THE REVIVAL

US, 2017, 85 minutes, Colour.
David Rysdahl, Zachary Booth, David Carl, Stephen Ellis, Lucy Faust.
Directed by Jennifer Gerber.

The revival is an arresting film about a Baptist minister. He has inherited the church from his father, a popular minister in an Arkansas town. The new minister has gone beyond Arkansas for his education and has returned and married.

However, the minister is gay. He is rather reluctant to acknowledge this, conscious of the homophobic attitude of some of his congregation, of his obligations to his wife. He is played convincingly by David Rysdahl.

His church welcomes everyone, there is singing, there is preaching – although the young minister is not particularly adept, paling in comparison with his father. There is also an outreach to those in need. One of these is a young man, Zachary Booth, whom the minister helps, befriends, sets up in a home, has many discussions. The drifter is also gay and the minister succumbs to his attraction, beginning an affair.

The congregation wants to build up its reputation and its outreach in the manner of the minister’s father and there is a suggestion for a revival, a lot of promotion, the minister interviewed on radio, somewhat awkwardly, a great deal of church activity.

This leads to a crisis for the minister, his relationship with the young man, his genuine affection for him, wanting to cut him off and set him adrift for the sake of his reputation and for the church. However, his wife understands what is happening and takes a stand, going to visit the drifter and confronting him.

This is a film which leaves the ending to the audience – the minister going to his pulpit and beginning to speak… What will he say? What will be his response to the congregation in the revival? His future?


1. The title? The First Baptists and their churches, revival meetings? Arkansas and the planned revival for the church? The repercussions for all those involved?

2. The Arkansas setting, the town, offices, shops, homes? The church and the church office? The countryside, the house in the countryside? The musical score? Background, revival hymns?

3. The issue of homosexuality? Morality? The statements of the Bible? Fundamentalist Christians? Preaching against homosexuality? Condemnation is a scene?

4. The drama with Eli as the Minister, inheriting the church from his father who was well respected, his returned from studies, his hesitant preaching, the small congregation, his marriage to June and her pregnancy? His unease in the situation? Trevor and his enthusiasm, belief in Jesus, checking with the authorities of the Baptists, getting Board members to come to visit the church, enthusiastic about the Revival and persuading Eli?

5. The prayer service, the food afterwards, the hooded man absorbed in his food, Eliza approach, the food, the limited talk, the man leaving? The henceforth the gay theme?

6. Trevor, big, burly, his character, his past, the truck driver, drugs, his wife, her custody of their daughter, her doing drugs, his having the custody, is love for her? Religion? Wanting Eli to be more enthusiastic? Seeing the Revival is the key to the future?

7. Eli, going to the radio station, the compere’s criticisms, praise of his father, criticising he lies lack of reply, you live in responding passionately about the revival?

8. The encounter with Daniel, wanting to help him, Daniel wanting accommodation, food,
giving him his lunch? Taking him to the house, setting up? The touch, the approach, the embrace, kiss? The sexual encounter, seen from he lies perspective? The effect on him?

9. The continued meetings? The passion on you lies parts? Daniel – and his background? Making crystal meth in the house, Eli forbidding it? The effect on you like, his sense of God, listening to the radio broadcasts in the car, the condemnations, his anxiety, yet his previous questions, covering his identity?

10. The effect on June, talking with Eli, his excuses? Her producing the photo? Later revealing that she took the photo? Its effect on Eli, confronting Daniel, urging him to go?

11. June coming to see Daniel, urging him to go? Trevor and his violent attack? His getting the help of the young man who wants to marry his first cousin? Eli coming, urging the young man to go?

12. The talk between Daniel and Eli, Eli and his sense of God? The Bible? The motivation for the Revival? June and his relationship with her?

13. The revival,

14. getting to the lectern, opening his mouth – and leaving it to the audience to wonder what he would say, cover-up or come out?