It was great to see a movie that works through difficult life issues Raising a teenager as a single parent, getting fired from your job, going into a settled community and bucking the trends are things we all have to face. The scenes cut back and forth frequently to cover several of the characters and to weave the story line into a flow that was quick enough to get to the points across that were being made. Crystal Barnard did a terrific job and really got into the role effectively. Even though the story was not about Crystal and Shockely you can easily see where it could lead this way and that felt good to me. This was a nice touch.
The use of a female minister in this type of role was well done and should be well received. She is the "new breed" and breathes new life into a community that was in a rut---like so many of ours are today. Her message appealed and should be embraced by all levels of audience. The good in people comes from the grass roots and this movie was able to bring this out effectively.
I saw the movie twice and was not disappointed either time. Crystal faces several very challenging issues and through her positive outlook and faith she was able to connect with a community to bring them to a higher and better place. This was done without getting too corny---the director was very good about keeping the tone "modern" but kept the message on track. Good job all around.
