Movie Review- The Resurrection of Gavin Stone

New to DVD, Christian comedy The Resurrection of Gavin Stone is directed by Dallas Jenkins, whom I had the honor of interviewing. It is made by Vertical Church Films, in conjunction with WWE Films, BH Tilt, and Walden Media. It stars Brett Dalton, Anjelah Johnson, Neil Flynn, Shawn Michaels, D. B. Sweeney, Christopher Maleki, and a few others.

Gavin Stone is a former child star actor who has had a troubled time transitioning into his acting career as an adult. After a string of scandals, box office flops, all leading up to a drunken binge, the actor is forced into community service at a local church while also living with his estranged father.

Stone soon finds that the church people do not seem to recognize him despite his fame. As he is cleaning bathrooms, he discovers that the church is putting on a giant Easter program with a play about the life of Christ. Seeing an opportunity, and the lack of church talent, he lies to them saying he is a Christian in order to get the part of Jesus. He develops an distraction to Kelly, the play’s director who also happens to be the pastor’s daughter. In order to fit in, he fakes his way with grandiose Christianese and odd fashion styles to pull one over on the congregation.

While he is there, he sees the fakeness of spiritual people, but also he finds many of the church members are good hearted folks who want to grow closer to Christ. As he works on the play about Jesus, Stone soon learns that there is more to the story than a big production.

The film definitely has some cheesy dialogue that would make a Hollywood elitist cringe. The film is slightly predictable and a lot of the actor’s performances are not stellar.

Okay, got that out of the way. This is one of the better Christian films. Despite the flaws, the film plays off what it has and does not try to be something that it is not. It knows its limitations and plays off them instead of putting on a filmmaking facade. The chemistry between Brett Dalton and Anjelah Johnson is excellent and their performances carry the film from cheesy Christian flick to a decent movie.

One a personal note, comedian Anjelah Johnson captures the life of a PK. I was raised a pastor’s kid and her performance struck home. There is a moment where she describes “living in the bubble” of having constant eyes watching, waiting for you to slip up. It was good to see a movie (especially a Christian flick), that gets it right. In most all films, the pastor’s kid is either too perfect, obnoxious. overly dramatic, rebellious, or just a plain evil person. The Resurrection of Gavin Stone found a happy balance.

FAVORITE QUOTE: I’ve had the “passion of the Christ” for a couple of years now.

PARENTAL CONCERNS: Mild thematic elements

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If you would like to order your paperback copy of my debut novel Cacophony: A Tale Of Faith And Fear, click here. It is an incredible paranormal thriller about a group of demons trying to steal human souls by assaulting their church. The Messenger Gabriel, a Guardian angel Christopher, and the Seven Archangels are sent by God to stop them. It’s a tale that mixes drama, supernatural fiction, with a dash of fantasy.

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