Genre: Drama

Star Rating:  

It times of struggle, it seems fairly common to utter sentences beginning with, “Why would God…” It’s often in those moments that our faith is truly tested.  In the 2017 film A Question of Faith, three families have their faith put to the test as their lives are, unknowingly, intertwined. It’s a beautiful, emotional, and heartfelt film that is definitely worth watching.

A Question of Faith introduces us to three families: The Newman family, led by Rev. David Newman, a man struggling to balance his workload and his family; The Danielson family, who are working hard not to go fall into bankruptcy; and the Hernandez family, comprised of a single mother and her teenage daughter who have big dreams for a better life. In one single moment, the lives of all three families will change forever. A Question of Faith stars Richard T. Jones (Vantage Point, Judging Amy), Kim Fields (The Facts of Life, Living Single), C. Thomas Howell (The Outsiders, E.T. the Extra Terrestrial), and Jaci Velasquez (I’m Not Ashamed, The Encounter).

As I have mentioned in previous posts, I really hate to cry in movies. It is for this reason I refuse to re-watch movies like Bambi and Steel Magnolias. Yet, I recognize that they are both great films. Similarly, although A Question of Faith had me sobbing throughout and questioning why I didn’t have any tissues in the house, I can earnestly tell you that it is a great film. The tears are simply evidence of a touching story and well-developed characters.

I was enveloped in the story thanks to the high-quality acting. I was a little concerned in the beginning that this wouldn’t be the case, as Jaci Velasquez’s performance started out a tad inauthentic. However, as the film progressed, everyone’s acting really improved and their ability soon became apparent. I was especially impressed with Kim Fields. I am very familiar with her performances on Living Single and The Facts of Life. In fact, I have seen every episode of The Facts of Life several times and own all the seasons on DVD (just saying). Although I felt she was very good on both shows, both those characters were comedic. This serious drama proved that she a well-rounded actress.

Christian themes and messages were very strong throughout. However, I didn’t feel that the writers belabored any of them. Everything was very Biblically based and focused on the themes of forgiveness, accepting God’s plan, and holding onto your faith.

A Question of Faith is available on both Netflix and DVD.

LOOKING TO SHOW IT AT CHURCH?

This is a very good film choice for church. It would be best if viewed in its entirety because the stories of the three families overlap and it takes the entire film to see it all come together. Due to the fact that it is a very serious drama, it would be best suited for a special viewing, possibly with a group discussion afterwards.

As previously mentioned, the main themes are forgiveness, accepting God’s plan, and holding onto your faith. However, it also covers the non-Biblical topics of not texting while driving and the benefits of becoming an organ donor.

WHAT AGE GROUP IS IT FOR?

This movie is best for teenagers and adults, simply due to the fact that the issues dealt with in the film are geared towards those demographics. There aren’t any inappropriate segments in the film. It does, however, deal with the topics of death and organ donation.