MovieChat Forums > Greater (2023) Discussion > Is this a Christian affirmation flick?

Is this a Christian affirmation flick?

posted 8 years ago by just_in_case
8 replies | jump to latest

It's looks interesting but I noted in the description it calls out his devotion to Christ. I have nothing against that or Christianity, but I'm not and I don't want a lecture on it. In fact I'm very spiritual and don't mind at all it being used in the right context, again though since I'm not of the flock and never will be I'd like to avoid the faith affirming stuff. The trailer definitely did not appear to be harping on it but I thought I'd ask before I bother. Whats the word?

[–] Bruce7 8 years ago

Don't know what your description of " Christian affirmation flick" is. He is definitely portrayed as a Christian.

Can you fly this plane?
Surely u cant be serious
I am serious,and dont call me Shirley

[–] just_in_case 8 years ago

A christian affirmation film is a film whos explicit intent is to reaffirm someone's faith in god. It's an official term/genre these days I actually had to look up the correct name. Something like "God is real" or "God is not dead" that latest Jennifer Garner movie. That Christian firefighter movie that came out recently. Sorry I'm honestly too lazy to look all these movies up. I hesitate to call them "Christian propaganda" because I think that term is a bit too derogatory.

It's a shame because I think there's room to make a good movie about god. Last Temptation of Christ was great still had a positive message. Noah had a bit more of a mixed message, but I liked it. Instead these movies are so engineered to appeal to hardline christians that they actually push Agnostic types like myself away from joining the herd.

I forget the name but there's another football film that came out recently that had a trailer explicitly ranting about how he couldn't achieve what he did without god yadda yadda yawn I'm out. That's usually how you can pick out affirmation films.

[–] Bruce7 8 years ago

"film whos explicit intent is to reaffirm someone's faith in god(sic) "God."
This is definitely not that fulfillment of that description. It is about his life, changes, desire, fulfillment of dreams, his faith(thinly), family, relationships, camaraderie, success academically and athletically.

Can you fly this plane?
Surely u cant be serious
I am serious,and dont call me Shirley

[–] jonathanmarklund 8 years ago

It's not a christian movie, but christianity is a big part of the movie.

[–] Dubdub1974 8 years ago

Short answer: it is definitely a Christian movie as it doesn't just show what the characters believed in it agrees with it. You get "the dark side" trope (some might even say it's the Devil himself coming to tempt the brother), you get the "fallen man trope" , you get a heavy dose of "But why does bad stuff happens to good people" and "God works in mysterious ways", you get "they were converted by his example". You get God knows best" in about 50 different ways.

But you don't get lectures, I don't even know if they talk about Jesus at any point they talk about God not Christ or Jesus (which for the brand of Christianity portrayed in the movie is very surprising)

Some of the characters are quite conflicted rather than just black or white...the acting isn't the best but you get what they were going for

You don't get to know what caused his fatal accident though.

Overall it's quite watchable, it's hamfisted at times and the acting isn't always the best but I appreciated the effort in trying to make a Christian movie based like the kid's life on example rather than lectures and based in the real world where everything isn't rosy and everyone isn't a carebear but it doesn't mean they are satan either. IF Hallmark showed Christian movies , I'd expect this to show on it.

[–] Bruce7 8 years ago

I think Jesus was mentioned. I agree his faith is not played up, sprinkled throughout.

Can you fly this plane?
Surely u cant be serious
I am serious,and dont call me Shirley

[–] dcoydcoy 8 years ago

Yes it is.
"An insistent, clunky sermon about triumph through faith, David Hunt?s film is so determined to turn its subject into a Christ-like saint that it loses any sense of him as an actual flesh-and-blood man, the result being a third-string sports saga only apt to play to its devout target audience"- Variety

[–] vahidjurstic 8 years ago

it is not