Plot Summary
On a small youth group retreat, Pastor Stuart senses that something is amiss with the group of kids he is responsible for. A new non-Christian girl is among them, and her presence is causing divisions among the Christian teens. He decides to try to get through to them by telling them his creative and family-friendly rendering of the Biblical story of Hosea and his tenuous relationship with his wife Gomer. Ultimately, each person must decide how they are going to respond and to show God’s unconditional love for all people.
Production Quality (2 points)
The Christiano Brothers and Kevin Downes usually know how to produce a movie so that it passes as above average. Amazing Love is no exception. There are few overt errors in this film’s production quality. The camera work is simple but not detracting. The video and sound quality are fine. The editing is fine, considering there is just not much content here. The biggest problems with production pertain to the limited and cheap looking sets. Some of the Biblical props and costuming seem low quality. Overall, Amazing Love is good enough to make viewers watch.
Plot and Storyline Quality (2 points)
The premise of Amazing Love is intriguing. Youth group issues need to be discussed in movies. Biblical narratives need to be explored. One has to wonder if Hosea was the best choice, but Box Office Revolution believes it was handled tastefully, even if it is slightly unrealistic. Due to the dual narrative, dialogue is simplistic and characters are shallow. The fact that there are two stories in this movie show that there is just not enough content to make this a dynamic film. But the creators did the best they could with what they had, and sometimes that is all we can ask. There are some interesting twists that keep the attention. This plot will make people think and it is better than a lot of Christian films.
Acting Quality (1.5 points)
The actors seem either wooden or childish. Some of the acting is good, but some is not. The more experienced actors deliver their lines better than others. Casting might have been an issue in this modestly budgeted production. Overall, the acting is just average.
Conclusion
Everyone needs to know that God’s love is unconditional, especially teenagers from broken homes. The story of Hosea reminds everyone that God loves even those we considered to be hopeless and unreachable. For a simple family film, Amazing Love passes the test. Audiences need to be informed of Bible stories that are not often focused on. Unfortunately, there was a low ceiling for this movie and it hit it. But in the end, this is definitely not a movie to be ashamed of.
Final Rating: 5.5 out of 10 points
Box Office Revolution 