1 Message

While this movie might not appeal to everyone, it certainly appealed to me, particularly since breast cancer is becoming more common in young women. The devastation felt by the young protagonist, Becca, played by Ashley Kate Adams, is overwhelming, and she slumps into apathy after her diagnosis and treatment for the disease until a chance online meeting with Dean Stovall (played by Mark Smeby) on a genealogy website. Becca gropes her way towards her new normal life aided by the gift of friendship extended by Dean, who lives across the country from her. This movie is listed as a drama and a romance, and it is, but there is gentle humor too, as the two leads exchange messages spoken in voiceover: Becca's often tart, and Dean's gentle and patient. The film has no nudity; no coarse language; but unmarried cohabitation and unfaithfulness are presented briefly. There is a strong message of forgiveness in the film, not surprising, since Jefferson Moore, who wrote the screen play and also directed, is a Christian and the character of Dean Stovall is also revealed over time to be a faithful follower of Jesus. Yet, this is not a "Christians-only" movie and it is suitable for mid-teens to adults, and could spark good discussions about fidelity, what real love is, and how to survive adversity.

Ashley Kate Adams gives a really inspirational performance as a breast cancer survivor who goes through a whole lot before she finds that life can be beautiful even without those two status symbols for women who some very shallow folks put a great store in.

In the days before the personal computer and the internet people actually wrote letters to each other. But certainly the internet has made it possible to discover a sympathetic soul out there ready and willing to empathize and unburden oneself to.

Adams's character is from Seattle and in a small town in Indiana she discovers a real soulmate. She's engaged to Ryan King who turns out to be one shallow character indeed.

When she gives in to her curiosity and flies to Indiana it's quite a shock but also quite ennobling in its own way.

Recommend this low budget film quite highly.

A good movie which shows us the enormous influence one person can have on our lives in times of crisis. One faithful brother who truly helps, no matter all the stubbornness of her who ought to receive his help. And one friend far away who is also persistent enough to overcome insults, who looks behind the hurt and decides to help, while he is indeed the one who needs help. This is the real and very biblical essence of the movie, to show us that the only way out of misery is to help others, such as the cashier or the handicapped friend. Once we help, we forget about ourselves and heal on the go.

PROS

+ Good actors, not overacting as so often seen when it comes to dramata.

+ A slow pace of the movie (which is good) and a deep dive into the crisis of Becca.

+ Beautiful theme of forgiveness between daughter - mother, and ex-partners.

NEUTRAL

• The Christian theme is not strong. The first ever hint of anything related to faith comes at minute 81: "Look at it this way - if G-d can forgive me for all I do, then how can I not forgive others?" The movie does not include any salvation, but at least underlying themes of Christianity.

CONS

• The main actor describes herself as having overweight, but the screen shows something different.

• The opening scene with several minutes of a door bell is very annoying.

• The movie employs a quote from Eddie Rickenbacker, member of the Los Angeles Elks Lodge #99, a Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks (Rites, traditions, and regalia from the Freemasons).

• One foul language 'Son of a b...'

• Sublime endorsement of the American Rep***ican party.

It isn't what I expected. I thought it was an Indie but it's actually a Christian film. I'm watching it now and am halfway thru it. The flaw is the main character has some issues. Eating unhealthy, drinking, but she keeps saying she's 20 lbs overweight. They try to strategically not show her whole body with the camera angles but slip a couple shots in. She's not overweight at all. Not 20 lbs even. She's skinny. The actress is good at conveying this type of lifestyle of this kind of person who has the issues she has really well though.

I'm not sure what I expected from this film when I read the synopsis but what I got wasn't it. It's a lovely, quirky film about despair that turns into hope. Yes, it's a Christian film but it's not in your face. I loved it. It's a long film, that plods along and usually I'd hate that but it really worked well with this film. It's different and I loved that. Great film.