First off, it should be noted that this film was not made by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. It is an independent film which was promoted by the Joseph Smith and Emma Hale Smith Historical Society. The producers did contact the church history department for some information, and were given special access to and permission to use historic materials and documents owned by the church, but that is as far as their influence extends. They also worked with descendants of Joseph and Emma, as a means of trying to understand the character of the people involved. Whether or not you are a member of the church, the movie portrays a touching story of love and faith, and serves as an excellent source of understanding for much of the early history of the Mormon movement.
Technically, the film is beautifully made. The director has a genuine gift for the craft of cinematography, and it is well demonstrated in the beautiful visuals seen in this movie. The costumes, locales and all the visual elements really allow the audience to get a feel for the times and places depicted. A special nod must be given to the writers as well. The development of the story is well thought out, and the highlights that were picked to depict the progression of events were well chosen. This could not have been easy given the scope of the material to cover, and much had to be left out for the sake of time.
I do feel, reading one of the reviews posted here that some criticism needs to be made. Inaccurate rumors, slanders, incomplete or out of context information, and outright lies have long been the fate of Joseph Smith and the Mormons. That type of commentary is not a review of the movie or its merits. This movie does not claim to depict everything that occurred, nor to take sides on the divisive issues. One of the film's producers put it this way, "The film doesn't attempt to treat every aspect of early LDS history in a technically accurate way, he said, including scenes where Joseph Smith is translating the Book of Mormon. "We're looking to portray Emma's role in those events, her beliefs and convictions," rather than tackling "certain issues that just are too complicated to present in a film format." (Mike Kennedy) I believe that this film succeeds in this goal. While Emma remained behind when the main body of the church left Nauvoo, to her dying day she defended Joseph and expressed her love and affection for him.
The issue of plural marriage was a difficult and divisive issue then as now, and Emma said very little on the subject. She eventually became a member of the Reorganized Church,(now known as the Community of Christ) and spent the rest of her life in Nauvoo, where she is buried next to Joseph in the family cemetery.
One of the most important things that this film does, is open a window on the personality and character of these two highly influential and amazing people. It does not matter whether or not you believe in the doctrinal issues of the Mormon faith, you get to see some of the reasons for what they did, and you get to see Emma and Joseph as individuals who lived and breathed and laughed and cried, and loved each other, and not as untouchable names in a history book.
