'Average Joe' Reviews: "The movie makes no bones about its pro-religious freedom point of view. Even if you disagree with that perspective, it addresses important issues that are worth discussing"

         On October 10, 2024, Fathom Events released 'Average Joe', which has received predominantly positive reviews from critics. In the film, "High school football coach Joe Kennedy has always been a fighter. He had no other choice. Abandoned by his biological mother, Joe spent his childhood fighting through the cold realities of foster care and group-home life. At 18, he finally found a home for his warrior spirit: in the Marine Corps, where he served in the Gulf War. Following a distinguished career in the Corps, he returned home not realizing that his biggest battle was yet to come. After retiring from the Marines, Joe felt led by God to help coach high school football--where he could pour into a generation of young men the love and guidance he so desperately sought at that age. Retired, happily married, building into kids as a strong role model... it all was finally coming together for Joe. Until he prayed. Yep, Joe was fired. For praying. Silently. By himself. After the games." The ensemble cast includes Austin Woods, Amy Acker, and Eric Close. But what did the critics say?

       Avi Offer of NYC Movie Guru says, "In Average Joe, Joe Kennedy (Eric Close), a high school football coach, gets fired for kneeling to pray on the 50-yard line after every game. Based on a true story, the screenplay by Stephanie Katz is warm, witty and wise with just the right balance of heart and humor. It's far from a dry, pedestrian biopic on Joe Kennedy because the narrative occasionally gets interrupted by Joe and his wife, Denise (Amy Acker), being interviewed together. Amusingly, sometimes they have different recollections of key events like the details of how they first met. Katz keeps the film grounded in humanism, a truly special effect, even when Joe goes all the way to the Supreme Court while standing his ground. Fortunately, it avoids veering into sappy or preachy territory which could've easily happened with a less sensitive screenplay. He knows how to hook the audience through humor and wit. The performances by Eric close and Amy Acker are solid and the pace moves at just the right speed without any scenes that drag, so you don't feel the weight of its running time. At 1 hours and 50 minutes, Average Joe, directed by Harry Cronk, opens nationwide via Fathom Events. It would be a great double feature with You Gotta Believe."

Photo by Tyger Ligon on Unsplash

       Mike McGranaghan of Aisle Seat notes, "The concept of religious freedom has been one of the more divisive issues in our society over the past few years. Some people firmly believe that expressions of their faith should be allowed anywhere, anytime, in any form. Others counter that argument, saying proponents of religious freedom are only truly concerned with Christianity and that it’s often a convenient excuse to discriminate against groups like the LGBT community. Consequently, Average Joe will probably raise some hackles. The movie makes no bones about its pro-religious freedom point of view. Even if you disagree with that perspective, it addresses important issues that are worth discussing. It’s also leagues better than God’s Not Dead. You know the story on which the film is based. High school football coach Joe Kennedy (Eric Close) decides to walk onto the fifty-yard line after each game, kneel, and pray. He doesn’t ask his players to join him. He simply does it to give thanks. School officials don’t like it, saying it might implicitly make the team members think they’re supposed to join him. They offer several alternatives, including a private room in which to pray. Nope, Joe insists on doing it right in the middle of the field, just as he promised God. Meanwhile, his wife Denise (Amy Acker), finds herself a pariah at work because of his actions. Over time, the case finds its way to the Supreme Court. Who’s right in this scenario? That’s up to the viewer to decide. Average Joe is on Kennedy’s side. The movie makes a logical case for its stance, arguing that what the coach is doing harms no one and in no way intrudes on anybody else. Writer Stephanie Katz and director Harold Kronk lay out their points in a well-reasoned manner so that, even if you don’t agree with it, you can understand why people like Kennedy feel the way they do."

Movies that Deserved Better: 'Beautiful Disaster' (2023)

         On April 12, 2023, Fathom Events released 'Beautiful Disaster', which quickly divided the critics, creating a score of 25% on Rotten Tomatoes. In the film, "bad-boy Travis Maddox (Dylan Sprouse) is exactly what college freshman Abby Abernathy (Virginia Gardner) needs and wants--to avoid. He spends his nights fighting in underground boxing matches, and his days as the ultimate college campus charmer. But Abby wants nothing to do with Travis. Intrigued by Abby's resistance to his appeal, Travis offers her a simple bet: if he loses his next fight, he must remain sex-free for a month. If he wins, Abby must live in his apartment for the same amount of time. Either way, Travis has no idea that Abby's dark past is about to emerge, and he may have finally met his match." Naturally, I was curious and watched it on Hulu this weekend and found it to be much better than the critics said it was. But what exactly did the critics say?

       Pablo Vázquez of Fotogramas praises the film, stating, "A generous serving of good kind of trash. Luxury garbage. Pure and simple nonsense. A wonderful disaster; that's what it is."

       Natasha Alvar of Cultured Vultures notes, "Those who are fans of Jamie McGuire’s book, which Beautiful Disaster is adapted from, won’t enjoy the film too much. The details I remember from the book are a little fuzzy, since I read it more than 10 years ago, but I definitely recall more angst and brooding bad boy. Roger Kumble’s film is a decidedly different product, which is a good thing. Kumble, who directed movies like Cruel Intentions and Just Friends, knows how to craft an entertaining film." Continuing, "If you’re a serious fan of the book, then maybe skip the movie, because you will surely be disappointed. But if you just want to laugh and have a good time, Beautiful Disaster will suffice."

       Sandie Angulo Chen of Common Sense Media was less impressed, stating, "The premise of the source book for Beautiful Disaster, however, is a lot more ridiculous than the regular "good girl/bad boy" premise of that series. Forget insta-love -- this is a tale of insta-lust."

       Anne Brodie of What She Said writes, "Abby (Virginia Gardner) a young woman whose controlling father raised her to become a top poker player finally gets out of the house in the Prime Video romcomdram A Beautiful Disaster. And then she walks right into a potentially controlling relationship with student/fight clubber Travis (Dylan Sprouse), an attractive manipulator and narcissist who gets into her life and stays despite her repeated admonishments to leave her alone. He stares at her in a kind of animalistic predatory manner and refuses to take a hint. She’s just not interested, she likes another fella, but he makes himself impossible to ignore. She stays with a friend unaware he rooms there and they must share a bed – innocently. They’re both playing games, she’s not sure whether she should go for it and he is a bit too sure, and we are not sure about him, he’s cocky and a womaniser. Will she be able to resist his alleged charms? Her college pals soon discover Abby is a renowned child poker prodigy. Gritty, and tough with a character we care about and one we wish would go away."

Photo by Diana Polekhina on Unsplash

        The reviewer at forevershereads.com says, the film takes on the most light-hearted takes on the story of Travis and Abby. It was something I hadn’t expected, and honestly, missed the angst and Travis’ alpha traits. When Dylan was announced as Travis Maddox, I was disappointed. Travis is a larger-than-life, possessive, domineering alpha male, and the actor doesn’t possess grittiness. However, when I watched the movie, and with its comedic turn of the plot, Dylan was a good choice. The movie is a rom-com, so of course, a lot of intense pivotal moments in the book are not shown – the push and pull between the two, the toxic dependency, the past traumas, and their struggle to be strong. In the movie, they are very flirty, with both acting more funnily than in the original story. It also has a happy ending. There’s a second movie following them after their marriage. Although disappointed, I actually had fun watching the movie. I watched it twice too, for Dylan. Overall, I would recommend it as a one-time watch."

        Personally, while this film was clearly not great, it was far from bad. It falls in what I call the "not a bad way to waste a few hours" category, which is not good but not horrible for me. Sprouse was a standout to me, but Gardner was the biggest surprise to me. She just needs the perfect script and the sky is the limit. 

'Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story' Wows the Critics

         On September 21, 2024, 'Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story' releases by Fathom Events, garnering rave reviews and a score of 100% on Rotten Tomatoes. In the documentary, "The story of Christopher Reeve is an astonishing rise from unknown actor to iconic movie star, and his definitive portrayal of Clark Kent/Superman set the benchmark for the superhero cinematic universes that dominate cinema today. Reeve portrayed the Man of Steel in four Superman films and played dozens of other roles that displayed his talent and range as an actor, before being injured in a near-fatal horse-riding accident in 1995 that left him paralyzed from the neck down. After becoming a quadriplegic, he became a charismatic leader and activist in the quest to find a cure for spinal cord injuries, as well as a passionate advocate for disability rights and care -- all while continuing his career in cinema in front of and behind the camera and dedicating himself to his beloved family." Famous faces featured in the documentary include Glenn Close, Whoopi Goldberg, Jeff Daniels, and Susan Sarandon. But what did the critics say?

        Rachel Leishman of The Mary Sue notes, "Yes, this will be educational for many who didn’t know exactly who Reeve was, but for me, it was a reminder that one of my heroes was human like the rest of us, but he still did something extraordinary." 

Photo by Austris Augusts on Unsplash

        Monica Castillo of RogerEbert.com praises the film, stating, "Ian Bonhôte and Peter Ettedgui’s “Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story” was easily my big festival cry, something that moves you so deeply that the combination of sleep deprivation, altitude, and the movie’s subject makes it almost impossible not to get emotional. Anyone who remembers Reeve as Superman will likely learn something new about the actor, how funny he was on talk shows, laugh at the charming home movies of Reeve with his three kids or as he clowned around with his best friend and former roommate Robin Williams. These moments of reprieve puncture the more somber sides of his story, including an ever-disapproving father, divorces, and, later, the accident that changed his life forever." Continuing, "The documentary begins with the year Reeve was injured in a horse-riding accident, which at first glance made me wince—why define a person’s life with such a devastating incident? But as the movie goes on, his survival after the accident draws parallels to his rising career as Superman, as both were physically daunting challenges and met with many setbacks. As he recovered, Reeve blossomed into a tireless advocate for spinal cord injury survivors, ushering a new stage of his career. Many of his speeches from that time had the audience in my screening muffling sniffles and sobs many times over."

          Mark Johnson of Awards Daily says, "The film grapples with the question: what defines a hero? For Reeve, it was someone who found strength to persevere despite overwhelming obstacles. To me, it was simply Christopher Reeve." Continuing, "Directors Ian Bonhôte and Peter Ettedgui chronicle Reeve’s meteoric rise in the ’70s and the profound impact he had, both before and after the accident, in Super/Man. At its core, though, the film is a poignant love story between Reeve and his wife, Dana, and the enduring legacy they crafted together."

       Ed Gibbs of Time Out writes, "What the film does exceptionally well, above all else, is to portray the Man of Steel as a fallible family guy – an immensely gifted and passionate actor, activist, father and husband, who wanted to do the right thing, and ultimately did."

'God's Not Dead: In God We Trust' Reviews: "Characters don’t dialogue with each other so much as trade ham-fisted buzzwords"

Photo Courtesy of Fathom Events

         On September 12, 2024, 'God's Not Dead: In God We Trust' was released by Fathom Events, receiving predominantly negative reviews from critics. In the film, "In a time of profound political, civil, and spiritual turmoil, Reverend David Hill grapples with the crucial question: Does God still have a place in politics? Compelled to enter a congressional race after the sudden death of a favored incumbent, David faces off against state senator Peter Kane, a formidable opponent determined to push religion out of the public square and cause greater divide. With relentless scrutiny and immense challenges, David's campaign becomes a beacon of hope and optimism for many people yearning for spiritual and moral leadership. As he navigates the treacherous waters of modern politics, David's faith and principles are put to the ultimate test. "God's Not Dead: In God We Trust" explores the enduring relevance of faith in public life and the critical fight to keep religious values at the heart of governance. Featuring a star-studded cast and powerful message, this film calls on believers to stand firm in faith and make their voices heard." The ensemble cast includes Dean Cain, Ray Wise, Scott Baio, Isaiah Washington, Samaire Armstrong, and Charlene Tilton. Read the full review round-up below.

       Joseph Holmes of Christianity Today notes, "Characters don’t dialogue with each other so much as trade ham-fisted buzzwords. The acting ranges from wooden to wildly over the top. The religious and political arguments are lazy and surface level." Adding, "In this iteration, the government will no longer fund a women’s shelter because a Bible study is held on its premises. Reverend Dave, whose church supports the shelter, is persuaded to run for office so he can allocate money appropriately. At the movie’s end, onscreen text tells audiences to “vote.” God’s Not Dead has come full circle—from the relatively small stakes of a classroom and a passing grade to a call for Christians to grasp political power. If it’s not already obvious, I’m no fan of the God’s Not Dead movies. But that’s not because I dismiss the concerns that motivate them. There’s some potential in the In God We Trust story. Reverend Dave’s dynamic with his reluctant political strategist, Lottie Jay, is a classic Mr. Smith Goes to Washington setup. One scene, in which Lottie advises her candidate before a talk show appearance and he interrupts her to pray, got a genuine laugh out of me."

       Collin Garbarino of WORLD says, "God’s Not Dead: In God We Trust entertained me to some extent. The production values are on par with the average Hallmark Channel film, and the dialogue didn’t make me cringe. The premise is admittedly a little silly, but the movie possesses a certain self-awareness that keeps the mood from slipping too deeply into melodrama. However, I found both the theological and political perspectives disappointing. Dave’s struggles hardly count as persecution when compared with the trials of Christians around the world, and the film muddles Christian priorities by claiming that if only America would turn back to God, then our country would be strong again—as if the gospel promised political success. Don’t the martyrs attest to God’s faithfulness, despite losing their lives? Not only does In God We Trust indulge in sub-Christian ideas, it does so in a way that’s often full of self-contradiction."

        Plugged In writes, "Rev. Hill, as we’ve seen throughout this franchise, is a caring and conscientious fellow—presented to us as an incorruptible paragon of Christian humility and righteousness. And when the movie opens, he has no interest in diving into the world of politics. Really, he mainly wants to keep a women’s shelter run by his church open and viable. That blend of righteousness and humility makes David an attractive political candidate. It’s hard to stay clean in the dirty world of politics, of course, and he has opportunities to dive into the muck with everyone else. But for the most part, he refuses." 

        Daniel Blackaby of The Collision notes, "Unless you’ve been blissfully living under a rock, you know an American presidential election is looming on the horizon. For better or worse (and let’s be honest, it’s definitely for worse), politics has infiltrated all aspects of life, leaving many Christians to wonder how to navigate this new reality. In God’s Not Dead: In God We Trust, Director David A. R. White offers one solution: to become more politically active. The God’s Not Dead movies have always been the most “socially conscious” of the faith-based films, and an opening montage featuring visuals of covid lockdowns, vaccines, and riots establishes that the latest installment also addresses contemporary issues. Unfortunately, the filmmakers are unable to craft a good story along the way. A heavy-handed political speech delivered through the vehicle of an uninspiring faith-based movie, this film is unlikely to satisfy anyone beyond those desiring the cheap dopamine jolt of seeing their political ideologies or religious beliefs affirmed."

‘The Good Half’ Reviews: “Elisabeth Shue offers a portrait of a mother who loved and cared in her fashion and one of my favorite performances in recent memory.”

 

                                                                Image via Fathom Events

On July 23, 2024, Fathom Events releases ‘The Good Half’, which has received predominantly positive reviews from critics, holding at 86% on Rotten Tomatoes. In the film, an individual returning home for his mother’s funeral must confront demons past and present while reestablishing and creating personal relationships. The ensemble cast includes Nick Jonas, Elisabeth Shue, Matt Walsh, Brittany Snow, David Arquette, and Alexandra Shipp. But what did the critics say? 

Damon Wise of Deadline Hollywood Daily writes that the film “Mostly serves as a decent vehicle for Nick Jonas, who seems to making a play to be the new Adam Driver, which is not as far-fetched as it might sound” Adding, “Chances are, however, that the audience for this movie isn’t too hung up on identity politics or the evolution of indie, and for older, more jaded viewers, there are some pleasant diversions on the soundtrack, notably the welcome exhumation of obscure British psychedelic rockers Tales of Justine. If only the script had taken such a deep dive.”

Carla Hay of Culture Mix praises the film, stating, “In the comedy/drama film The Good Half, the movie’s 'good half' is the latter half, which shows the most emotional depth. Led by Nick Jonas’ admirable performance, it’s a capably acted story about grief, hope, and family tensions.” Concluding, “Anchoring the emotional center of the film is Jonas’ memorable performance as Renn, who is more devastated by Lily’s death than he cares to admit. Shue’s performance as Lily in the flashback scenes is heartfelt and compelling. Lily had her share of quirks (including a habit of stealing table utensils every time she went to a restaurant), but there’s no doubt that she truly loved her children, and they loved her.”

Kyndall Cunningham of The Daily Beast was less impressed, stating, “I wish I could say that The Good Half felt promising or worthy of my initial interest at some point. But the film exposes its cracks right out of the gate (mainly courtesy of its charmless screenplay by Brett Ryland) and continues to double-down on its worst instincts over the course of 100 minutes. The first sign of trouble is in an early scene, where the film’s writer protagonist Renn (Jonas) meets a therapist named Zoey (Alexandra Shipp) on a flight from Los Angeles to Cleveland, where Renn’s headed for his mother Lily’s (Elizabeth Shue) funeral. Their meet cute is glaringly abrupt and lacking any sort of grace. It’s almost as if someone, speaking to Shipp through an earpiece, orders her to turn to her left and start randomly pestering Jonas’ character for no reason at all. (Her pickup line is to ask him what’s outside his window… on a plane?)”

David Gonzalez of The Cinematic Reel says, “It was hard not to be excited for Schwartzman’s next film, The Good Half. With that expectation came a film that went toe-to-toe with an incredibly moving tale of grief, mourning, and guilt over the inability to say goodbye.” Continuing, “On the performance side, the ensemble is one of my favorites at the festival. Nick Jonas does a commendable job leading the film, capturing a version of mourning that effectively captures remorse and sadness. His chemistry with Alexandra Shipp was welcoming, and their interactions offered some of the film’s most touching and comical moments. Sprinkling in a solid dramatic take by Brittany Snow and the reliable Matt Walsh, the family dynamic is one of its best traits. Speaking of that said dynamic, while only in flashbacks, Elisabeth Shue offers a portrait of a mother who loved and cared in her fashion and one of my favorite performances in recent memory.”