The term “Christian movie” probably doesn’t conjure many positive thoughts in your mind, and with good reason. For the most part, the faith-based films that have received a broad theatrical release have been characterized by clunky direction, contrived storylines, and acting generously described as amateurish.
Worse, they delivered their well-intentioned messages with the subtlety of a hellfire preacher out to scare up a few souls for the kingdom. I write these things as a Christian as well as someone who reviews movies. I see dozens of films a year, and as I compare superb comedies like “Midnight in Paris,” well-written dramas like “The Help” and smart indie movies like “Another Earth” to faith-based offerings like “Fireproof,” I can’t help but wonder if Christian moviemakers will ever begin producing a more mature, quality product. “Courageous” is a big step in the right direction.
The new movie follows five men who struggle with their roles as fathers and husbands in the wake of a heartbreaking tragedy. Like “Fireproof,” a family-oriented message exists at its core, but instead of tackling the institution of marriage, it aims to challenge men to rise up as leaders in their homes. The movie opens with a gripping and well-staged action scene in which one of men, Nathan, chases down his stolen pick-up truck on foot. Once the thief relinquishes the vehicle and escapes, Nathan opens the back door to reveal his infant son howling in a car seat. While I admired his tenacity, I couldn’t help but wonder what he was thinking when he stepped away from his running vehicle at a gas station to get some window cleaner.
The message is clear: danger surrounds us, and we’re not on our guard against it. This puts the people for whom we are responsible at risk. As “Courageous” introduced its leading men and the themes it would confront, the bad memories I have of watching “Fireproof” sprung to mind. The direction of several early sequences is awkward, some of the actors seem uncomfortable in front of the camera, and the dialogue is too intent on making a point. A scene in which four of the men grill steaks and quote teen suicide statistics was guilty of all three cinematic sins.
But with the introduction of the fourth father, Javier Martinez, an unemployed Mexican desperate to provide for his family, the movie finds its groove. Latter scenes are better shot and edited, the actors look more at ease, and the dialogue sounds more natural. At that point, “Courageous” begins to exhibit a rare confidence for a Christian film. One of the things the movie does well, to a degree, is avoid clichés. None of the men are horrible, dead beat dads, but rather decent, average men who are struggling with real issues. Even the discord between one of the fathers and his teenage son is kept under low heat rather than allowed to boil over into melodrama. This approach helps “Courageous” to connect with its male viewers.
“Courageous” also contains several scenes of undeniable power. The tragedy to which I referred earlier creates a deep fissure of regret in one of the men. The movie reaches its emotional high point when he returns to a scene of a lost opportunity and imagines himself making a different choice. Somehow, “Courageous” balances these scenes with several hilarious exchanges. It’s been a long time since I’ve heard what seemed to be everyone in a theater laugh out loud at once, but that happened at least three times during “Courageous.”
While “Courageous” contains a decidedly conservative message about the responsibilities of men in the home, it does so without diminishing the role of women or criticizing single mothers who are raising children alone. The only questionable choice the creators of the movie made was casting only black actors as the members of a brutal gang. It’s unlikely an atheist would unwittingly stumble into a screening of “Courageous,” which means the movie is preaching to the choir. But that doesn’t mean it’s irrelevant. On the contrary, the Christian community desperately needs to hear these things. That they’re delivered in a well-made movie is encouraging.
Rated PG-13 for violence. Three stars out of four. Email David Laprad at dlaprad@hamiltoncountyherald.com.