BREAKTHROUGH
US, 2019, 115 minutes, Colour.
Chrissy Metz, Topherr Grace, Josh Lucas, Dennis Haysbert, Marcel Ruiz, Sam Trammell, Mike Colter.
Directed by Roxanne Dawson.
Religious organisation saw Breakthrough as the inspirational film of the year. Many faith audiences agree. However, a number of commentators and bloggers who look down on, or are critical of, religion, were not impressed and were condemnatory.
The film does not come from the American faith-film studios. It also has a cast of well-known actors. Chrissy Metz, who plays the mother of John, the surly teenager critical of his parents who falls through the ice, dies, is treated in the hospitals but, when his mother prays, regains his pulse, and recovers, appeared in This is Us. John is played by Marcel Ruiz who also was successful on television. Character actors Josh Lucas who plays the father, Topher Grace who plays the pastor, Dennis Haysbert who portrays the doctor, are well-known.
The film is based on a true story, on the book written by Joyce Smith, the mother of the boy.
In many ways, a lot of the situations are quite familiar from many films and television programs, parents adopting a young boy in Guatemala, missionaries who bring him back to Missouri, bringing him up with love, but having to go through the difficulties of a rebellious teenager. The boy is asked to write his oral history and speaks in class, his great regrets about not knowing his birth mother and resentment towards her for giving him up.
John is keen on basketball and there are many basketball sequences, and his being challenged by the coach to complete his work and not fail his exams otherwise he cannot play in competition.
The crux of the movie is that three boys go out on the lake, falling through the ice, the other two rescued, John spending more than 20 minutes in the water, being found by a staff member of the rescue squad, taken to hospital but the doctors and staff unable to revive the boy. However, his mother is insistent, John transferred to a specialist hospital unit, with Dennis Haysbe rt as the doctor, again little hope offered. But, the mother prays and the boy regains a pulse – and the family is supported by the local pastor, with whom the mother has strongly clashed, support from the school, a candlelight vigil outside the hospital.
John is brought out from an induced coma and recovers. There are some strong scenes where the mother is challenged by her husband not to be controlling and not to be bitter in condemning people that do not measure up to her expectations.
A film which will appeal to the faith audience.
1. Award for inspirational film of the year? The appeal to the Christian audience? Wider audience?
2. St Charles Missouri, homes, churches, church offices, schools and classrooms, the lake? Hospitals? The musical score, religious hymns, wrap hymns?
3. The story based on actual events, the book written by John’s mother, Joyce?
4. The title, the tensions in the family, falling through the ice? Death, breakthrough into life?, Prayer, miracle?
5. The family, the tension between John and Joyce, his offhand manner, breakfast to the dog, bond with his father? At school, his friends, attracted to the young girl? In class, surly, not doing his work? Basketball practice, the talk with the coach, the threats about not doing his work?
6. At the church, Jason and his ministries, being with it, the rap hymns, his preaching? Joyce and her disapproval? Joyce and her work with the women’s groups, Jason ousting them for the parish meeting? Joyce and the continued resentment?
7. John writing his oral history, in class, Guatemala, adopted, his parents as missionaries, the return to the US, his anger and resentment about being given up for adoption, not knowing anything about his birth mother?
8. 2015, the device of putting the days and the hours on screen?
9. Joyce, Brian, the missionary work, adopting John, living in Missouri, bringing up John, the teenage tensions? Joyce and her memories? Brian and his low-key manner?
10. John, with his friends, overnight, on the ice, the warning, falling through, the two boys getting out, John and the exposure in the water, the rescue team, Shine hearing the
voice to go back, his workers saying they did not call him back?, Finding John, getting him out? Shines puzzle and is not believing in God, meeting John and their talking? Talking with his fellow rescuers?
11. The hospital, the doctor and his staff, the attempts to revive John, no pulse, fear of brain damage?
12. Joyce coming, Brian? Joyce, upset, prayer, her attitudes towards medical staff, wanting to control? Brian and his absence from the room? His later confronting Joyce, telling her about her bitterness towards the staff? Joyce and ousting the doctors and their talking in John’s room?
13. Jason, Joyce and her dislike of him, the hymns, his haircut? His being the pastor? His remaining, gradual breaking down of the barrier, his prayerful support?
14. Dr Garnett, the expert, going to the Cardinal Glennon hospital, his words, no great hope?
15. Joyce, everybody giving up, her prayer, the pulse, the possibility for John to survive?
16. The continued treatment, the induced coma, friends and students coming to the hospital, Joyce angry with their comments about his possible death? Jason enjoy sitting with John, the questions about basketball, the squeezing of the hand?
17. Dr Sutterer, his hard work, his daughter and John, her being upset with the news? The visiting the hospital? And the song outside the hospital?
18. The option of waking John, bring him out of the coma, the decision? His waking, recognising his mother? John, the therapy, recovery, eventually going home, going to school, playing basketball, riding his bike?
19. The meeting the church, Jason presiding, getting all those who helped to stand up, the family and their thanks?
20. The background of hospital treatment, the possibility for the miraculous, Joyce and her talking about the power of love?
