Paradise Recovered

I saw Paradise Recovered when it was screening at the Film Courage Interactive in Los Angeles a couple years ago, and met Andie Redwine (screenwriter) and Storme Wood (director), who were both great people. It sort of makes sense that they would make a great film. I see a lot of bad indies - more specifically indies that try desperately to be profound, or memorable, or poignant - but what surprised and delighted me was that Paradise Recovered was a real gem in a haystack. It was a perfect marriage of a smart, witty script, unforced, seamless direction, and two natural, likable leads. It was simple and ultimately powerful without ever trying. It certainly could have been preachy, full of itself, and over-dramatic, but Andie's script - and from what I've heard it's largely autobiographical, about growing up around a "cult" - feels really authentic and delivers a tangible message. Definitely worth checking out. I wouldn't steer you wrong.

I loved it. The film touched me deeply and it is one I will watch again. I thought it was very well written, the dialogue was real, and the actors were very convincing. Andie Redwine has written a script from the heart, and it shows. Heather Wallis, as Esther, did a fantastic job in this film. I don't know if the plot is based on a true story or not, but Heather was totally believable in her struggle with her faith and the film brought to light a real issue of religious abuse, which is often ignored in society. Dane Seth Hurlburt, as Gabriel, was also well cast as the caring friend, who ultimately falls for the girl. The film is a good mix; the heavy religious cult theme is balanced with entertaining and even light-hearted scenes. I also enjoyed the the location shots as I live in Southern Indiana where parts of the film were shot. In summary, I certainly don't consider myself a movie critic, but I know what I like. Well worth a couple hours of your time.

Andie Redwine has written a script that is entertaining, humorous, but socially significant in a culture splintered between conservative totalism and liberal totalism. Andie provides a contrast between two sets of men, both father-son. Philip doesn't accept his father's beliefs totally, but plays the game for his own selfish reasons. Gabriel also rejects his father's beliefs, but openly admits the fact. The two fathers are ministers - one focused on rules and control, the other focused on relationship and grace. The two sons woo the same woman - one for his own selfish motives, the other out of concern for Esther. The film is about the insidious abuse of cults, but it provides a contrast between real men who are comfortable with difference and cowards who try to force others to be carbon copies of themselves.

Here's a piece of work that really gets at the heart of what it means to have faith. In whom do you place your faith? A supreme being? A book? A church? A minister? This film is an intelligent, well-told and well-acted dramatization of a young woman's struggle to go against what she has been told and think for herself. If you have lived in a small American town you have encountered the kinds of people this film depicts; you will recognize both their sincerity and their cruelty. And maybe you will think about how some people wield power, and how others can go through life without ever questioning their submission.

One tangential remark: there's a lot of discussion about how the film is a modern-day retelling of the Good Samaritan parable. It isn't really. Google that parable, read the details about what the story meant in Jesus' time, and you'll see why. But the dissimilarity doesn't detract from this film.

I'm a pastor. Whoever wrote this movie has been on the inside of Christian, legalistic fundamentalism, so the film is insightful. Not all fundamentalism is exactly like this, of course, but it's some version of it, whether more or less extreme. I define Christian fundamentalism as a Christianity in which man-made rules (as opposed to Biblical commands) are held to be on par with Scriptural commands. Legalism comes in when a breaking of those man-made rules or Biblical commands is made the basis upon which a person is viewed (judgmentally) either as a "good Christian" or a "bad Christian." Having been in ministry 27 years, including a stint as a campus minister at Indiana University (at which the graduation scene of this movie is filmed), I've never seen legalism or fundamentalism turn out well for those who've been under it--never. The most anti-Christian students I ever talked to about the gospel on campus were not those with no religious background or with another religion, but those coming out of Christian fundamentalism. In such an environment, the attempt of the parents or pastors is to keep those under them faithful by adding rules and threats. Ironically, the result is always disillusionment and crises of faith as the persons in these environments begin to see the inconsistencies and lack of love that is part-and-parcel of these environments. Those who grow up in this environment either leave the Church altogether permanently or for at least two years go through a rebellion stage before returning. This film examines this rebellion/leaving from two helpful angles in the characters of Esther and Gabriel. While the film doesn't get to a helpful conclusion of the necessity of rejecting mad-made rules and embracing Scripture's actual directives in an environment of grace, it is a very-healthy and needed warning against the backfiring nature of beyond-Scripture regulations. I appreciated this movie greatly, and will be recommending it to lots of folks.