Review of The Grace Card

I thought the film had a good message, but that they did lay it on a bit thick with their choice in songs (obviously contemporary Christian alt rock and rap, which could be seen as a little cheesy) and in the way that they conveyed Rev. Wright's family's spirituality. They prayed before meals, and before bed, and in several other situations. This is fine,they're a preacher's family, and it's a Christian film. However, I've seen people pray in movies and TV shows before, and it can be done with a bit less schmaltz, I think. It was almost like they expected not to be taken seriously, and so overdid it. Maybe it was just bad acting, I don't know.

Otherwise, it wasn't overtly awful. The lighting was not too great generally, and there were some shaky camera-work moments, and the script seemed like it was written by a high school drama club once in a while. But this can all be forgive, and in some ways added to the reality of the film. I found myself enjoying it most of the time with a similar level of immersion as when I'm watching "Law & Order". It was a compelling story line. The film addressed a lot of issues: losing a child, dealing with a troubled teenager, saving a marriage, facing racism, dealing with a medical emergency, struggling to find your true calling, and probably a ton more. It was very human. I actually liked it, and I had a good time!