New Hope (2012)

High school senior Michael (the son of a preacher and a Christian) is the new guy in a small town still reeling from a high school basketball star's unforeseen suicide of a year ago.

Director:

Rodney Ray

Writer:

Rodney Ray

Stars:

Samuel Davis, Perry Frost, Ben Davies

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Samuel Davis	...	Michael Evans
Perry Frost	...	Jasmine Stone
Ben Davies	...	Lucas Green
Will Schwab	...	Alex Evans
Reg Rob	...	Coach Tom Miller (as Reginald Robinson)
Julie Kendall	...	Olivia Evans
Meghan Woods	...	Faith Evans
John Sutherlin	...	John Green
Dodie Brown	...	Sally Green
Troy Wold	...	Darren Stone
Jennifer R. Sanderson	...	Jamie Stone
Emily Prestridge	...	Madison
Amy Dousay	...	Emily
Lyndae Gilbert	...	Ms. Walker
Lionel Crowell	...	The Old Man

Storyline

Michael is not thrilled about his family's move to New Hope, a small, close-knit southern town. After all, it is his senior year. He is even less enthused about joining the town's high school basketball team, especially when he begins to bump heads with the team's star player, Lucas. Lucas is fiercely loyal to the memory of his brother Chase -- the victim of a suicide that shook the entire town to its core. To Lucas, Michael is reaping everything Chase left behind -- an insult he refuses to accept. Jasmine, Chase's longtime girlfriend, still has not found peace a year after his tragic death -- until a chance meeting with Michael. Michael's faith is tested as he endures confrontations with Lucas on and off the basketball court and through his growing fascination with Jasmine. With topics including peer pressure, alcohol, sex, suicide, relationships, and acceptance, New Hope captures the life of the modern teenager.

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Plot Keywords:

christian | cigar smoking | high school | suicide | basketball | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Quotes

Alex Evans: Well, have you done anything to MAKE him hate you?
Michael Evans: Uh, breathe?

User Reviews

Hope springs eternal

A new preacher has come from Colorado to the Louisiana town of New Hope and they've got the usual problems of settling in the new place that we all have. Especially Samuel Davis who is a high school senior and not wanting to start all over again in a new place. Some families would have boarded their son with another family until the senior term was up.

But not this family because as it turns out he's got a destiny, that is to save New Hope's star athlete Ben Davies from an overpowering grief and lead the team to a state championship. Davies has never gotten over the suicide of his younger brother, feels he should have spotted something. That doesn't work in a lot of instances even when it is not a subject for a Christian film.

It also doesn't help that Davis is now taking up with Perry Frost who was the deceased brother's girlfriend. Most of the film Davies is having a chip on his shoulder.

I have to confess when I saw the title I thought this might be a gay film. Possibly the producers didn't know that New Hope, Pennsylvania is a popular gay tourist spot. Or maybe they thought they'd get a gay customer or two to watch the film and be saved.

Of course the fact that the kid brother who suicided might have been gay and not found a lot of support in this Bible belt town. Something I have never seen addressed in any Christian film, but it's the number one cause for suicide among teens.

And you sure won't see that issue brought up in New Hope.

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

10 February 2012 (USA)

Also Known As:

New Hope

Filming Locations:

Monroe, Louisiana, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$300,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

R-Squared Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

125 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color (HD) Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1