Marca De Vida

PROS

+ Great production quality and great actors.

+ The movie is very great in removing many psychological barriers. This implies the barrier for reconciliation after a very long time and distance, and especially to consider adoption instead of murder.

+ No problematic language or violence.

CONS

• A mix between superficiality, matched clothing styles and super-emotionalism.

• While the movie is very pleasant to watch and carries a very great message, it is far away from the Good Message of IESOUS CHRISTOS.

We can certainly all agree that adoption is a considerable alternative, but have to ask ourselves if this is the plan A of the Bible, especially given the fact of its complete absence from it. Yes, it is true that not everything is stipulated in the Bible, but could we come to the same quintessence of the movie, specifically of David's advise to his sister, to simply think it over again based on his example?

This culmination of the movie in this worldly advise is problematic. It is one thing what David experienced in the past, but a whole other thing what he now makes out of that knowledge. He presented his sister literally the Good Message of his upbringing, but how much more important would it have been to present her not just a plan B, but the Good Message of IESOUS CHRISTOS, which would include to first follow Him instead of her brother?

Without CHRISTOS she might eventually make the right decision, but it would rather be a product of chance if this would not result in a mother-child relationship, but also father-mother-child family.

What is presented here is beautiful, but if such an extreme situation of life is not being used in order to present the Good Message, then where should THEOS be allowed to work? This is the very tragic failure of the movie. It presented a plan B and laid it wonderfully out, but apart from some Christian undertones, the movie never proposed the wonderful plan A anywhere.

• The credits include the following:

St. Luke Methodist Church

St. Mark United Methodist Church

Grace Presbyterian Highland Community Church (Calvinist)

Focus on the Family

March for Life.

Wonderful movie! It is an inspiring true story about adoption and what it means to truly adopt someone into a family:) highly recommend it to families, couples, and groups! I would recommend it to anyone who would want to be encouraged in the times of family struggle with adoption and not knowing what choice to make. It can change your life! God works in big ways and He cannot be stopped! This film delivers a powerful message about pro-life and how every life matters and children are a gift from God:) Adoption is very powerful, and this movie explains why adoption is powerful in that way! Every child deserves a chance to live and should be cherished and loved:)

As a Christian who is a film buff, I have a love-hate relationship with Christian movies. Many seem too preachy, or hateful towards atheists or liberals, and many are not well shot.

I think The Kendrick Brothers make good movies though, and this one, their first dramatized true story, is their best film yet. I saw it with my Grandma, and we both gave it a 10/10. I hope that they continue to tell true stories.

Lifemark is a true story about an 18-year-old named David who was adopted. (Kirk Cameron, who did the Kendrick Brother's film Fireproof, plays his adoptive father.) Now that he is an adult, his birth mother wants to meet him. After some consideration, he agrees, and has a life-changing meeting with her.

From a filmmaking standpoint, it's very well made. No Oscars will come its way, (which is a little disappointing), but compared to other faith-based movies, even Kendrick Brothers films, the camera work, acting, and pace are all well done for a faith-based movie.

The story was also engaging. Often, in 2 hour movies, I have to use the bathroom in the middle. Lifemark is one of the few movies I have ever seen in theaters in one sitting. The fact that Lifemark is a true story that sticks to the facts makes it all the more incredible.

There is also some light humor in the film. One scene that comes to mind is a scene where David's birth mother asks him if he'd like to go skydiving, and there are some laughs involving David's best friend's fear of falling in the sky. (I'm with you, man! You couldn't pay me a million dollars to skydive!)

Most of all though, like the Kendrick Brother's previous film, Show Me The Father (a fantastic documentary, by the way), Lifemark's best quality is the film's heart.

Lifemark has a pro-life message. While it may seem convenient that this film releases just 2.5 months after the overturning of Roe V. Wade, this movie has actually been in the works for 3 years, long before the Dobbs V. Jackson buzz was going around.

Anyways, I have seen other pro-life Christian movies that were not good. Unplanned tells a contradictory story of a Planned Parenthood director becoming pro-choice to pro-life, and Loving The Bad Man tells of a rape victim not only having her attacker's baby but falling in love with the attacker as well. (I have reviewed both movies on my page if you would like to read more about my critiques of those movies.)

Lifemark tells a consistent and powerful story though. My Grandma and I were in tears often, like in a scene where David finds out that he was almost aborted. After The Bible and movies, the abortion debate- and the pro-life side in particular, is my 3rd main interest, and that made this movie even more powerful.

Sadly, due to the controversial nature of the message, Lifemark is only in limited theaters from September 9th-15th. I had to go to a theater almost 20 minutes away to see it. If you can see it in the next few days, please do. If not, buy the DVD. I'm going to ask for it for Christmas.

Lifemark is one of the most powerful movies I have ever seen, as well as one of the best Christian movies I have ever seen. With movies like this and Father Stu and less ones like God's Not Dead and Unplanned, Christian movies are only improving. The fact that true stories are being told, rather than far-fetched fiction, seems to be a benefit.

Simply put, Lifemark will set a mark in your life. No matter your views on religion or abortion, Lifemark has my highest recommendation.

***

Note to Hollywood: Co-writer and co-producer Alex Kendrick has stated that he's heard rumors of movies in favor of abortion are coming out in response to Roe's overturning. If that is the case, know that I do not intend to be in the theater for those. I want life-affirming stories, not death-affirming ones.

(I do enjoy Lake of Fire, a documentary about the complexity of both sides of the abortion debate.)

***

The plot of this film has been done a few dozen times before. Sometimes, the subject matter has been handled sensitively, and most other times the subject matter was handled shabbily. The old story of the birth mother wanting to reunite with the child who has been adopted can easily fall into the cornball acting syndrome. Fortunately for this film and its actors, it does not. The script is intelligent, the actors are believable, and the situation is handled in a sensitive manner. All of these good variables make this an easy decision to recommend this film to the public. The only reservation I have about the film is its overreliance on religion.

This movie could have been so much better:

• if it was written better. Too many teary moments...not very realistic.

• if it didn't keep referring to God so often. Seems like everyone in the movie was into God and praising God. Not very realistic.

• if David's friend didn't have his iPhone in everyone's face, recording everything, and no one complaining about it. Not very realistic.

I could go on, but basically the movie is for God loving people who see no wrong in anything anyone does. Not very realistic.

The movie could have been so much better if the above wasn't in it. Maybe they should have implemented the KISS principle (keep it simple silly) when they made this movie?