innerlooper96

'Until the last promise' offers an opportunity to take a journey into the world of a strong family fighting formidable challenges.

I admittedly have no experience in understanding filming techniques, but this movie has an almost 'documentary' feel to it. It feels like we're seeing real conversations happening, in real time.

The story involves a family with admirable closeness; it's easy to see that the mom and dad are both solidly connected, with the father being head pastor at his church. They are caring for a young girl, who I mistakenly thought was their daughter, but she is actually their granddaughter by way of their daughter, who is struggling with another pregnancy and severe anxiety. Their teen son and college-age-ish daughter are living at home, and seemingly close-knit.

Right from the start, it's clear that mom Pamala has her heart and mind firmly wrapped around her family; she is handling the chaos like a pro, and nothing shakes her. As the diagnosis for her husband is uncovered, she still maintains a relative sense of order in her home and life. She is doing this alone, in the sense that no one else knows; she confides in her friend (who is actually the real Pamala).

As financial concerns and his prognosis continue to mushroom, this family simply cannot avoid the painful conversations and realizations, which finally begin to affect their younger children as well.

At every moment, I wondered how Pamala managed this situation, and I wrongly presumed this was a fictitious story. It amazed me to see the strength of love and abounding levels of protection they took toward each other.

I also couldn't help noticing that there was a sense of formality between the mother and father - that they couldn't or wouldn't allow their most broken feelings to emerge.

When they moved homes and met the overzealous neighbor, I believe there was an intention to show that she initially seemed to repel Pamala, who only wanted peace and privacy. Pamala is always 'on', always ready to pacify her husband, or reassure her older daughter, or be the fun gran that her granddaughter needs in the absence of her true mom. When this neighbor appears, it's absolutely clear to me that we are seeing her from Pamala's perspective.

It doesn't matter much in the end, because the neighbor ends up being a steadfast source of support for Pamala. She nudges her to stay present and focused, without judgment, and with a little levity as well.

The movie goes into the final days of Mr. Kennedy, and we get to see how they eventually come to terms and flourish in the process, most notably their elder daughter.

As a lifelong Christian, I found this movie to be inspiring, and also appealing in the sense that it didn't seem to force faith to the viewer. Obviously I'm biased, but genuinely I appreciated that it was realistic, and showed the father in his most difficult moments. It showed the awkwardness a family feels when faced with this duality of 'healthy body, diminishing mind' that so many people (not just the elderly) must face. It showed how Christians are no different in how we struggle and react, even though we do try to live our faith out. Nothing can soften the blows that we face in life, but we learn to lean on our faith. We still react, we still become discouraged, and we still fail.

The difference, so well shown by the Kennedy family, is that we have hope and a greater perspective that gives us the will to keep living our life for God. The ending of the movie shows how the Kennedy family has continued forth, and it also inspired me as realistic and not depicting a story that has perfect people or perfect outcomes. (After all, their son is STILL single. Ha ha)

Great movie, and I'd love to see more like these.

This movie is now 12 years old, and it still remains relevant and funny.

Christina Marie Karis is refreshing. She and Jefferson Moore have an awesome chemistry as unwilling travel companions who are simply trying to get from point A to point B. Nothing could be more complicated, actually!

We know that the movie is going to go in a silly direction, since there's a clear humor about Lincoln (J. Moore) and his intense disdain for socializing. Alza (Karis) is brightly clueless - she has so much intelligence, but lacks self-awareness, at least for the first portion of the movie.

We see her go through a lot of disappointments, including dealing with a rat in a random motel room (hi, #1 fear). She also has a knack for seeming self-confident, but soon shows her vulnerable side.

I loved the weaving of humor (deadpan Lincoln staring at Alza while she over-talks) with the litany of everyday hiccups that - all happening at once - could make the most stoic among us turn into ugly-crying messes.

My favorite laugh-out-loud scene is when Alza spots the burglars and sneaks away from Lincoln's truck. Her 'duck walk' in high heels was so random and hysterical. Naturally, the joke is on us, because even in that awkward position, she still looks fantastic.

If you're looking for something to cheer you up, especially when you're feeling that old self-pity monster creeping up, this movie does an excellent job of resetting your mind. It helped remind me that things can always be worse, and even the most trying situation can work a miracle in our life.

I hope that Mr. Moore and his wife will continue to make more movies, or simply do what God moves them to do, for as long as possible. Our world is in crisis and longs for hope.

I wasn't going to write a review, since this 2014 TV movie has elicited an impressive number of them already. What can I possibly say that hasn't been said already? Not much, which still didn't dissuade me from commenting.

First, the good: The movie provides an amazing blueprint for what NOT to do as a person of faith. It actually cements an important point: living by faith differs dramatically from living by words alone. We've all met the "talk the talk" Christians. There is nothing wrong with sharing joy for Christ, but the problems arise when it's massively fake. This movie injects the viewer with exposure to the "talk the talk" problem. "Praise Be!" is insincere when not in a setting of believers who understand and relate. For example, considerate people do not speak in a foreign language purposefully around those who are not fluent, nor do rocket scientists quietly laugh when their audience is comprised of people who still can't grasp algebra (like me). Seeing "Kel Kel's" smirk-face when Gwyneth lacked Christian clue was a definite Don't.

As for the negative aspects, well, we know that Lacey Chabert is TV movie gold, and if she can't save a movie, it's absolute garbage. I do love Corbin Bernsen, especially the quick sneak-in of his lovely late mother in the Young & the Restless Clip.

Those two aside, this movie struggles with identity: is it really hoping to promote faith, or is it a thinly veiled attempt to mock it? What about the immediate kiss between the leads...if even hallmark (secular) doesn't allow a kiss until 119 minutes into the movie, where in the world are the morals of these writers (sarcasm)?

Why would the writing allow for the leading man to use the side character (Kel Kel), then dump her, without resolving her story line, especially in a movie upholding the love of Christ?

So many examples...so little space. I will end with a question: Did Christian Mingle- the real website- actually pay for this long advertisement? Hmm...