'Jesus Revolution' gives audiences a glimpse into a portion of history that may have been buried under all of the events of modern society.
Outside of Christian circles, Greg Laurie may not be a household name. Still, his impact has been significant in Southern California and the United States over the years.
As a prolific author, one of his best sellers has been his autobiographical story of the Jesus Revolution in the late 1960s and how he was swept up in this revival. This movement reached worldwide and was immortalised on Time magazine's cover, while the seeds this movement planted are still impacting churches today.
During this time in history, protests against the Vietnam War were in full swing, the civil rights movement was churning America's culture wars, and the hippie movement was impacting the youth of a generation. Chuck Smith (Kelsey Grammer) was serving a small church in Southern California and was trying to figure out this generational shift that his daughter, Janette (Ally Ioannides), was drawn to as the traditional church members feared this free-living community. One day, she brings hippie hitchhiker, Lonnie Frisbee (Jonathan Roumie) to the Smith house to have him share with her father how they share the Ministry of Jesus with this generation searching for truth.
As these divergent men of God developed a friendship and did all they could to reach the hippie community, Greg Laurie (Joel Courtney) was one of the youths seeking something more. He was motivated to meet a young woman named Cathe (Anna Grace Barlow), but eventually found himself swept up by the movement around him. All three men were at different seasons of their life and spiritual journey. They could not have anticipated how their work would go on to spur a significant change in society. Each had to adapt quickly to the fame, spiritual transformation, and expectations from the followers attending church gatherings in droves.
For those who have studied modern church history, Calvary Chapel and the names of these church leaders would be well-known. Yet, the rest of the world’s population may not realise their impact on the Christian church, music, and modern evangelistic efforts. This is where Jon Erwin and his brother Andrew have excelled in the past as they tell historical accounts that are accessible to mainstream audiences as well as Christians. In partnership with Brent McCorkle for direction, they manage to cut a fine line within this genre to share society's realities while conveying the Gospel's influence on a generation. Albeit, they may not take things far enough for modern audiences who desire all of the harsh details of the drug culture to be included. Still, the production team does stay true to the essential effects of this tragic way of life and how the offerings of the Bible provide a fulfilling alternative.
The performances of Kelsey Grammer, Jonathan Roumie and Joel Courtney complemented the storyline. They helped maintain the historical significance of this movement. Erwin and McCorkle capitalised on the talent they have in front of the camera and managed to lift the quality of films being offered within the genre. Primarily, they do not hide the flaws of those involved in the movie and show how everything does not go according to plan. It may not contain all of the foul language and sexual promiscuity associated with this time in history, but that does not diminish the significance of this story or the value of the film.
Jesus Revolution gives audiences a glimpse into a portion of history that may have been buried under all of the events of modern society. Regardless of your faith position, it offers an entertaining history lesson that shows how significant faith, Bible, and God can be in people's lives then and now.
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