New Movie On Miracles Makes Successful 'Breakthrough' To Mainstream Culture
Starring Chrissy Metz, Topher Grace, Josh Lucas, Marcel Ruiz, Dennis Haysbert, Mike Colter
Rated PG
Drama, Based on a True Story
Run time: 1 hr, 56 min
Directed by Roxann Dawson
In theaters April 17, 2019
One of the most disappointing things that can happen at a movie is when you realize the trailer gave away all the good parts. One of the best things I can say about the new film Breakthrough is say that, thankfully, that is not the case. The preview paints a picture that many are familiar with when it comes to a wide-release Christian film: a tragedy, a prayer, a miracle, doubt, a moving soundtrack and the idea that the aforementioned prayer will fix it all. Breakthrough may not stray far from that narrative, but there’s something about this movie that makes it stand out among the others of its genre.
The film tells the story of the Smiths, a family who is active in their community and their church, with a teen son, John (Marcel Ruiz), who is losing his closeness with his parents and trying to kill it on the basketball court. One day, John falls through some thin ice over a lake and it becomes a question on whether or not he can be saved or just the body will be recovered. John’s mother, Joyce (Chrissy Metz) holds on to her hope and faith and prays even when she is told that he won’t survive this ordeal. Where it goes from there is left up to God, and even when Joyce stands alone in her beliefs, she doesn’t give up.
I’ll be the first to admit that I roll my eyes sometimes at some of the religious films that appear around Easter and Christmas time. Not due to the religion part, just that it always seems predictable, telling a story in a possibly cheesy way to get across the message of needing to keep the faith. A lot of times, it’s clear just how low budget the film is. And that’s where Breakthrough seems to stand out. Metz is not one to be counted out, and even if all you know her from is This Is Us, it’s obvious that she’s going to be around Hollywood for a while. Topher Grace has somehow turned into the perfect person to portray a hip, new, skinny-jean-wearing pastor, alternating between modern worship practices and more old-fashioned manners and support.
If the idea of seeing a faith-filled movie sounds horrible to you, yes, this probably isn’t your flick. But if you even have the slightest interest in the plot of this film, I’d say it’s worth your time. A killer soundtrack, solid acting performances and some decent camera work makes it more than just another miracle movie. Sure, it may not be on the level of an Oscar-winning drama but it doesn’t pretend to be. Even the most skeptical of us (read: me) can be brought to tears by the emotion behind this film (read: three separate times). Maybe it isn’t worth a trip to the theater, but if you just need a healthy dose of inspiring stories, there are definitely worse movies to watch than Breakthrough.