Reviews

I saw this last night with my wife while we were down visiting her family in Cedar City and I was moved by the acting and by the touching messages. It was more of a serious, realistic storyline with still a lot of great humor. Unlike Singles Ward and RM (where if you aren't LDS, you might not get the one liners and jokes) this is something for a non-LDS audience to enjoy and be touched deep inside as well. I think that BEST TWO YEARS rivals GOD'S ARMY as far as warm human emotions. All four Elders were great as well as the "convert" I think that the producers have shown in this film, while they're still getting off of the ground, and maybe a bit rough around the edges, that they are trying to have versatility, versatility that they need to continue to succeed. The Comedies (HM Teachers, RM, and SIngles Ward) and the more serious and touching (Best Two Years and God's Army). I hope that they continue to make more LDS films-practice makes perfect.

Unfortunately, this kind of revolting behavior(refering to the first husband) happens out there. Those of us lucky ones, who were not brought up that way, should have nothing but heartfelt gratitude towards the great and almighty. You wouldn't be human if you didn't feel for those two boys. The mother can't be at fault for doing what she desperately had to do in order to get her boys out of the hellhole that they were living in. She shouldn't have had to go to that kind of length in order to rescue the innocent victims who she no doubt dearly loved. People like that abusive lunatic, lock them up and throw away the key. I, like most I'd imagine, was emotionally overcome by the part where the two boys, the angry older one in particular, were comforted by their new dad " noone's ever going to hurt you again, I'm your dad now" And this heartwarming and tearjerky scene proves to be the turning point in the family bonding and becoming stronger and determined to get through the ordeal. I think that it was injustice for the mother to spend any more time in jail once she was proven not to be nor pose as any potential threat to society. I am angry as can be at times because of the flaws of our injustice system.

I have seen this movie several times. I still can't believe how sick the kidnapper was and how demented the justice system was too in not putting that bastard away. He should have been sentenced to life without parole. Actually, if it were up to me, that sicko DOES NOT deserve to live. I parent's worst nightmare. Yeah, Steven came home alive after seven years, but he wasn't the sweet, innocent, sheltered little boy that he should have been. As parents, especially in today's world, kids shouldn't walk home alone or better yet they should be(I know when my little boy is in school, he'll be dropped off and picked up)taken to school and activities and picked up. It's a day to day struggle and sadly, the most extreme measures must be taken to avoid having one of those parent's worst nightmares. The old school saying "never talk to strangers" applies more and more to our beloved children. If we love them, buckle them up. If we love them, we must know where they are at all times. This movie is unfortunately a true story, but it's very educational for children and parents alike. And one more thing, someone who knows a kid and sees him/her talking to a stranger or god forbid, gets into a stranger's car whether it's forced or not, you've got to DO SOMETHING. Don't hesitate. I can't believe noone who knew Steven Staynor, saw him get into that "stranger's" car.

I remember seeing this movie on a Sunday night-made-for-TV movie back when I was in High School. I remember being blown away by how the father of one of the airline stewardesses being held hostage in a foreign country, decides to take matters into his own hands: drops everything and flies over to Europe because he feels that it will only help not hurt the situation instead of sitting home and being idle and feeling helpless to do anything about it. The father(played by Brian Dennehy) and his wife are suddenly living a parent's worst nightmare-child being held captive/unknown whereabouts. Ofcourse, this story has a happy(and speaking for myself, emotional too) ending. Years later, being a parent, I can honestly say that if It were me in that predicament, I would have done the same thing.