The Offering

"The Offering" is unique, and for that alone deserves a nod. In a time when Hollywood has run so short of ideas that remakes of remakes are the order of the day, it's refreshing to see atomic-budget indies with innovation and little mainstream appeal occasionally emerging.

The story of a drug-addled teen(ahem)having a spiritual awakening through visitations by a black Jesus is told well, and the amateur cast demonstrates that a big name is not at all necessary to turn an impressive performance. Although this has a distinct "Jack Chick" comics quality about it, it strays wisely from excessive preachiness and focuses mostly on the lives of its primary characters. A bittersweet affair, and a thoughtful one. Too, it's nice to see a different/more likely depiction of Christ for a change, as opposed to the customary Nordic blond Christ which somehow became the representation chiefly accepted as "correct".

A forgivably flawed and interesting film...6/10

"The Offering" pulled me in with a short plot description, about a white teen drug abuser who is confronted with visions of a black Christ. Thankfully well written and well acted, this film, while no religious epic, will inspire thought and awe from the somewhat weak beginning to the tense conclusion. It takes itself seriously, and works where it just as easily could have failed. The acting by the main characters is dead on, and their anger and problems don't seem staged at all. Much better than any other film I saw in theaters this year... long live indie!