Finding Hope

This movie reminded me of three of my favorite films. It was like "City of Angels" meets "Ghost" and "Hearts and Souls". I absolutely was blown away by this movie. I laughed, I cried. It was an emotional film that struck home with me on so many different levels.

The cinematography was beautifully done. The direction and writing were spot on. The characters pulled you into to the story and made you start to take stock in your own life.

The acting was top tier. Suzette Brown's performance as Hope was nothing short of award worthy. She plays the character beautifully. Shannon Brown is amazing as Andrew. You can feel the raw emotion he is feeling. Craig James Jr. reminded me of a young Treat Williams. The character he plays, Jacob, is someone we have all encountered at some point in our lives, yet you can relate to what he is dealing with.

I am not one to watch a movie on the computer. But I watched this one from start to finish and wish I could see it on the big screen.

If you have free time and want to see a really well made, well acted, and well written movie. Watch "Finding Hope". I promise you it will stop and make you think about your life. I know it changed mine.

I was invited by a friend to attend a screening of Finding Hope in Chicago. I almost didn't go because I am not a big fan of faith based films, but I'm so glad I did. This film featured wonderful performances and a beautiful message. I did not feel like I was watching a faith based film, but rather just a great story that certainly highlighted family, faith and values. There was a realness, almost a rawness to the film that most indie film buffs, like myself, will really appreciate. There is love, loss, tragedy, gut wrenching decisions and a couple of pretty well disguised twists that make this film a must see for all indie lovers. The performances are wonderful. The leads, Shannon and Suzette Brown, are very powerful. They are both very honest and daring with their choices and it plays brilliantly. Both of them play very challenging roles and these two pull it off seemingly effortlessly. Shannon Brown has become a trailblazer in the indie scene and I believe his star will continue to shine and he'll ultimately be a household name. I have since seen him play multiple types of roles in multiple genres and his performances are always very strong. Robyn Coffin and Sean Leonard do a nice job as strong supporting roles, you can't help but love Robyn's whimsical character, Edith.

Walt Sloan, a personal favorite of mine, is nothing short of spectacular as the final member of the principal cast. As a huge indie film buff, I've seen Mr. Sloan in a variety of films, he simply never disappoints. Overall, the film is executed wonderfully. The only thing stopping me from giving it a 10 is that the lighting in some of the scenes fall short. Also, there are a few moments when the Simon character plays a little too preachy and holier than thou, not sure if that has to do with performance or direction. All in all, this truly a great indie piece and I highly recommend it!

This film was beautifully done and does a great job of keeping you on the edge of your seat while staying true to it's faith based message. I was instantly sucked in to the story mainly due to the amazing performances by the leads - Shannon Brown and Suzette Brown.

The story follows "Andrew"(Shannon Brown) and "Hope"(Suzette Brown) as they deal with tragic loss which not only puts a strain on their relationship but also makes "Andrew" question his faith. It's a bold story, it's certainly not your everyday faith based film as both of the lead characters have to deal with gut wrenching issues and intense drama throughout the film, putting their relationship, their faith and even their well being to the ultimate test. These very challenging characters are performed masterfully by the two leads.

The supporting cast is strong as well, as they do a great job of keeping the story on track and even providing some needed levity in certain spots. In particular Robyn Coffin, who plays "Edith". Coffin's character is key to the story and she was wonderful every time she was on the screen. I'd like to think that everyone has a friend like "Edith".

I cried, I laughed and I couldn't help but get invested in the journey of "Andrew" and "Hope". I highly recommend this film regardless of your religious beliefs. Finding Hope checks all the boxes of what's needed for a great movie and I look forward to seeing it again.

Led by powerful and thoughtful performances, and guided by restrained and appropriate direction, Finding Hope finds the tone that fans of this genre want and expect. The film stayed focused on its message and the actors stayed focused on their characters. Julian Grant wrote a simple yet effective story, pulling together familiar elements and combining them in a way that didn't feel too mundane or pedestrian. The pacing is leisurely which may have become a problem if the characters were not as engaging as they were. Shannon Brown, Sean Patrick Leonard, Robyn Coffin and the rest of the cast gave solid performances, but I would single out Suzette Brown for special recognition because her role was the most difficult and required more subtle and emotional attention to detail. I found it inspiring in message and execution.

I found myself engulfed in the story from the beginning. I loved the cinematography and the scenery is inspiring. I loved the themes present: how people can change, the power of love, the importance of forgiveness, and being willing to reach out to God for understanding and love. Simon is a character that's easy to love and admire. Hope is outstanding. Andrew, although flawed like all of us, is someone we should be able to relate to as none of us is perfect. If you enjoy inspiring love stories, I highly recommend it. Well-done!I hope those who have interest faith based films and good family entertainment will see this movie!