The Good Book, written and directed by
Sharon Wilharm and produced by her husband,
Fred, is the latest release from
Mainstreet Productions. The film is a silent evangelical film that follows the impact that a single small red New Testament on the people who receive it. As the Bible is passed around, we get a brief look at how God's Word is there to speak to our needs and to make a difference in our lives.
It starts with a boy named Daniel (
Evan Fielding) who runs away following a horrible mistake he made. He ends up at a campsite for homeless people and is befriended by Esau (
Torry Martin). It is there that Daniel becomes the first to receive the pocket testament. The Bible goes from hand to hand, with the giver signing it before passing it along, and we see how it affect the life of the next who receives it. It is amazing to see how our actions have a ripple effect, touching the lives of brief encounters and the lives of those we will never meet on Earth.
 |
| Torry Martin, Danny Lee Ramsey, and Mike Parker |
Ok, I don't want to give away each story told, but I do want to
mention some of the stories or actors whose performances stood out to
me. I will get the bad out of the way first. There was a scene near the
beginning that I just did not see the point in, and it was the only one
where I disliked the music. But no film is without a flaw (in the eyes
of the viewer anyway). And, the film continued to improve until the end.
 |
| BK Bomar, Apolonia Davalos |
A
public defender and his wife (
BK Bomar
and
Apolonia Davalos), had a personal tragedy that I am all too familiar
with, and it touched me deeply. Both turned in excellent performances,
and I could deeply identify with Davalos in particular. The music during
the climatic discovery also touched me deeply.
Rick Holets is the
composer for this film, and I truly loved the music [other than that one
scene].
Of course,
Jenn Gotzon lights up the screen of any film
she is in. Both she and
Amanda Pentecost were highlights of the film for
me. Each were very expressive in their actions and you could feel
exactly what they they were going through. Gotzon's character went
through both joy and sorrow, and she could not have expressed the
emotions and actions any stronger if there had been words to speak
 |
| Amanda Pentecost, Donald James Parker, and Jenn Gotzon |
 |
| Josh Childs |
When
the Bible is launched from the local area into the hands of a foreign
missionary (
Josh Childs), the poignant message of what a difference this
book makes truly hits home. It brings the reminder that this is not a
tame tale to be taken lightly, but a book whose message is considered
dangerous around the world. The risk to spread the gospel was shown, and
the film ended with a spark of hope for the future.
I love old
films, including silent ones, so the genre is one I am very comfortable
with viewing. I do believe this film will be an excellent evangelical
outreach tool. There will be no worries with CC or translating into a
multitude of languages. Each scene was presented in a way that will
'speak' for itself to all viewers and get the message across that your
life will be radically changed when you read God's Word...and begin to
apply those words to how you live.
Thank you to Sharon
Wilharm for providing me with a link to see this film for
 |
| Fred and Sharon Wilharm |
review
purposes; no promises were made of a favorable review. As a side note, I want to add that it was fun to see FB friends Torry Martin,
Mike Parker, and
Paul Spite
(one of my favorite authors) in the scenes with Daniel. And, while I am
on a personal "shout-out",
Donald James Parker caught my eye, and I
thought fellow Cullmanite,
Brandon Oliver, was excellent as the employer
who was willing to take a chance on someone.
