[yasr_overall_rating]
A young girl suffering from a rare digestive disorder finds herself miraculously cured after surviving a terrible accident.
I never expected to be caught up in this film, so much so, that I blocked out the emotions of an entire theater full of people universally shedding tears and snotting through countless scenes. In a season of unrest in a society which is in a constant state of bickering, this film serves as a welcomed getaway to a place where an entire community works together for empowerment in spite of individual weaknesses that could breed negativity and tear everyone apart. Countless instances of a village-raising mentality catapulted this movie to an entire new level beyond the realm of religion and faith.
Having roots in Burleson, Texas automatically renders the natives proud, but being based on a true story is even more powerful as several points of interest were highlighted to round out a perfect story of a family whose faith is tested as Annabel Beam (Kylie Rogers), a perfectly normal twelve year-old, becomes the victim of a digestive disorder that physically and mentally impacts her and changes the entire perspective of a church-going, prayerful family of five that depends on their faith to move mountains. The traditional parental roles of Kevin Beam (Martin Henderson) and Christy Beam (Jennifer Garner) are a welcome sight where a hardworking father and a doting mother have dual roles in bringing up three girls in a strong environment filled with faith, hope and sacrifice. The relationships between siblings Annabel (Kylie Rogers), Abby (Brighton Sharbino), and Adelynn (Courtney Fausler) are positive and nurturing as each of them encourages one another and never permanently loses sight of the common goal of supporting Anna through every aspect of her illness.
Knowing that the film is considered a followup to 2014’s “Heaven Is For Real,” provides a familiarity of the storyline but never feels like a copycat movie that is reaching out to the same audience expecting to achieve the same success. The success though can be attributed to a great story at the helm of an excellent team of collaborators, Devon Franklin and T.D. Jakes, who works with an excellent director, Patricia Riggen, who casts believable characters who could make the story come to life. With simplicity, the true highs and lows of a real family, going through a real crisis were expressed in great detail. A perfect mix of trials, setbacks and successes help to make this film purposeful and entertaining. The determination of a fearless child whose predicament never out-wills her purpose, serves as a great message to children and adults alike who can share in the joy of fearless crusaders who give hope the full platform it deserves in challenging situations. Don’t Miss It!
In theaters March 16th
