Providence

Providence movie

Love Needs No Words... The tagline of the upcoming film, Providence, is more than just a figure of speech. It is also an apt description of this feature length silent film that relies on action and music to tell a story of a search for love that lasted four decades. 

Providence tells the story of Rachel Cartwright and Mitchell Little whose lives touch at many times over the years, but misunderstandings and other interests pull them apart each time. The roles of Rachel and Mitchell are played by are shared of different actors: Emily Knapp and Chase Anderson as young Rachel and Mitchell, Stacey Bradshaw and Josh Allen as the teens versions, and Juli Tapken and Rich Swingle as adults. Each keep the characters true to form which makes the transition throughout the decades believable. All involved with the film are great, but I do want to say that Irene Santiago, as Rachel's mom, gives a remarkable performance. Several recognizable faces from the Christian film industry are in this, including an enthusiastic cameo by Jenn Gotzon.

 

Writer/director Sharon Wilharm, and her husband Fred (who produces, edits, and films) have collaborated on several movies and videos, and this is not their first silent film project. The Good Book is an hour long silent drama which follows a single Bible as it is shared from one person to another, and the impact its words have on each person who receives it. A single Bible is also a key factor in Providence.

Rachel receives a Bible from her beloved grandmother as a Christmas present, but her mom donates it to a thrift store. That Bible is the only book Mitchell can afford, so he becomes the new owner. Rachel's loss leads her to looking for love and acceptance with the popular crowd, while Mitchell becomes a follower of Christ. They have several encounters in high school that lead to a closer relationship, but that breaks off as they both go in different directions with their lives. Even when they met again as adults, it was mostly brief encounters that never lasted, until they finally realized that they were truly meant to be together after all...and for always. I have heard this story compared to Christ awaiting His Bride (the church) to prepare herself and to Abraham waiting for his promised son. The 40 years also remind me of Moses leading his people out of Egypt to the Promised Land. Since there is no dialogue, each person will probably fill in the silence with their own words and come to their own comparisons.

There are a couple of times when some of the acting may be a little over the top, but overall, this is a well made film that truly does get it's message out without saying a word. And, I definitely want to commend whoever selected the music! The eclectic blend suited my personal taste and provided a perfect background for the action and I loved the score by Sean O'Bryan Smith. The music in the movie is often my favorite part, and he did a great job with it.


See Providence at an AMC Theater near you starting February 12, 2016.
Providence on FB

Providence movie website

Providence on IMDb 

The Good Book movie

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.