Plot Summary
Riley Adams is a talented dancer, but when she is involved in a car accident, her life changes forever. Now partially paralyzed and being forced to relearn speech and motor skills, Riley feels like her life is over since she can no longer dance like she used to. However, she soon discovers a special form of physical therapy involving horses that changes her entire perspective on life. Through the newfound therapy, she not only finds a new lease on life, but a new chance at faith and love.
Production Quality (.5 point)
With obviously limited resources, Healed by Grace is plagued by cheap production problems. Video quality is grainy and camera work is shaky. The sets and locations are fairly limited, but the usage of props is pretty good. The soundtrack is okay, but we would have liked to hear something more dynamic. There is really no editing present here; if there had been editing, this production probably would have improved. However, there is care and thought put into this film, making it stand apart from your average sloppy and thrown-together Christian movie.
Plot and Storyline Quality (1.5 points)
Despite its obvious production flaws, Healed by Grace demonstrates heart and effort. The creators actually seem to care about what they are doing, despite their limited resources. The plot’s message is very touching and realistic. Though the plot is slightly simplistic, it’s based on a believable premise and is a generally interesting idea. The dialogue is pretty good and the characters have interesting arcs. Though there is little content here, the writers did the best they could with what they had. We would have liked to see a little more complexity, but it’s definitely a good start. Some things happen off screen, obviously due to budget constraints. The ending is authentic but we would have liked to see a little more. Overall, this is a great starter effort with room for improvement.
Acting Quality (1.5 points)
Though the cast is very amateur, they are trying harder than most. They demonstrate a willing attitude to act well, even though they sometimes fall short. It’s not easy to effectively act like you are disabled from a car wreck, but the main actress pulls this off well. Line delivery and emotional delivery are average. Costuming is realistic throughout. Overall, this is an applaudable effort.
Conclusion
In summary, Healed by Grace is a true-to-life story that is accessible by Christian audiences. Though many facets of the film are amateur, the creators still show that they care about what they are doing rather than just slapping a horrible film together and sticking the name ‘Christian’ on it. It’s hard to make independent Christian films, especially starting out. What’s important is that you, as a Christian film maker, give it your best effort and leave the results up to God. If He has called you into film making, He will give you the resources you need. You just have to be faithful and do your absolute best.
Final Rating: 3.5 out of 10 points
Box Office Revolution 