Break Away

Break Away ( Baroudeur in South Africa) is a new film coming out from the producers of Faith Like Potatoes. Former rugby player/celebrity Francois (Frans Cronje) is a hard working husband and dad that gets laid off from his job. Despite nights of working on proposals and meetings with potential clients, there are no job offers. When his car quits he is forced to use an old bicycle in order to provide for his family by making deliveries. A group of pro-cyclists who pass him every day brings out his competitive spirit, so with the help of his “black sheep” brother (Etienne Janse van Renburg, and a bicycle shop owner (Morne Theunissen), and a curious sports reporter, Francois makes some life-changing discoveries about his life, career and faith in God. 

View the Break Away trailer.

Written and directed by Cronje and Theunissen, this is one of those films that can make a powerful impact. There were a couple of things that did bother me with the dvd, though. First was my initial difficulty in understanding some of the accents, so I really wish closed captioning had been an option. I did adapt, and it got easier, but it was still a stumbling block. The second was some sound issues. There was one spot in particular where the sound of people walking overpowered the voices, so the film definitely needed some ADR work.
 
However, this is also one of the more powerful films I have seen about relying on God through the tough times. Using the parable of the loaves and the fishes, there is a message to give God all you have and see what He does with it. In one scene, his wife (Leone Pienaar) tells him that he is to follow God, and she and the children would follow him. While he did go through moments of despair, Francois takes what is available for him to use---including his talents---and simply gives his best and relies on God to see him through. This is an excellent testimony on trusting God to provide for your needs and adapting to His plan, no matter how it looks to others.
 
The soundtrack was better than average for me. There were a couple of songs I wasn't fond of, but I loved the majority of the music--there is a version of "How Great Thou Art" that is outstanding! I was also impressed with the partnership the film has with Jacob's Well. This is a ministry that aims to build up a growing network of churches, organizations, businesses and individuals working together to help people in their communities who have lost regular income or do not have a self-sustainable income. 

I received this movie free from Word Films as part of their Blogger Review Program, via Blogger Gateway. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

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Frans Cronje also has a new website, FransCronje.tv. Make sure you check out Lifestyle Revolution, his online television program.