Lifemark

Poorly written. Emotional moments use cheesy royalty free inspirational/sad music, characters don't have any depth. To put it kindly, the acting is subpar and the dialogue is just awkward. Movie falls into countless poorly-executed clichés. One of the worst writing issues I noticed was how characters didn't evolve throughout the entire movie. Movie was so excellent it could have been directed by Donald Trump.

Here's my satirical review: Beautiful film that loves mentioning how god was responsible for every thing down to a character speaking. What an amazing film, I loved it so much hearing about church and god. It was just so inspirational.

This movie won't be pulling in any acting awards in the near or far future but for a lazy day of mindless tv watching it was fine, even heartwarming. That is until its alternative motives were made clear. I guess I wasn't paying close enough attention to see where it was going. The end got super preachy with an anti-abortion chaser that discussed none of the nuances that may come into play when women make the decision to abort. As a woman and an adoptee I was low-key offended by the simplistic adoption vs abortion binary they drew in this movie.

The last quarter of the movie was disappointing and infuriating in turns which colored my overall perspective in a negative way.

It probably wouldn't be fair to just trash this film out of hand. There will doubtless be many who find the pro-life message it emphasises life-affirming. As a piece of cinema, though, it is a shockingly simplistic and one-sided attempt to suggest to young women facing that most difficult of decisions that all in the garden is ridiculously rosy! We start with "David" (the easy on the Raphael Ruggero) whom we discover has been adopted by the Christian (that's important) Colton family - "Jimmy" (Kirk Cameron) and "Susan" (Rebecca Rogers). They live a happy life with the young man a keen wrestler about to go on to college. Sadly, though, injury befalls him and after surgery to relieve pressure on his brain - the recovery from which would put Lazarus to shame - he has to rethink his plans. Meantime, his birth mother realises that he is now eighteen and so attempts to get in touch. The rest of this rather sentimentally cheesy drama follows a slightly nauseating path, I found, aided unhelpfully by his rather irritating mate "Nate" (Justin Sterner) who insisted on filming everything on his phone - even some of the most sensitive and personal moments as the story evolves with an almost menacing degree of indoctrinating pontification - subtle, yes - as an air raid! The acting, especially from the adults, is twee and pedestrian in the extreme with adulation and fawning galore as we plod along towards an ending that I found supremely condescending. This is at best, a mediocre television movie that should only be shown in cinemas with a warning that it completely lacks any sense of balance. The soundtrack is also banal - plinky plonky piano chords just to reinforce the gloopiness. I didn't hate it. Cameron et al are entitled to their point of view, but if this is supposed to be in any way educational or realistic, then I'm Tom Thumb!

I've never given a movie 10 stars until this one! I was mildly interested in it before watching it and am so happy I did. I will warn you though it's a tear jerker. Finally a movie with a positive message, so badly needed in our day! Appropriate for the whole family.

Everyone should be able to relate to this movie. I found myself relating to poor choices I've made in my youth, I found myself relating to the longing to be loved and wanted in your family, and I found myself relating as a parent and the love you have for someone walking around with a piece of your heart.

If this movie gets downrated on IMBD, I can almost guarantee you that it will be because of trolls who believe in abortion. This movie though, does not focus on anti-abortion stances, but on the beauty that comes from the selfless act of adoption and the friends and family that are there for you supporting you through your ups and downs.

So heartwarming, only those without a heart will not like it.

Also wear waterproof mascara when seeing this!

I first found the Kendrick Brothers movie Courageous back when I was experiencing something similar as the character Nathan in that movie. I'll just say that movie had a message that reach a lot of people whether unexpected like it did with me or intentionally for its main audience. That audience has been ridiculed of late in the media and targeted by folks who simply have nothing better to do but insult others. This movie is an example of the evolving hate towards faith based movies and the audiences who support them. I was disappointed to hear my theater was only showing this for one week. I guess the subject matter if too conflicting with today's world climate.

Still, this is one of the best movies I've seen this year. The topic of abortion has been told before going back more than 30 years in another Kirk Cameron movie 'Listen to me.' That movie was produced and advertised by a major movie studio. This one is produced by Christian film makers who have a reputation or making thought provoking, heart warming movies with a message. Except where major Hollywood movies are throwing money making garbage, they're really missing out on an audience who financially support these movies.

This movie is well told, well acted, and moving. With the recent Roe v Wade issues in 2022, it's pro life stance likely scared away studios. No bother because those who enjoy good movies will still choose to spend their money on things they can take their families to see together.

A young man turns 18 and realizes he was adopted as his birth mother reaches out to him. Eventuality he learns some years earlier, his mother considered abortion. The relationship between mom and son takes this movie to a whole new level not shown in movies today....genuine heart and human emotion. Are there themes of faith and hope?? Of course, and it's not ashamed to go there. What it will do though is make you think while you find yourself really invested in the characters. You find yourself rooting for these folks on screen because you want them to succeed. There's some humor, some comedy, little action, and all around a pretty good time. Best part is you can take the family to this one and not worry about sex and profanity. I'm guessing the PG-13 rating comes as a caution due to the subject matter but otherwise this is clean entertainment. I highly recommend it. Show Hollywood their error in not producing more movies like the Kendrick Brothers films-which by the way went number 1 in 2015.