Breakthrough - Movie Review

There are some things science can't explain. Those things are called "miracles." A lot of people have lost faith in miracles. Some people see miracles in every detail of the world around them. I have seen miracles. Not the Jesus in my toast miracles, but unexplained coincidences that defy explanation. Breakthrough describes that type of miracle. IMDb is typically unreliable on the movie rating for this film. The atheists are out in full force attempting to lower the rating. It is pitiful. I kind of feel sorry for them. They embrace non-belief with the same religious zeal they attempt to discredit. It is an interesting paradox to witness. But it is also irritating when you troll a legitimate movie site. IMDb...are you listening? Shut it down. Start requiring proof-of-attendance.

John Smith (Marcel Ruiz) is a typical teen. He has a little bit of an attitude, but is fundamentally a good kid. Like many adopted kids, he sometimes struggles with his adoption and the fact that someone "didn't want him." His mother, Joyce (Chrissy Metz), tries to hard. She surrounds her son with love and ensures he knows he is loved, but she also tends to smother him just a bit. Like most teen boys, John needs some breathing room. When John and his friends venture out onto an icy lake, the ice gives way. Dead for nearly an hour, John's heartbeat miraculously returns the moment his mother utters the words "Holy Spirit please breathe life back into my son." But John's struggle for life has just begun. While John struggles for his life, Joyce faces her own struggles as she tries to will her son back to life.

Grant Nieporte doesn't have many writing credits under his belt. However, he does a good job. The screenplay is based on the autobiography written by Joyce Smith. I have read some of the analyses, because I am interested in how close the screenplay was to the truth. While there were liberties taken for dramatic effect, the most dramatic moment, the moment when Joyce asks the Holy Spirit to breathe life into her son, was true. Not only does she claim it is true, it was witnessed by several people. The tension between Joyce and her pastor and the faith struggle of a first-responder were elements that were added to create some depth to the film. That doesn't bother me much. The essential story here is one of faith, struggle, redemption and miracles. It was stitched together with great cinematography. The story was basic, but it is a true story, so I have to give some leeway on that point. Anyone who bothers to go see this film will see how buffoonish the naysayers on IMDb are. This film has decent production quality for a low budget film.

Chrissy Metz is amazing. I was impressed with her emotional range, particularly the impactful scene when she prays over her son. She is a great actress. I also liked Ruiz, who I have not seen in his limited exposure thus far. He was solid. I think he will continue to get work, although I wasn't blown away. Not like the way Metz blew me away. If you are going to build a film around a central character, casting someone like Metz is essential. What a great job with that choice. Josh Lucas played her husband Brian. He was solid. I really enjoyed Dennis Haysbert as Doctor Garrett. He has had a long career on the B-List. Overall, the casting helped sell this film. This is among those faith-based films that demonstrate the growth of the industry into a force for creating quality cinema.

Breakthrough is rated a tame PG for the intended audience. This is a family and faith film intended for the entire family. I believe there was a group from a local church when I saw this film. My wife and I went to the matinee and the theater was packed. Several people seemed to know each other. This film is definitely going to make money, which is ultimately the purpose of making a film. Faith-based or not. The word "hell" was used once or twice, there was an intense scene or two and talk of life and death. This film could create conversation, but in a good way. I would recommend it for the family of all ages. Run time is one hour, 56 minutes.

If you don't like faith-based film, merely because they are faith-based, skip this one. And please stop posting garbage troll-reviews on IMDb. It only exposes your own dogma. If you don't believe in miracles, see this film anyway. And keep in mind that the fundamental story here is factual. Doctors were prepared to pronounce this child dead when his mother prayed over her son's body followed immediately by a heartbeat. Coincidence? After an hour dead? Your call. My word is "miracle." The doctors and hospital staff feel the same way. That is powerful stuff. Believe if you want, disbelieve if you want. But as a film, this story succeeds. It isn't particularly beefy, but it is true. The acting had power and the cinematography was effective. The pacing was good and the story and characters engaging. This film was well done. 7.5/10.

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