as well as those in the evangelical church are able to.
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