Thursday, April 12, 2007

Have you seen “Facing the Giants”?

...I have not seen the whole movie but I did see a clip from it the other day.
Here is a review from Christianity Today:

“A variation on the standard football movie plot, Facing the Giants takes place in a southern Christian high school, where coach Grant Taylor (Alex Kendrick, who also wrote and directed the film) is struggling to keep the school's football program alive. The team isn't winning, the players are apathetic, and some of the parents are trying to have Grant replaced. When we first see him go home to his wife, Brooke (Shannen Fields), we learn that Grant's also having problems off the field; in fact, the film begins stacking the odds so high against Grant that it flirts with outright melodrama—his car won't start, his home is in a state of disrepair, he and Brooke can't conceive, money is running out, and most folks just plain don't like him.

“Then, just when things seem like they can't get any worse, a stranger shows up in Grant's office and shares a Scripture verse, saying that the Lord sent him there. Suddenly, it's a whole new ballgame! Grant prays, gets inspired, and revamps his entire philosophy of coaching. His enthusiasm spreads to the whole team, and then the whole school, and suddenly, as Grant notes, it's ‘like a whole new team.’”


Plugged’N gave even a better one. Click there to read their comments.

There’s a lot of positive and negative reactions to the movie. Here's just one. What I want to concentrate on here is not how well it was made, or how good was the acting, etc. It’s the message of the film that is important.

In particular I wanted to comment on a scene of the coach challenging his star football player to demonstrate what his very best was. Without giving too much away, the footballer had to carry another player on his back, crawl on his hands and knees to the 50 yard line, and do it blindfolded. The coach got right down on the ground with him, encouraging him all the way, challenging him to give just a little bit more, pushing, pushing, pushing, not letting the player stop until he couldn’t move another step. Did he make it to the 50?

I’ll not tell you how it ended – you’ll have to watch the movie yourself. But it certainly challenged me to think: do I really give my very best in everything I do? Not even close! Yet that is what Christ wants me, and you, to do. Wow! What a challenge! What a powerful message.

1 comment:

Brackett Library said...

Hey!

I've seen the movie and it's pretty good. Considering that it was done by a group of people with NO moviemaking experience, it's actually impressive.

You'll enjoy it. It was great to hear Third Day and Casting Crowns in a movie soundtrack. :-)