Journey to Bethlehem

A young woman carrying an unimaginable responsibility. A young man torn between love and honor. A jealous king who will stop at nothing to keep his crown.

This live-action Christmas musical adventure for the entire family weaves classic Christmas melodies with humor, faith, and new pop songs in a retelling of the greatest story ever told—the story of Mary and Joseph and the birth of Jesus. A unique new entry into the collection of holiday classic movies, this epic Christmas musical is unlike any before it. See JOURNEY TO BETHLEHEM in theaters beginning November 10.

Buy tickets today at Journey to Bethlehem Tickets.

• You can also give the gift of giving and make someone’s Christmas brighter by providing tickets for JOURNEY TO BETHLEHEM! https://fandango.egifter.com/journeytobethlehem

 

 

 My Review: I do have a mixed reaction to "Journey to Bethlehem." It's mostly positive, but my initial reaction doesn't completely embrace the film.

Negative: I tend to view historical events in films through the lens of the customs and laws of that time period, so Mary and Joseph seemed a bit immature to me to be taking on the the responsibility of raising our Savior. I've also never thought of their story as a Rom-Com. But, this also can open the door to a great conversation starter with people who want to know more. Some of the scenes did not work very well for me, but it may have just been my mood. I do plan to see the film again.

Positive: There was some great music! I do need a longer version of "O Come, O Come Emmanuel" since this version was amazing! My other favorite was "In My Blood" by Joel Smallbone (for King + Country)! Most of the comedy was entertaining too. (I can overlook a joke or song that I simply didn't like.)

I could not find fault based on Scripture either. Of course, people don't normally break out in song and dance (although I often wish they did), but this is a MUSICAL. I do love musicals.

 

I was impressed with the acting. Antonio Banderas made an excellent villain in the role of Herod, and I enjoyed Joel Smallbone as Antipater as much as I loved his music. Fiona Palomo and Milo Manheim were not quite the Mary and Joseph in MY mind, but they are both wonderful in the film's version And I was entertained by the 3 Wise Men: Omid Djalili (Melchoir), Rizwan Manji (Gaspar), and Geno Segers (Balthazar). Adam Anders wrote (with Peter Barsocchini), directed, and produced Journey to Bethlehem.

While I do understand why some will find the story offensive, I won't go that far. Some of the story seemed a little irreverent. However, I don't believe that is the intent of the filmmakers. I'm not familiar with their previous work, so it may be simply be their method of telling a story.

Scroll down to Links to find a clip of the director titled, "No Scripture Harmed." There are also several resources you can use for "Journey to Bethlehem."

GIVEAWAY: One person will win 2 Free Tickets to see JOURNEY TO BETHLEHEM! The deadline to enter is Nov. 12, 2023 (USA only) Leave a comment on this blog or under the blog post shared on other social media platforms.

Disclosure: Many thanks to AFFIRM Films, Inc. for providing a sample of the product for this review. Opinions are 100% my own.

LINKS:

JourneyToBethlehemmovie.com

Buy Tickets

The Heart of the Movie

"Can We Make This Work?"


No Scripture Harmed (short version)

 

RESOURCES - Downloadable family discussion guides suitable for different ages, coloring sheets, photos, video clips, and Spanish resources.