The Song

Before watching this movie, I read most of the bad reviews. I was expecting some really hokey, overdone Christian movie with a couple bad songs sprinkled throughout that I would shut off 10 minutes in. This movie actually is not like that at all. I'm not sure if the bad reviewers actually watched any of the movie or just rated it based on the fact that it has some religious themes and they are not religious thus they wanted to give it a bad review due to their disagreement with those themes.This movie has some really beautiful and very tasteful religious undertones throughout (which, to be honest, could even be interpreted simply as moral themes, rather than "only" religious) and a few times those themes are clear and overt. But the majority of the movie, besides the beautiful poem (Song of Solomon) being read over symbolic scenes, does not directly mention God, prayer, Christianity, church, or anything religious. Sure, if you are looking for the religious symbolism, you'll see it. But that's not really what the movie is about... What this movie is really about is marriage, plain and simple. It is a lovely story that deals with many relevant scenarios within marriage, such as temptation, infidelity, parenthood, forgiveness, redemption, death, anger, depression, drug abuse, the meaning and implication of sex, and more.For those of you that don't believe in marriage or that you don't believe that marriage is a covenant and a partnership you enter into and choose everyday to honor those promises and to choose your partner everyday, for those of you that believe marriage is a contract, that marriage is something you do until the butterflies and lust disappear and that you can always get out of it, yeah, you probably won't like this movie. But for anyone who believes in LOVE, this movie is definitely worth watching! It's a beautiful story about humanity, about love, about marriage, about family.What I liked the most about this movie, which I have never seen portrayed in this way, were the scenes dealing with sex within marriage. Many married couples experience "dry spells" and this movie deals with that, BUT EXPLAINS WHY the couple were having issues in that department. Normally, the reasons for these issues in movies are left unexplained, or worse, are used to portray that the marriage is "dead," that the couple no longer loves each other, or that the wife is some evil witch withholding sex from her husband and thus has lost her beauty and worth as a woman. This movie addresses those dry spells married couples experience, and in a very meaningful way. It does so in a way that simultaneously addresses a larger social issue, the obsession with sex and pleasure without regard or care for the other person (essentially, using another person for your own pleasure) but it does so within the context of marriage, which is usually left unaddressed in film. And I thought this was a really vital piece of the story, because it is SO RELEVANT to real life.The movie was truly a great story, with good music (way more music than I was expecting!), and good acting. I really don't know what people were saying when they said the acting was bad--I found it quite believable and realistic. I wasn't crazy about some of the songs featured in the film, but I found the majority to be quite good. And I really loved this movie because the story is relatable and relevant to real people's lives. This movie is not "religious propaganda," poorly acted, nor does it contain a poorly-written story. I loved it; you should give it a chance.

This is a fully realized vision-put-to-film. I can honestly say I loved everything about it. Although the actors/actresses truly sold it for me, with incredible chemistry among the many fated relationships & romances, and I can't say enough about the quality of the music and the originality of the songs....(these are not just actors, they are incredibly talented musicians) a huge nod has to go to the writer / director Richard Ramsey for such beautiful inspiration, compelling characters, REAL dialogue and reactions from the characters, and overall realism and BELIEVABILITY of the overall storyline, and oh ya, the southern backdrop with its lakes, country houses, and lush gardens were gorgeous. It's true that this plot has been done before (rise and fall of a rock star who battles personal demons, drugs, and affairs) but this movie delighted and surprised me all the way through.I truly appreciate quality filmmaking and unforgettable storytelling, and this touched my heart. The actors Alan Powell, Ali Faulkner, and especially the "jezebel" temptress Caitlin Nicol-Thomas were just amazing. Caitlin is so stunning, charming, and talented. Her violin is magical, and her confidence on-screen portraying a troubled-but-intriguing siren was notable. I would see anything she is in. And yes, it's clearly a Christian film, but it's subtle, and its a REAL FILM, not just a Christian film. I'm more of a metaphysical guy myself, but wow, did I appreciate this. And the Scripture that the narrator (Jed's character) reads throughout the film mirrors his personal growth cycle and realizations, and is universal enough to appeal to the majority of viewers, and also reflects the character's sincere maturation process, not just a "please take me back baby, I've changed, and everything will be different this time" line which so many movies have done. This growth feels real, because you get to watch and witness how each character EVOLVES throughout his/her personal journey and challenges. I truly felt like a fly on the wall as if I were watching this couple meet for the first time, and how it might unfold. That says to me, it was realistic and believable. And oh my goodness, the comical song he sings at the Harvest (wine) festival to mock the smug ex-boyfriend was an instant classic, well done, very witty! Loved this movie all around, and although the drug use might be a bit much for younger children, it's excellent for teens and instills powerful moral messages under the guise of a great film. Thanks Richard Ramsey