The Woodcarver

My wife and I watch at least one faith-based movie per week Regretfully the pickings are somewhat thin in terms of production values and acting. That is OK- it is really about the quality of the message and not the medium.

This movie had it all, and we really enjoyed it.

"You can either lend a hand or get out of the way, I'm pretty sure I know what choice Jesus would make." When high school dropout Matthew, upset with his parents, vandalizes a church his punishment is to help fix it up. When he is sent to help woodcarver Ernest Otto (Ratzenberger) Matthew begins to learn a valuable lesson. As I have stated many times before my biggest problem with the faith based movies are that everything is too perfect and there is no tension. This movie is one of the few exceptions that I have found. This is also the only movie like this I have seen that actually threw me for a loop at the end. This is a very good movie and very much worth watching even if you don't normally like the faith based movies. Overall, along with "What if" this is one of the best faith based movies I have ever seen. I give it a B+.

I hope y'all do realize that Baptist preachers do not wear collars. They are just normally dressed.

As a celebration of individual craftsmanship The Woodcarver is an interesting film. But it's failure to really find a reason young Dakota Dalby's rebellion it falls way short of the mark. I'm still not clear if the young man in his own mind committed these acts of vandalism for sufficient reason.

But vandalize his former church he did and the pastor Anthony Harrison calls in his estranged parents, Woody Jeffreys and Nicole Oliver. They spend more time sniping at each other than paying attention to their son. In fact Jeffreys sees the vandalism as an opportunity for work for his contracting firm and their prefabricated material.

The thing is the original carver of the woodwork in the church is still with us and as a craftsman John Ratsenberger takes a great deal of pride. Pride in yourself is a sin, but pride in what you do with your own hands if you're blessed with such a creative spirit should be encouraged.

Which is the lesson taught to young Daulby. With a leavening of those initials that have become so popular, WWJD, what would Jesus do? There's considerable debate in our society about that proposition.

The Woodcarver is a good tribute to pride in your work and the dignity of a craft well learned and practiced.

In WWJD II: The Wooodcarver, John Ratzenberger plays Ernest, a hard working, decent and faith filled man. It could be my Dad or many other people's Dad, Grandfather, brother or husband. I wouldn't say that the movie is perfect, but nothing is. That's why I liked it. It's just down to earth and shows the messiness that exists in this world.

I don't think the film is overly preachy. Yes Jesus is mentioned, but in a way that shows hurting people that if they want a fulfilled life like Ernest has, they might try putting God first. And just because they do, it doesn't cause everything in their life to be rosy--just meaningful.

Of course, a lot of people become bitter and miserable when life seems to fail them. This movie shows how prayers often need humans to act unselfishly in order for positive change to occur. In that sense, I believe that prayers are answered. This movie affirms my belief.