GMC is my source of Sue Thomas and Doc reruns, not gospel music. Both shows, more so the latter (each show ends on a pretty evangelical note), have some religious overtones. So, it's not overly surprising that they are on the channel in the first place. Anyways, over the last month, What If has been heavily promoted on the channel. I finally watched it. Mixed bag, a sort of Family Man with more religious content (I didn't see the latter, but that's a common comparison), that is worthwhile.
I found two reviews and interestingly the one from a Christian publication was more critical. Concern for "moralistic therapeutic deism, rather than a sinner flinging himself on the mercy of a holy God" suggests some of the problem was a concern for the theme of the movie. Let me note that though the relationship to the Left Behind series (there is overlap of those involved behind the scenes) might scare people, the film is not of that caliber. It is Christian, but fairly mild. That might be part of the concern there.
As a bit of an outsider, I don't judge the film as harshly. The basics here is that a young man (Kevin Sorbo, best known as Hercules) leaves plans of a life in the ministry with his young love (Kristy Swanson, perhaps best known as the movie Buffy, though maybe not by the current generation) to succeed in business. Fifteen years passes and a successful deal underlines how far he has gone. After getting a note from his old love (perhaps hoping for a donation), he has a bit of a car accident, and the tow driver (yes, it is Cliff from Cheers) tells him he has been give a second chance to see how his life would have gone. He could return to his old life, but he has to seriously try this one first.
The ending is to be expected. But, this doesn't necessarily mean God gives you only two options -- his or the highway. The idea of God does suggest that God knows the best way for you and if you choose a different path, you will lose out some. The idea of "what if" is found in various "It's A Wonderful Life" scenarios. Fiction and sometimes fact gives us a way to find out how things would have gone differently if we had the chance to decide differently. Though it might not be the only way to go, it is not too strange to imagine a deity giving the right people a chance to see how that other way would have turned out.
The positive review notes that way to succeed with Christian programming is to make a product that is independently well made. Both reviews note that Sorbo and Ratzenberger (as the angel) are very good here. As the teenage daughter, Debby Ryan is good too, if not having much to do. She has a chance to be a bit more surly here than on her Disney show. The reviews are mixed on Kristy Swanson, but I agree with the positive review -- she has a rare chance here to have a meaty role and gives a very good dramatic performance of someone of deep faith. As one review says:
The deck is clearly a bit stacked here. As the negative review notes, he seemed like a pretty good boss and all, so his old life was not really that bad, was it? A quick read suggests Family Man involved someone a bit more hedonistic than someone who concerns about getting a nice car. He was going to get married, if to someone who wasn't as religious. I assume they might have had kids at some point. The negative review seems to like the idea of a more "forward redemption" story. Like someone who repents instead of one who got a second choice to do the "right thing." But, there are more than one ways to do things. And, for him, maybe the alternative choice was his thing. It can be left to another medium to tell a story of someone who is a minister getting a chance for a different path in life!
To sum up, I liked many of the performances (the wife and angel being the best), various moments felt real and the overall film was enjoyable. The middle was a bit rushed and the overall concept had a few glitches. And, just how old are they in the final scenes? [In their mid-40s.] But, an overall thumbs up from this viewer.
I found two reviews and interestingly the one from a Christian publication was more critical. Concern for "moralistic therapeutic deism, rather than a sinner flinging himself on the mercy of a holy God" suggests some of the problem was a concern for the theme of the movie. Let me note that though the relationship to the Left Behind series (there is overlap of those involved behind the scenes) might scare people, the film is not of that caliber. It is Christian, but fairly mild. That might be part of the concern there.
As a bit of an outsider, I don't judge the film as harshly. The basics here is that a young man (Kevin Sorbo, best known as Hercules) leaves plans of a life in the ministry with his young love (Kristy Swanson, perhaps best known as the movie Buffy, though maybe not by the current generation) to succeed in business. Fifteen years passes and a successful deal underlines how far he has gone. After getting a note from his old love (perhaps hoping for a donation), he has a bit of a car accident, and the tow driver (yes, it is Cliff from Cheers) tells him he has been give a second chance to see how his life would have gone. He could return to his old life, but he has to seriously try this one first.
The ending is to be expected. But, this doesn't necessarily mean God gives you only two options -- his or the highway. The idea of God does suggest that God knows the best way for you and if you choose a different path, you will lose out some. The idea of "what if" is found in various "It's A Wonderful Life" scenarios. Fiction and sometimes fact gives us a way to find out how things would have gone differently if we had the chance to decide differently. Though it might not be the only way to go, it is not too strange to imagine a deity giving the right people a chance to see how that other way would have turned out.
The positive review notes that way to succeed with Christian programming is to make a product that is independently well made. Both reviews note that Sorbo and Ratzenberger (as the angel) are very good here. As the teenage daughter, Debby Ryan is good too, if not having much to do. She has a chance to be a bit more surly here than on her Disney show. The reviews are mixed on Kristy Swanson, but I agree with the positive review -- she has a rare chance here to have a meaty role and gives a very good dramatic performance of someone of deep faith. As one review says:
What If is really made by the performances. Kevin Sorbo and Kristy Swanson have never been given roles this meaty before, and they rise to the occasion. Sorbo, in particular, delivers one of the most sincere performances of the year. If all you know of him is his work on "Hercules," be prepared to see a whole other side to his talents. Swanson, meanwhile, deftly handles some intense emotional moments as Ben's confused wife, who can't figure out why her husband has abruptly lost the very values that made her fall in love with him in the first place. As the wisecracking angel Mike, John Ratzenberger manages to be very funny without hamming it up. He gives the character a kind of quiet confidence that can only come from knowing that one's boss is the Lord.I think one of most powerful parts of the film is Wendy struggling with the strange actions of her husband, having faith in him but not blind faith -- she lets him know how hurt and disappointed she is, how if he doesn't shape up, they might have to rethink things. Ben's acceptance of his new life is a bit quick, a mixture of reading up on religious matters, seeing the joys of having a family and some inner transformation (or acceptance of what was inside all the time) that we mostly have to accept as a given. I didn't quite accept him counseling the dying man in the hospital as if he was actually a minister of long standing. It's a fairly powerful scene though.
The deck is clearly a bit stacked here. As the negative review notes, he seemed like a pretty good boss and all, so his old life was not really that bad, was it? A quick read suggests Family Man involved someone a bit more hedonistic than someone who concerns about getting a nice car. He was going to get married, if to someone who wasn't as religious. I assume they might have had kids at some point. The negative review seems to like the idea of a more "forward redemption" story. Like someone who repents instead of one who got a second choice to do the "right thing." But, there are more than one ways to do things. And, for him, maybe the alternative choice was his thing. It can be left to another medium to tell a story of someone who is a minister getting a chance for a different path in life!
To sum up, I liked many of the performances (the wife and angel being the best), various moments felt real and the overall film was enjoyable. The middle was a bit rushed and the overall concept had a few glitches. And, just how old are they in the final scenes? [In their mid-40s.] But, an overall thumbs up from this viewer.