God's Not Dead 2 (2016)

When a high school teacher is asked a question in class about Jesus, her response lands her in deep trouble.

Director:

Harold Cronk

Writers:

Chuck Konzelman, Cary Solomon

Stars:

Melissa Joan Hart, Jesse Metcalfe, David A.R. White

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Maria Canals-Barrera	...	Catherine Thawley
Pat Boone	...	Walter Wesley
Robin Givens	...	Principal Kinney
Melissa Joan Hart	...	Grace Wesley
Brad Heller	...	School Attorney
Ernie Hudson	...	Judge Robert Stennis
Hayley Orrantia	...	Brooke Thawley
Paul Kwo	...	Martin Yip
Trisha LaFache	...	Amy Ryan
Jon Lindstrom	...	Superintendent Jim Powell
Jesse Metcalfe	...	Tom Endler
Benjamin A. Onyango	...	Reverend Jude (as Benjamin Onyango)
Sadie Robertson	...	Marlene
Carey Scott	...	Richard Thawley
Fred Dalton Thompson	...	Senior Pastor (as Fred Thompson)

Storyline

When a high school teacher is asked a question in class about Jesus, her response lands her in deep trouble.

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Plot Keywords:

manipulation | alternate universe | christian film | repeat sequel | religious fanatic | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for some thematic elements

Details

Official Sites:

Official Site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 April 2016 (USA)

Also Known As:

God's Not Dead II

Filming Locations:

Little Rock, Arkansas, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$5,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$7,623,662, 3 April 2016, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$20,773,070, 17 July 2016

Company Credits

Production Co:

Pure Flix Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

120 min

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The movie premiered in the United States 17 days before Melissa Joan Hart's 40th birthday.

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Quotes

Walter Wesley: That's the thing about atheism. It doesn't take away the pain... just takes away the hope.

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Crazy Credits

There's a post-credits scene where Reverend Dave gets arrested.

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Connections

Followed by God's Not Dead: A Light in Darkness (2018)

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Soundtracks

God's Not Dead
Performed by Newsboys
Written by Daniel Bashta
(c) 2010 worshiptogether.com Songs (ASCAP) sixsteps Music (ASCAP) Go Forth Sounds (ASCAP) (adm. at EMICMGPublishing.com)
All rights reserved. Used by permission
Newsboys appear courtesy of Inpop Records

User Reviews

A truly simplistic world

The life of the Creator/Deity of the infinite universe of time, space, and matter gets a second go round in God's Not Dead 2. In this film, Advanced Placement History teacher Melissa Joan Hart is suspended when she quotes from the Gospel of Matthew in answer to a student's question concerning Jesus, Gandhi, and Martin Luther King. Somebody tapes the lesson and Hart's hauled up before the school board and then put on trial. For what I'm still not sure as this is not a criminal matter. Now what John Thomas Scopes was put on trial for teaching evolution back in the 20s, that was a criminal matter. All that should be happening here is a legal appeal of an administrative ruling and certainly that is civil.

I remember many years ago in New York City in the Bronx I believe there was a teacher fired for bringing up Jesus as her evangelical faith tells her she has to. She was told that she could not be talking about religion. With all seriousness and ingenuousness she replied she wasn't talking about religion to her students, she was talking about Jesus. That got her deservedly canned. Poor woman had not a clue.

The school board retains the biggest villain in the evangelical modern world, the American Civil Liberties Union. Ray Wise is a properly smarmy lawyer whom if he wore a handlebar mustache would be twirling it. Hart's lawyer is Jesse Metcalfe late of the revived TV Dallas and he's the hero of the piece saving Hart's job and right to her beliefs.

I brought up the Scopes Trial and those of us who've seen any version of Inherit The Wind remember that the judge ruled out scientific expert testimony about evolution. That's not what happens here as Jesse Metcalfe is allowed to bring in religious 'expert' testimony from some real folk playing themselves. I guess different rules apply in Judge Ernie Hudson's court. Mike Huckabee is playing himself as Fox New commentator and he's probably cursing the fact that God's Not Dead 2 was released after he called a halt to his presidential campaign.

The original God's Not Dead was a Christian propaganda piece, but in terms of the film the story was interestingly presented. This one played like a long episode story from the 700 Club. I'm sure it will play heavily on the Christian film circuit and will be rented a lot by youth pastors all over the Bible Belt once it goes to DVD.

It's a truly simplistic world these folks live in. They're right, the Bible is the word of God not to be questioned or given alternative interpretation. And those who don't believe are either sinners beyond redemption or a fertile evangelical field to be plowed.

Seeing the united front the kids give Melissa Joan Hart in support you know this is a Bible Belt community she's from. I wonder if there are any kids openly saying that she was wrong. God help them, the gay kids must be very deep in the closet there.