Movie Review: TO SAVE A LIFE

Devin Kahan on August 23, 2010 Comments (2)

I remember seeing a trailer for this movie once on TV (Click HERE to watch the trailer), but other than that, this movie wasn't advertised on TV or in the Church, even though it's a movie about Christian conversion and Christian living.  I guess, it's b/c this movie is PG-13, and not a safe PG, like 'Facing the Giants'.  I will say that there is some mature content, so i don't recommend this movie to Jr. High, cus' you're not 13!  If you're 13 or older, it's up to your parents whether you're allowed to watch this movie, and not me.  Here's a list of the mature content

Overall, i liked this movie a lot, and i would recommend this movie to any high school student (or older).  I would also recommend watching this movie with other Christians, so that you can talk about the movie after you see it.

This movie is good.

LIKES:

1.  It WASN'T a cheesy Christian Movie...that's a first for me!
2.  The content dealt with some hard stuff (suicide, depression, cutting, partying, sex, drinking, etc.), but REAL!
3.  It didn't make Christians look like Ned Flanders.  They were portrayed as NORMAL people that struggle too.
4.  The message is very challenging to Christians to not waste their lives, and to actually live for God.  My favorite line: "What's the point of all this, if you're not going to let this change you!"
5.  Overall, the plot wasn't a smooth, predictable, cheesy, fairytale that was all wrapped up in a nice bow.  It was a much bumpier ride, which is way more accurate to the Christian life.
6.  The Youth Pastor's outreach ministry to Jake (and others) is inspiring to me.  The head pastor wasn't happy with his ministry, but Jesus was.
7.  This movie does a good job in showing the powerful hurt that students go through, and the powerful love that can be offered to them by caring adults.

This movie is not perfect.

DISLIKES:

1.  The message of the cross was not really present (other than the cross in the background in one of the youth pastor's talks).  The power to be changed, transformed, and to live for God boldly is found at the cross.  I don't remember Jesus' name even being mentioned.
2.  I would have liked to see one of the Christian youth group students struggle more with sin.  The only thing i can think of is the one scene where all the youth group students are seen and heard as judgmental.  The movie made it seem like once you become a Christian, sin sort of goes away easily, which is just not true.  Sin in the Christian life is still very much present, and is an ongoing, lifelong battle.

The posts on this site are my own and don't necessarily represent Highlands Presbyterian Church's positions, beliefs, or opinions.

 

Comments

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  1. Kevin August 24, 2010

    Agreed on all points (except that I haven't watched One Tree Hill...). I think the message of Christ was implicit but not overt... scenes like the youth group with the cross in the center point a bit more to the specificity of Jesus, but the plan of salvation isn't sketched out. That might make it kind of generic (just a 'trust in the Lord' message) or even moralistic, but I did think it did a great job of communicating that it was God doing the change. Great discussion starter, I think.

  2. Devin August 24, 2010

    Kevin, i'm glad you haven't watched "One Tree Hill"...it's pretty stupid. I agree that a relationship with God made the difference to be able to do the right thing and reach out to fellow students with love. I did think about that scene where Chris is teaching next to a big cross, and was expecting him to talk about Jesus, but he didn't. You're right, it was implicit...too implicit in my opinion. I think Chris needed to directly talk about Jesus at some point.

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