Road to Redemption

"Road to Redemption" is great family viewing material, and it includes the Gospel message! This movie has enough substance that it can be watched over and over. It is entertaining - provoking numerous outbursts of laughter. The conversations between the grandfather and granddaughter are thought provoking, as well as inspiring, giving ideas on how to share Christ with loved ones. The value in this type of film far exceeds the mindless, deceiving garbage that movies usually offer. Although the "Left Behind" movies have an important and necessary message of their own, they aren't suitable for family viewing (for families with pre-teens, that is). "Road to Redemption" is suitable for family viewing, and makes for a great family evening.

This is a fair comedy that is worth taking a look at. It will not have you in stitches or rolling on the floor, but isn't bad to view once. Pat Hingle plays the charming old man he has so many times before. The lead female does an adequate job too. I walked away getting what I had expected. I feel Christians still have a long way to go in the film making industry. I found "Left Behind" to be very disappointing. If Christians want films to be used as outreach tools, they must realize that Christian movies must be of the same production quality as their secular counterparts. I originally saw this movie back when I was a Christian and found it fair. Despite my change in beliefs, my opinion of it remains unchanged.

Here I am to tell you my opinions on "Road to Redemption". Of all the Christian movies I've seen ("Left Behind", "The Climb" and "The Ride") this is the best one. No one dies and there is no tacky "flash back" that seem to ALWAYS be in Christian movies (*ahem* take note of that please "Climb" and "Ride" script writers) It was a fairly amusing movie not all drama and Billy Grahmn (sp) was BARELY in it! Its a good start for Christian movies, hopefully its the "Keith Green" of Christian movies! =) (By the way: a teacher @ my school always claimed some guy named Keith Green was one of the first Christian singers or something.)

Julie Condra gets a hold of some mob money and goes on a spree. But when the syndicate finds out she's forced to flee. Her only hope is her grandfather who has put away a few shekels in his life to give her the money to pay back what she owes. She can only hope they'll forgive her, but these are not known to be forgiving people.

It's a Christian movie put out by the Billy Graham Ministry so expect the usual Christian parameters involved. Pat Hingle plays the grandfather and he's always good. There's an interesting role for Wes Studi an American Indian who has brought his tracking skills to the mob. They do pay well for his services I'm sure.

But if you want to see a really good film about someone who got a hold of syndicate money and is trying to shake them, watch Walter Matthau in Charley Varrick.

Usually, when you know the movie is put out by Billy Graham, no one is going to be converting to Zoroastrianism by the end of the movie. The subplot is usually the same in every movie: Christian befriends non-Christian, non-Christian (and audience) hears the plan for salvation, and non-Christian usually becomes a Christian by the end. There's little suprise in that part.

This movie reminded me a lot of the old "Walt Disney Presents" movies on Sunday night TV. Family-friendly, geniunely funny in some places, a little corny in others, and usually had some pro-social message in the end - be nice to old people, don't shoot deer, listen to Julie Andrews sing and you'll be rewarded by dancing on the celing....whatever. So, I guess you can call old Disney movies "propaganda disgusied as a movie," or whatever the bitter guy said a few posts back.

As a light comedy, it works. The "Bad guys" are silly, the chase scenes are fun, and there are a few running gags that pay off towards the middle and end. Besides any "Christian" comedy that dares to take a swipe at the Partridge Family can't be that bad, can it? The parts that are shaky, as it sometimes is with WWP movies, the "Serious" moments between the granddaughter and grandfather are slow at times, and the scenes at the end are cliched. But, like I said, it's like a Sunday night Disney movie....You know what you're getting yourself into.