Jesus Revolution Review


 

This faith-based picture works incredibly well as a real, breathing, and entirely engaging theatrical experience which shouldn’t be discounted or dismissed. Starring Kelsey Grammer, this true story follows a national spiritual awakening that took place in the late 60s and early 70s that originated within a teenage community of hippies in Southern California. This film has it all from romance to drama to emotional stakes and sensational thrills. 

 


 

Chuck Smith played by Kelsey Grammer is a pastor with a rebellious daughter played by the ever so lovely Ally Loannides who takes in a hippie by the name of Lonnie Frisee (Jonathan Roumie) who has a real heart for Jesus and from the connection they make a movement is sprung in Southern California to save hippies who are lost in their quest for God. On the other hand we follow military school student Greg Laurie (Joel Courtney) that embarks upon a tantalizing romance with a blonde hippie named Cathe (Anna Grace Barlow) and in his downward spiral in the world of drugs finds his way to Christ via Cathe’s own personal journey. The execution of the story though is top-notch as this could have been done in a very forced and cliche Christian manner but it instead feels very alive and fresh and moving. And it really does move like a proper movie as its setting in the 60s gives it a rich and lively atmosphere that has a beat to it. 

 


 


It’s fascinating to see Greg and Cathe progress from tripped out hippies to born again Christians and the evolving dynamic between Chuck Smith and Lonnie Frisee. Those two stories intersect and come together and really thematically tie together for a powerful message of love and redemption. However, as all good filmmakers do, the ones behind this one make sure to add plenty of levity in between the heavy beats to keep things from becoming too overbearing and to make the characters more likable and charismatic which endures us as the audience to these characters onscreen. Kelsey Grammer does some of the best work of his career here and all the other performers are incredibly nuanced in their performances and very convincing, bringing faith-based films into the arena of big cinema entertainment. And it’s the kind of prestige film that’s not made to merely entertain but also to inform and inspire. So whether you’re here to see a stirring true story, watch a captivating drama dealing with complicated and at times rather dark characters, or to see an electric romantic tale this film has it all in spades. I highly encourage you to go out and see in a theater for the proper immersive experience. 

 


 


 

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