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Stars: Kristoffer Polaha, Elizabeth Tabish, Neal McDonough, Sean Astin, Rose Reid, John Billingsley, Paras Patel, Emily Rose, Nolan North | Written and Directed by Brock Heasley

Whilst I don’t typically cover faith-based films, I was intrigued by The Shift‘s ambitious premise. A Christian science fiction thriller from writer/director Brock Heasley, A film that combines the high-concept appeal of multiverse storytelling with faith-based themes is certainly a bold endeavour, and Heasley deserves credit for taking such a creative risk.

The story follows Kevin Garner, played by Kristoffer Polaha, a man thrust into a dystopian web of parallel universes while trying to reunite with his wife, Molly, portrayed by Elizabeth Tabish. Neal McDonough delivers a menacing performance as “The Benefactor,” a mysterious and sinister figure who seems to control Kevin’s fate. The film’s biblical inspiration, particularly the story of Job, is evident in Kevin’s relentless struggle to...

Kaleidoscope Home Entertainment are excited to announce that The Shift is out now to rent/buy on Amazon Prime Video in the UK and will be available to buy on Blu-ray and DVD from 1st April 2024.

A gripping sci-fi thriller from the studio behind breakout hit Sound of Freedom, starring Kristoffer Polaha (Wonder Woman 1984, Mad Men), Neal McDonough (Minority Report, Yellowstone), Elizabeth Tabish (The Chosen) and Sean Astin (Stranger Things, The Lord of the Rings).

The Shift is a modern-day retelling of the book of Job. Kevin Garner (Polaha) gets separated from Molly (Tabish), the love of his life, when a mysterious adversary known as The Benefactor (McDonough) sends him to an alternate dystopian reality. Will hope and faith be enough to find his way back?

First released in the US in December 2023 by Angel Studios, The Shift struck a bold chord with viewers, grossing $12 million domestically, as well as...

From the studio that brought us Sound of Freedom, here is a convoluted parallel universe film based on the bible story – and yes, sitting through it is an ordeal

There are things to like about this faith drama: it has ambition, it doesn’t always go in the direction you expect it to go, and it’s got character actor Neal McDonough playing a villain, which is a good thing. It also stands out by virtue of its rarity – I can’t remember the last time I saw a dystopian sci-fi movie based loosely on the Book of Job.

Emphasis on “loosely”, mind you. Director Brock Heasley’s version of the biblical story sees wealthy financier Kevin (Hallmark fave Kristoffer Polaha) lose everything at least twice: first when he loses his high-flying job, and then when he is separated from his wife-to-be, a woman he meets while sulking in a...

Are multiverses consistent with Christian theology? Personally, I have my doubts, but in Angel Studios’ religious-minded sci-fi thriller “The Shift,” the notion that there could be infinite parallel realities offers an original, if flawed model to test its main character’s faith.

Here’s how it works: A churchgoing man named Kevin (Kristoffer Polaha) meets and marries his dream woman, Molly (Elizabeth Tabish), only to have his happy life whisked away from him by a steely-eyed stranger who calls himself “the Benefactor” (Neal McDonough). Kevin’s desperate to get back to his wife, but this Benefactor guy seems determined to rattle his convictions, trying to force Kevin to reject his beliefs and go along with the rest of society’s atheist attitudes.

That’s where the movie’s other big biblical connection comes in. “The Shift” is billed as a contemporary retelling of the book of Job, in which God...

Out today is The Shift, which stars Neal McDonough, Sean Astin, Jason Marsden, John Billingsley, Kristoffer Polaha and Elizabeth Tabish. It was written & directed by Brock Heasley for Angel Studios, who have had such incredible success with Sound of Freedom. Heasley and the other interviewees talk about Angel’s way of producing films, and how Sound of Freedom and The Shift are perhaps signalling a turn in the road in how Hollywood makes its movies.

Linda Marric asks the questions. The Shift is released today.

The Shift Interviews

Plot:

In this modern-day retelling of Job, Kevin Garner (Kristoffer Polaha) embarks on a journey across worlds and dimensions to reunite with Molly (Elizabeth Tabish), his true love. The narrative unfolds as a dystopian drama and sci-fi thriller, where a mysterious adversary, The Benefactor (Neal McDonough), disrupts Kevin’s reality. Faced with infinite worlds and impossible choices, Kevin must navigate through an alternate reality,...

The Shift is a disappointing attempt at merging sci-fi and religion, with a lack of clear genre consistency throughout. The film fails to offer deep themes or insight, with weak action and dialogue that doesn't effectively scare or engage the audience. While the filmmaking and visuals are competent, the mixed bag of acting and lackluster dialogue detract from the overall quality of The Shift.

The Shift is flat and way too long. Writer-director Brock Heasley (Flicker) does his best to interpret the story of Job, but his attempt at merging sci-fi and religion misses the mark entirely. The film simply cannot decide which of the two genres it will be from scene to scene, and it shows. The lead performance by Kristoffer Polaha (Jurassic World Dominion) won’t blow anyone away, but it is solid enough to carry the film throughout its two hours of meandering soliloquies.

When Kevin (Polaha) is ripped into another reality,...

Hopefully, everyone had a good Thanksgiving weekend, but now we head into December with what has regularly been a down weekend by comparison. Read on for Gold Derby’s box office preview.

In this case, December kicks off with “Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé,” the latest concert doc released by AMC after the enormous success of “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour,” which has surpassed $175 million domestically. Beyoncé Knowles is an equally popular entertainer and pop icon, whose “Renaissance Tour” ended up bringing in $580 million over 56 shows – yeah, I did the math and that means she made $10 million per night?! Beyoncé’s fans have heard murmurings about this movie for some time, but now they’ll have a chance to see it with a release into thousands of theaters, including large format premium screens like IMAX.

Beyoncé might not have quite the social media presence and rapport as the one between Swift with her fans,...

The Shift is a new film from Angel Studios, known for the crowdfunded project The Chosen. It's written and directed by Brock Heasley and based on his 2017 short film of the same name. The movie features a strong cast including Kristoffer Polaha, Neal McDonough, Sean Astin, and Elizabeth Tabish. A clip from the film showcases the dramatic and tense nature of the story. The Shift is a modern-day retelling of the tale of Job, incorporating dystopian science fiction and action elements. Kevin Garner must resist temptation, navigate a different reality, and find his true love Molly to bring them both back home. It releases in theaters on December 1st.

The Shift is a new film distributed by Angel Studios, the company behind the largest crowdfunded television or film project in history in The Chosen. The movie was written and directed by Brock Heasley, and is Heasley’s feature film debut...

Angel Studios, still relishing the success of “Sound of Freedom,” has released a second trailer for “The Shift,” which they are touting as their first original (produced in-house) theatrical feature. Like the previous teaser, this second look chronicles a man (Kristopher Polaha) plucked from his existence and coerced into assisting “The Benefactor” in his multiverse-spanning plans. Kevin Garner just wants to get back to his wife.

The second trailer expands upon the dystopian world in which Kevin finds himself. It also hints that the Benefactor may literally be the devil himself. Our single-minded hero, years after the initial separation, travels the multiverse time shift after time shift to reunite with his wife (who is listed in his phone as “Molly my love”).

Paras Patel and Rose Reid co-star in the film. Carpenter’s Nook Lane Entertainment produced and Brock Heasley wrote and directed the feature-length adaptation of a 2010 short feature.

"The Shift" is a new science fiction thriller, written and directed by Brock Heasley, starring Kristoffer Polaha, Neal McDonough, Elizabeth Tabish, Rose Reid and Sean Astin, releasing December 1, 2023 in theaters:

"...in 'The Shift', one man is faced with infinite worlds and impossible choices. When 'Kevin Garner' meets a nefarious adversary known as 'The Benefactor' and refuses his offer of wealth and power, he must escape an alternate totalitarian reality. 

"With survival on the line, Kevin fights to make it back to the world he knows and the woman he loves..."

Click the images to enlarge....

"The Shift" is a new 'dystopian' science fiction feature, directed by Brock Heasley, starring Neal McDonough, Kristoffer Polaha, Elizabeth Tabish and Sean Astin, releasing December 1, 2023 in theaters:

"...when 'Kevin Garner' meets a nefarious adversary known as 'The Benefactor' and refuses his offer of wealth and power, he must escape an alternate totalitarian reality. 

"With survival on the line, Kevin fights to make it back to the world he knows and the woman he loves..."

Click the images to enlarge...

Angel Studios, the outfit behind one of summer’s biggest hits, Sound of Freedom, will release its next film and first original, The Shift, in theaters Dec. 1.

The sci-fi thriller stars Neal McDonough, Sean Astin, Kristoffer Polaha, Liz Tabish (The Chosen), Paras Patel (The Chosen) and Rose Reid.

It was written and directed by Brock Heasley for producer Ken Carpenter’s Nook Lane Entertainment.

“The Shift is a bold project that defies labels and is unlike anything in the market,” said Jeffrey Harmon, Angel’s chief content officer. He said Heasley came up with the concept eight years ago and made a short film for $500, eventually joining forces with faith-based Angel to crowdfund and produce a feature.

“The creative ethos at Angel fostered the opportunity to shape this unique blend of sci-fi,...

Fresh off the blockbuster success of “Sound of Freedom,” Angel Studios is offering up its first original feature. “The Shift,” a multiverse thriller starring Kristoffer Polaha, Neal McDonough and Sean Astin, will open theatrically on Dec. 1

“The Shift” concerns a man (Polaha) who is plucked from his existence and coerced into assisting “The Benefactor” in his multiverse-spanning plans. However, Kevin Garner just wants to get back to his wife.

“The creative ethos at Angel fostered the opportunity to shape this unique blend of sci-fi, romance, and allegory,” producer Ken Carpenter said. “They gave us the runway to make a film that charts new territory.”

Paras Patel and Rose Reid co-star in the film. Carpenter’s Nook Lane Entertainment prodcued and Brock Heasley wrote and directed the feature-length adaptation of a 2010 short feature.

“‘The Shift’ is a bold project that defies labels and is unlike anything in the market,” Angel Studios...

"What if the 'bad thing' tears us apart?" Angel Studios has revealed a trailer for an indie sci-fi thriller called The Shift, the first feature made by Brock Heasley. This is another religious propaganda film disguised to be a "for everyone" feature. After a tense encounter with a mysterious stranger with otherworldly powers, a man is banished to a tyrannical, parallel Earth where he fights to get back to the woman he loves. Described on its crowdfunding page as "an uplifting story set in a sci-fi world, showing the struggle to maintain faith in God in the midst of great trial" and it's a "blockbuster-quality film made by fully believing creators." Usually we'd be against posting this kind of propaganda, but you can check it out anyway since it's a bit wild. The film stars Kristoffer Polaha, Neal McDonough, Elizabeth Tabish, and Rose Reid, with Sean Astin. It's kinda crazy...

Exclusive: Neal McDonough (Yellowstone), Sean Astin (Stranger Things) and Rose Reid (Finding You) will join Kristoffer Polaha, John Billingsley, Jason Marsden, Nolan North, Emily Rose and more in the sci-fi thriller The Shift, which has entered production in Birmingham, Al.

The film written and directed by Brock Heasley marks the first original theatrical effort from Angel Studios, the studio behind the crowdfunded streaming series The Chosen. Plot details are under wraps. But Liz Tabish, Paras Patel and Jordan Walker Ross will also feature in the cast of the pic from Ken Carpenter’s Nook Lane Entertainment.

McDonough is repped by Luber Roklin Entertainment and Goodman, Genow, Schenkman; Astin by Luber Roklin, Stewart Talent and Brecheen Feldman Breimer; and Reid by Innovative Artists and attorney Jared Bloch.

Thomas Haden Church and Dianna Agron in Acidman

Exclusive: Brainstorm Media has acquired U.S. rights to the sci-fi drama Acidman, starring Dianna Agron...