We had the opportunity to watch the movie Breakthrough this past Sunday at an event hosted by our church as a thank you for all those that serve in the Children’s ministry.
We actually had two different opportunities to see this movie before it was released but passed on the offer. Mainly because the showing was on a weeknight and at a theater about an hour away from where we live, but also, I was not overly excited about watching a movie where a boy dies and his mother prays him back to life. No spoiler there, the movie trailer lets you know that is the plot of the movie. But I’m glad we went this time. It is worth watching.
I think this movie had the best acting of all the Christian movies we have seen in the past few years. There were only a few of the minor characters that I was less than impressed with, but the main roles are filled by seasoned actors.
The main character is the mother of the boy who dies, Joyce Smith, who is played by Chrissy Metz. She is known for her current role in the television series This Is Us, where she plays the part of Kate Pearson. Probably the best known actors are Josh Lucas (Jake Perry in Sweet Home Alabama) who plays the boy’s father and Dennis Haysbert (deep voice commercial spokesman for the Allstate Insurance Corporation) who plays the “drowning specialist” doctor. Although I have personally never watched it, the actor who plays the family’s pastor, Jason Noble, is from That 70’s Show (Topher Grace who plays Eric Forman on that show).
Like I said, going in to the movie you know that the boy is going to fall through the ice and die, then be miraculously brought back to life. Even though I knew that, I still literally jumped when he fell in and had teary eyes several times as I felt the mother’s pain and pleas to God.
The movie is not all serious, there is comedy mixed in and we laughed out loud several times. There are a few sideline stories including the mother’s acceptance of the new pastor and the boy’s struggle with healing from his past. The question is raised, why does God heal some people and not others, but it is left unanswered and not fully addressed in my opinion. Overall, I rate this movie as 4.0 out of 5.0. For me, it would have ranked higher if there were a little more emphasis on God and deeper theology addressed. The movie emphasis, in my opinion, is on a mother’s strong love and resolve not to give up, which is not a bad thing, but I would have liked to see more focus on God’s love and sovereignty. Also, I like movies where there is a plot twist and/or something unexpected happens and you don’t have that with this film. But then, it’s based on a real-life story so that was probably not an option without twisting the truth.
It is a good movie and definitely worth watching, I don’t want to leave you with the wrong impression. Like I said, the acting was good and you get drawn in to the emotion of the storyline. It kept moving at a good pace, I never felt bored or that it was too long like I do with some movies. It is a good clean movie based on Christian faith and I always like supporting that agenda.
At the end of the movie they show side by side pictures of the actors and the real people involved. I always appreciate when movies do that. It’s nice seeing the “real” faces of the people whose lives you were just a part of.
You can purchase this movie on DVD from our Affiliate Partner Christianbook Distributors at the link below.
Product Description
Based on the miraculous true story of John Smith, the then 14-year-old boy who fell through an ice-covered lake and remained submerged for 20 minutes. ER doctors were ready to give up hope—but not his mother, Joyce! She cried out to God in prayer, and John’s heart began beating again, to the astonishment of those present. Rated PG. Dove approved. Approx. 117 minutes.
2019 Dove Winner- Inspirational Film of the Year
Breakthrough, the Book
Christianbook Distributors carries the book that this movie is based on (authored by the boy’s mother Joyce Smith). At the time this article was written they also carry The Impossible: The Miraculous Story of a Mother’s Faith and Her Child’s Resurrection which is the title the book was first published under. The pastor in the story, Jason Noble, also has a companion book titled Breakthrough to Your Miracle: Believing God for the Impossible. Note that we have not read that book so cannot tell you how good or theologically sound it is.
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