Peace River

A boy on a big ranch in the Southwest is guided by his wise grandfather (Benjamin M. Jones). As a young man (Chase Garland), he makes a foolish mistake and, later, suffers tragedy in the Service. Can he put the pieces back together? Jessica Nunez-Wood is on hand as the woman he loves.

"Peace River" (2022) is a sentimental and reverent drama that's all-American with rodeo action and military-based aspects. The main characters are believers and so there's a little spirituality of that nature. As noted in my title blurb, the acting in the first half is relatively deadpan, but serviceable enough to roll with, keeping in mind that this is a modest-budget production and not a blockbuster with actors who are paid millions.

Despite some second-rate performances, the first half features nice cinematography in the big sky country of northern New Mexico, not to mention quite a bit of horse-related activities. Even better, there are quality bits of wisdom here or there. It's the latter portion where the movie really shines, though, as it doesn't fail to honestly address the intrinsic problems of life in a fudged-up world, yet doesn't leave you empty and hopeless.

Life's most important things are stressed: Friendship with God, family, friends, meaningful work and the loyalty of your animal, whether a horse or otherwise. Everything leads to a potent sequence that conveys simple truths that are essential to all-around health. See Psalm 55:22 and 1 Peter 5:7 to get my drift.

One time I was venting to the Creator and it got pretty primal with spit flying and tears flowing. My cat wasn't afraid, but rather came close to comfort me in a scary time of desperation.

It runs 2 hours, 15 minutes, and was shot in northeast New Mexico in the Cimarron area at the Philmont Scout Ranches, etc.

GRADE: B+/A-

I happened upon this title while trying to stave off the cynicism our social media, and more to the point our legacy, hopefully soon to be off air, tries to relay.

Having said this, and Being a United States Marine, and a Christian in faith, this movie is more than its wonderful performance from all parties involved.

The true spirit, the essence, is the true understanding and sight of our God. You choose what words you can to describe Him... yet, you can not deny His existence.

We, as humans, think that nothing is truely a miracle anymore... but, I have a question, is everything everyday, and every person you have met at the exact time and place, for the good or bad, not a miracle? Or, you'd rather it just be happenstance?

Then, answer this, if you talk to someone today, even just in passing, and say "hello", not something we often do anymore, but all should... do you not see how many things had to align just right for that brief moment to occur.

First, your parents had to meet, fall in love, have you ( which, with our increased population we fail to see this as a miracle itself. How? Everything must be on the right time, temperature, the female body must produce so much for 9 months, and I am not even scratching the surface of the process of conception to birth, for a single human to be born... yet, we dont even look at these things as miracles anymore... how have we lost that sight?). Then, the passer by, his or her parents had to meet at the exact time and place, fall in love, have a child at just a specific moment in time... and although it is a brief encounter, we have lost the amazing view that the occurance is so astronomical, the math is unknowable... because, you go further back, and your grandparents, both sets had to do the same... 1 comes from 2, 2 comes from 4, 4 from 8, 8 from sixteen, 16 from 32, 32 from 64, 64 from 128, 128 from 256, 256 from 512.... now, calculate the other persons lineage... and everything all in perfect time and sync just for you to pass by, and be kind and say "hello".

It's not hard to understand everything is a miracle if we honestly open our eyes.

Count the stars in our own galaxy, not planets, stars alone. Some theorize 100 billion... funny, God knows the number and is pretty sure science is a bit off... now walk outside out galaxy, take a look around, multiply the stars in our galaxy by 100 trillion to the trillionth power, and we are not even close to a fraction of a percent of universe. This is not a miracle?

The human body breathes 20 percent Oxegyn, which is a highly poisonous gas, but without it, our brain dies, body and soul too... but, in those same breathes we take, each one corrodes our DNA, and time, as it does, moves us all towoards our fate.

Does God not have a beautiful design, a plan in that. Maybe a check and balance situation.

Same with every galaxy, even the universe itself.

How do we not see beauty and majesty in everything. I hope everyone will see the same wonders I have seen some day.

It isn't always easy, as we toil along, and we grasp for possesions or material wealth, which, in the end of your days, will it gain you anything?

Yes, we need food, shelter and clothing... but to what end? It's all nothing more than matter, when within each and every one of us is such a priceless divine spark put there by God.

Talk to Him, listen.

I have heard His voice since I could understand language, and possibly before that. I knew Him before I was told of Him, and He has known me. He has loved me even when I stopped listening for 7 years... I said to man I wish I could recall, "God stopped talking to me 7 years ago", he then asked, "Did God stop talking, or did you stop listening?".

I pondered this for 3 days, and then, as if it were a bolt of lightning through me, I could hear Him, I apologized, and I asked Him to forgive me for my ignorance... what God showed me was He was always there, in my homeless nights, bivowhacking on the road side in the tree lines... He had never abandoned my side.

He was there when I thought I was successful, I was humble, running 8 miles 3 days a week, lifting 3 days a week, and my business, was taking in 200k a year, by myself.

Sometimes, we have to fall, and lose everything, even when we came from nothing to truely know what is of real value in this life.

I am a human man, and fallible. But, I am up again, and I am trying. God is the only reason I am alive today... and if you knew my whole story, you may well agree. I can't explain how many times I have, should have died... I've begged for it. But it is a gift I did not give myself, and even if it is not something I wanted, I was given it all the same.

Truth is, we all, inately know right, wrong. We know the charector of good mankind, we know the charector of the evil of mankind... God gave each of us the path to choose, yet, He has always seen Grace, and in such, He knows our roads.

So, I apologize for the length, not trying to preach... but this movie was brilliant and had a beautiful and simple way of trying to make us see what the right kind of human being we all should be.

Thank you to the actors, director, and all others for this movie.

And may God bless you all.

Overall, I really liked this movie. I loved the plot, I loved the character development and I loved the settings. The horses and land are just beautiful. The story line broaches some heavy topics like infidelity, death, PTSD, violence in a very real but delicate way. I love the faith aspects and loved seeing a romance without any of the vulgar or inappropriate aspects of mainstream TV. One star less than perfect because it is a little lower production quality than mainstream TV level production, for example the rodeo scenes you can tell there weren't enough extras to fill the arena so the shots are a little odd, also some of the props seemed out of place. It seems about on par with a lot of Christian movies in that way. If you can get past that it really is a beautiful story of ranching, faith, family and love.

Loved the army scenes, the ranch the horses and brotherhood of the soldiers. The story of the grandfather and grandson was awesome. Faith and God and Family was perfect. The acting with the young female lead was awful and stiff, as well as a thankfully rare shots of her roommate. Their lines and delivery were so bad. Getting past that that , this movie was loved by all at my house. Were surprised that it got low reviews, almost seems like sabotage. The scenes about Afghanistan and 9-11 were all done respectively as well as issues with suicide, all done well. Loved the way it was all wrapped up.

10 STAR RATING from me!!!

ABSOLUTELY a Must See! Very well filmed. Beautiful Cinematography! Inspiring story! Very well written script. Story comes full circle. Great quality acting.

I will definitely watch this film again and recommend it to everyone. I will be searching for more films Produced by all who were involved in creating this.

PEACE RIVER covers so many different aspects of life within the dimensions of Cowboy life, of Love, of War, of God's Love, Wisdom and Grace.

I was in the Film Industry for 20 years.

This is the quality of filmmaking that needs to be in Theaters today!

THANKS for bringing this story to UP TV.